Arizona's First Indoor Ski Park Opens in Phoenix

Sinclair, in an Instagram post shared last year, introduced himself as the owner of AZ Snow Zone. He’s a snowboarder who was born and raised in Arizona.

When Sinclair broke his wrist a few ski seasons ago, he was inspired during his downtime to create an indoor snowsports facility for Phoenix residents. That dream would eventually become AZ Snow Zone.

In Europe, indoor skiing and snowboarding is an established industry, with numerous massive fridge-like structures. But in North America, facilities that permit year-round snow sports aren’t common. Big Snow American Dream, in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is the continent’s only facility that features real snow and indoor climate control.

A small group of other facilities and camps, like Woodward Copper or Windells, have dry slopes that don’t require real snow or cold temperatures. AZ Snow Zone, with its patches of artificial snow, falls into this category. According to its website, AZ Snow Zone is the first indoor snow sports park of its kind in Arizona.

Membership and tickets to AZ Snow Zone are available now, starting at $10 for a drop-in pass, which includes one hour of riding. Recurring basic memberships are available for $29.99 a month.

Meanwhile, opportunities to ski on the real stuff are drying up fast.

Statewide, one Arizona ski resort, Arizona Snowbowl, remains open, with plans to offer a final weekend of skiing and riding on May 31 and June 1. Once Snowbowl closes, North American skiers will have only a few options to choose from, including Beartooth Basin, Wyoming; Arapahoe Basin, Colorado; and Timberline Lodge, Oregon.