Arizona SnowBowl, Arizona, has announced its opening date and is bringing back $1 lift tickets for eight days this winter, letting skiers hit the slopes for less than the price of a cup of coffee. The resort is scheduled to open November 20, weather permitting, after investing more than $1 million in improvements, including a new beginner conveyor, snowmaking upgrades, and forest health work designed to improve tree skiing across several areas.
More than half of Arizona Snowbowl’s scheduled operating days are currently priced at $9 or less for the 2026-27 ski season, including eight dates with $1 lift tickets. In 1948, skiers paid $1.50 for a day of unlimited rides on Snowbowl’s intermediate rope tow, according to Arizona Highways. Nearly 80 years later, Snowbowl has eight dates with lift tickets priced at $1.
“With El Niño strengthening, there’s a lot of excitement about what this winter could bring to the Southwest, and we’ve spent the summer getting Snowbowl ready,” Angie Grubb, marketing manager at Arizona Snowbowl said in a press release. “If you haven’t bought a pass or planned a trip yet, $9 lift tickets are a good reason to start.”
To add to the excitement, Snowbowl received two inches of snow overnight into September 29, marking the resort’s first snowfall of the season.
Snowbowl has invested more than $1 million in improvements ahead of winter, including a new beginner conveyor, snowmaking upgrades, forest health work, and RFID access.
A new 150-foot conveyor, Sunshine, will debut alongside the existing Big Spruce and Little Spruce conveyors. The project builds on recent improvements to beginner access, including the Aspen Chairlift, which opened in 2024. Together, the conveyors and Aspen Chairlift give beginners a path from their first turns to lift-served terrain.
Snowbowl installed four tower snow guns near Big Spruce to improve coverage in the learning area and help maintain reliable access between terrain pods.
Forest health work this summer opened up new lines through the trees below Spur Catwalk and Midway Catwalk, near Upper and Lower Volcano, and around the Sunset Chairlift. The work was part of a broader stewardship effort that treated approximately 92 acres within the ski area boundary, removing dead and downed timber to reduce accumulated fuels and improve forest conditions.
The resort is also introducing RFID access cards and self-service pickup kiosks this winter, allowing guests who purchase online to bypass the ticket window.
Snowbowl uses demand-based pricing, with the lowest prices available for guests who buy early. Eligible advance-purchase lift tickets include $10 in Snowbowl Cash to spend at the resort. Kids 12 and younger ski free all season with the Power Kids Pass, with no blackout dates and no purchase required.
With an opening date of November 20 and eight days of $1 lift tickets on the calendar, Arizona Snowbowl is giving skiers plenty of reasons to start planning a trip to Flagstaff this winter. Add in the resort’s new beginner conveyor, snowmaking improvements, expanded tree skiing, and other upgrades, and the 2026-27 season is shaping up to be an exciting one at Snowbowl.
