Snowfall in Phoenix itself is extremely rare; the city only averages 5 days per year where the temperature drops below freezing and since records began, snow has only fallen seven times – the last of which was January 2001 (the first snow fall in 22 years).

However, much to the enjoyment of Phoenix’s skiers and snowboarders, there are several ski resorts within a few hours drive which are perfect for a day or weekend trip and should satisfy snow lovers’ cravings for the white stuff.

Arizona Snowbowl is located in the San Francisco Peaks in the Coconino National Forest, just a two hour drive from Phoenix. The ski area offers over 2,300 feet of vertical drop and 32 scenic trails that cover 777 acres and the Arizonan desert climate means the resort also enjoys plenty of sunny skiing days.

Those who prefer their skiing more sedate can visit the Flagstaff Nordic Center, located just seven miles north of Snowbowl. This area offers winter sports fans an extensive network of Nordic ski trails, as well as snowshoeing and sledding. Flagstaff also supports a healthy racing scene with competitions of various lengths held throughout the winter for cross country skiers.

The largest ski area in Arizona is Sunrise Park Resort, located in McNary in the Arizona White Mountains. Owned and operated by the White Mountains Apache Tribe, the areas comprises of eight lifts, and over 13 miles of cross country skiing trials.

And finally, if you want to ski in the most southerly ski resort in the Untied States, head for Mount Lemmon Ski Valley. Though Tucson is more likely to conjure up thoughts of sand rather than snow (several well-known beach resorts are located here) – just an hour’s drive away from the sea there is skiing and snowboarding to be found. The area is small, with a vertical drop of just 290m, 3 lifts and a ski-able area of 200 acres, but despite its southerly location, the resort still manages to open from December to April and the scenic views that overlook the area make Mt. Lemmon a popular ski destination.

Accommodation is available in (or near) all of these winter towns in the form of cabins, lodges and motels. Be warned though – people come here to ski rather than party so if you’re looking for a wild time, a better option would be to stay at a hotel in Phoenix and just commute to the ski areas during the day.

If there is one thing that a big city needs, it is big companies to match that size. Corporations help a city strive. When you purchase something from a company based in your city or state, more money stays in the city and state. The money that stays domestically is about 43 percent, while purchasing something from out of the city or state only keeps about 13 percent in the domestically. It is obvious why you would want to know what companies are in you city. One of the fastest growing cities in the country, Phoenix is no exception. There are many different corporations and law firms in the state that are in the Fortune 500 or the NLJ 250.

A big category in companies is the Fortune 500. But, if you go a little bit further, there is also the Fortune 1000. The Fortune 1000 is the top 1000 companies according to revenue and profit in the world. Phoenix has eleven companies that are in the Fortune 1000, with five being in the Fortune 500. This means that the headquarters for these companies are in Phoenix. Two of these companies actually got their start in Phoenix and continued to grow across the country. These two are Petsmart and US Airways Group. The other companies in the Fortune 500 are Avnet, Freeport-McMoRan, and Insight Enterprises. These five companies really helped the city get to where it is today, and they will continue to help it as the years go by. This leaves the other six in the Fortune 1000. These are Amkor Technologies, Apollo Group, ON Semiconductor, Pinnacle West Capitol Corporation, Republic Services, and RSC Holdings. With companies like this, it is easy to see why Phoenix continues to strive. All of these companies give back to the community, and when people buy their products, more money stays in Phoenix.

The NJL 250 is the top 250 law firms in the country. Of course, just like the Fortune 500, it is according to revenue and profit. Phoenix has three law firms in the NJL 250, and just like the Fortune 500, they help Phoenix grow as well. These three are Snell and Wilmer, Lewis and Roca, and Fennemore Craig. People trust these law firms and it shows because they are in the NJL 250.

Even though the next companies may not be in the Fortune 500 or the Fortune 1000, they still significantly help Phoenix. These companies include Hypercom, Microchip Technologies, and Discount Tire Company. If you, or other, bigger companies buy from these, the money tends to stay in Phoenix or Arizona and it really helps everyone.

As you can see, there is no shortage of major corporations or law firms in Phoenix. You may not realize what you are living by, but Phoenix is a huge city with great major corporation scattered around. See the other companies that got started here, and help Phoenix grow even more.