Waterfalls and Snow in Flagstaff, Arizona a quick guide

You open the door. You look outside. You find the perfect place to begin. The place where you live. And this is the place where I begin my first Hub.

Flagstaff, Arizona is a town nestled in the North Country. The average elevation while driving around the streets is 7,000 feet. I was not born here yet I am treated as though I was. I happily consider this place the home of myself and my family.

This little mountain location is where roses grow, crabapple trees blossom, vegetables shoot, cattails hang, the Stella Jay sings and you can find the Prickly Pear Cactus steps away from the Populus tremuloides or aspen tree.

You can cruise in on historic Route 66 or follow one of two Interstates. You can motor in on the 40 from either the east or the west. The trip along the 17 will bring you up from the south. Coming down for the north? Best check a map because depending on where you are coming from there are different routes.

Whether your wheels are roving the pavement or your wings gliding towards Flagstaff's Pulliam landing strip the massive San Francisco peaks standing 12, 633 feet will be the feature that first greats you.

Arizona's highest point hosts the Arizona Snowbowl ski resort and several trails to Humphrey’s summit. The view from that hilltop is nearly infinite. On clear days the Grand Canyon is clearly visible.

There are approximately 600 cinder cones and volcanoes of lesser height in the area. Lowell Observatory is mounted atop one called Mars Hill. Named for Percival Lowell’s well-known research on Mars. Lowell Observatory was also the place for the famous discovery of Pluto by Clyde Tombaugh in the 1930s. Of course such a great view of the night sky conferred the award of first internationally recognized dark sky city to Flagstaff. And that prompted other domes to spring up with telescopes aimed towards these dark skies.

You can see Flagstaff’s history from these peaks too. Ancient dwellings like those at Wupatki National Monument near Sunset Crater rise on the horizon. Historic sites like Riordan Mansion keep history breathing. Places like the Museum of Northern Arizona keep the fires of the imagination ignited with anthropology, geology, history and paleontology that to come to life through sight and touch. Northern Arizona University offers a significant enormity of information and knowledge.

The quadruple digit elevation restrains Flagstaff for the triple digit summer time temperatures much of the rest of Arizona endures. And winter here is unlike the whole of Arizona too. Since July 1st, the start of the winter’s snow accumulation counting, Flagstaff has received over 138 inches of recorded snow fall and that number even now continues to climb. In most cases that puts this little settlement among the top ten snowiest cities in the contiguous forty-eight.

The spring snow melt goes to good use and fills the regional lakes and pumps the wetlands full of life. Occasionally the water rushing down towards the lower elevations produces some gorgeous waterfalls. A true wetland habitat in the center of the desert is Anderson Mesa. Because of the wetland habitat and the diversity of species that the area caters to Anderson Mesa has been internationally recognized as an Important Birding Area. Nearby the Kachina wetlands also host a large array of wildlife population. Other worldly water features include Mormon Lake - Arizona's largest natural lake, Upper and Lower Lake Mary, Ashurst Lake and Marshall Lake.

Throughout the Coconino and Kaibab National Forest wildlife viewing can range from deer and elk to coyotes and foxes. Seasonal species like the Bald Eagle and migratory species like seagulls also enjoy this diverse landscape. The San Francisco Volcanic Field contributes to the creation of distinct environments that range from low elevation Pinon-Juiper to Ponderosa Pine and Fir up to Bristlecone Pine and finally Artic tundra at the uppermost elevations.

For a little place with a little population of approximately 60,000 this is a lot to take in. So how about some more?

Stand and gaze over the canyons and towards those distant mesas. Do you feel something rumbling? Hungry perhaps? Flagstaff offers a plentiful variety of vittles. Roadside hotdog stands to five-star dining. You can choose from Arabian or Vietnamese cuisine and nearly every conceivable thing between.

Back to that rumbling. What about an earthquake? You think? Entirely possible, yes. Earthquakes shake the ground under this area on a consistent basis. Although it might just be hunger because the earthquakes beneath this neighborhood are rarely felt. The local geology does set the town along some fault lines, but they are very deep and the activity although constant is nominal. This produces earthquakes that can be measured by seismograph stations but scarcely felt under foot. To experience an earthquake it must register above 4 on the Richter scale. An occurrence rate of virtually never. The most recent quake in Flagstaff for 2010 was recorded as a 2.4 on the Richter scale. You can check out current data here: http://www4.nau.edu/geology/aeic/index.html.

Remember the San Francisco Volcanic Field and the 12, 633 foot peaks? That volcano was actually much bigger before it exploded much in the same fashion as the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. See the iconic San Francisco Peaks right now by clicking this link: http://24.121.15.116/

The most recent eruption in the field came from Sunset creator less than a 1,000 years ago and that is geologically newborn. The next eruption can not be predicted but it is estimated that there are several thousand years between each one.

When you visit waterproof hiking boots are sufficient. Lava proof is optional. And there really is no need to holiday in a Bed and Breakfast with canopy bed that is earthquake proof.

Just bring your mountain bike, your canoe, your climbing gear, telescope, camera and extra batteries, and your dog along with anything else that can add to the fun.

Do not worry about how long you can stay here. Do worry about how much life you can put into the time you are staying here.

Enjoy.