How is the weather in Arizona shaping up for a thru-hike starting late feb.? It looks good from Wyoming…
Stephan
Weather 2011 - Arizona Trail
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#2
Well it’s snowing on and off today, but otherwise pleasent here in Flagstaff, if that helps! :tongue
Guino
can you see the border from there?:lol
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#4
I’ve been trying to keep an eye on the weather. I too am in Flagstaff and was happy to see that we’re getting a bit of snow. It’s been a kind of dry winter (with one or two exceptions) and I’m hoping for a bit more snow that will be able to melt off and provide water in the coming months. I have yet to make it down to the boarder where the trail starts, but I’m planning on driving down there to scope out the area next week if all works out. I’ll try to keep you informed.
TheLostAlaskan
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#5
Seriously though, I am only trying to pick the locals knowledge…I know anything can happen, I’m just wondering what has happened… and how this winter compares to say, last winter, which I gather was “huge”. Snotel sites can only tell so much. I’m just wondering -so far- has it been more wet or more dry overall? As I don’t know many folks in AZ, I thought local folks could enlighten me 
Thanks for your help.
And Guino, Thanks for all of the water beta on the website.
Stephan
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#7
Well people are saying that this has been a dry year so far, and the Snowbowl ski area is getting low on snow. http://arizonasnowbowl.com/ Check this website for what the snow looks like above 9500 ft. There will be a lot less lower. This ski area is on the Peak just north of Flagstaff. Also you can try calling the Coronado National Monument, or the Forest Service in Sierra Vista for the snow info for the Huachuca mtns. Same can be done for Mt. Lemmon and the Rincons. Just call the forest service in those areas, or any business in Summerhaven on mt Lemmon.
Guino
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#8
I was up in the Huachucas today and it was snowing. After the storm eased up, it looked as if we’d gotten a few inches on the hills. We haven’t had a lot of precip this year, and it melts away pretty quickly with the temps we’ve been enjoying lately.
I’ve been hiking up there and in the Santa Ritas every weekend this month and there is a lot of water in the tanks and streams. But I have not been on the west side of the Huachucas.
I was hiking in 68F temps last weekend. There have been a few days in the last few weeks it’s been up to 80F. Water can be used up quickly.
I hope to hike from Montezuma’s Pass up a ways before February is over, depending on whether. If I can manage that, I’ll comment on the conditions.
Debra
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#9
I like the US Drought Monitor website for gauging the big picture. The trend since fall has been toward expanding drought, especially south and east of Phoenix. It’s likely no coincidence that this is also one of the strongest La Nina patterns in years. Four weeks between moderate to meager storm systems at the height of the winter season is not a good omen. Yet the tendency with a trail like the AZT, especially with the impulsiveness of many thru-hikers these days, is to discount drought as a barrier to thru-hiking in the same way that high snowpack can be. The lack of water doesn’t advertise itself the same way; more often than not, if you commit to the border, you’re left to gauge the water situation for yourself, one day at a time. And over the long haul, those D1-D3 drought monitor codes will probably come to mean something to you, and can be instructive for future hikes.
blisterfree
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#10
Thanks alot folks… A bit of everything it seems… I like that drought monitor site, tx blister…Lemmon closed too. What a great resource! Thanks soo much. Just a side note… Right now the wind chill here is -45 deg. no joke. So bear with me if it seems to me like all weather in AZ is tolerable @ the moment
Stephan
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#11
Now that I have a clear view, it looks like we really only got a dusting of snow on the Huachucas yesterday.
Bummer.
debra
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#12
It was 0 in Flagstaff last night. The mountain reported 7 inches yesterday. Brrrrr today for sure. We have just a little snow at 7000 ft here. Hopefully we will get a big dump sometime soon. The snow that fell yesterday in town, about an inch has all melted. The south facing sides of Mt. Elden look dry up to 9000 ft. Though on the San Fransico pks the snow line is lower. Still there isn’t that much at all. People are saying the ski area may close soon :bawling
Guino