ACE Arizona is based in Flagstaff, commonly known as the "gateway to the Grand Canyon". But this small city of 60,000 offers much more than close proximity to one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Flagstaff is a city rich in cultural diversity, educational opportunities at Northern Arizona University, and teeming with outdoor enthusiasts drawn to the largest continuous ponderosa pine forest in the world, the state's highest mountain (Mt. Humphrey's at 12,600 feet), steep powder skiing at Arizona Snowbowl, rock climbing, mountain biking on trail systems that rank among the best and most extensive in the United States, and canyoneering along creeks flowing through limestone and sandstone gorges.
Weather
Flagstaff's weather is a story of contrasts. At 7,000 feet in elevation, Flagstaff residents enjoy over 300 days of sunshine per year and low humidity. Yet historically Flagstaff receives the second most snow of any city in the continental United States and can be surprisingly cold in the winter. Even during the coldest periods when snow is falling by the foot (or even by the meter!), warming sunshine is never more than a couple days away. Weeks can pass in spring and autumn without so much as a single cloud interrupting the sun's rays, whereas in July and August the summer monsoon season brings intense thunderstorms nearly every afternoon. When most people around the world think of Arizona they conjure up images of blazing desert heat without realizing that Arizona is among the most mountainous states in the US. At 7,000 feet elevation, sitting in the heart of the cool pines of the Coconino National Forest, Flagstaff is far from a desert environment. Even in the peak of summer, daily high temperatures rarely exceed 85 degree Fahrenheit, making Flagstaff a retreat for desert residents fleeing their scorching Phoenix summers.
Star gazing
With clear skies, high elevation, and humidity often below 10 percent Flagstaff is renown as a Mecca for star gazing enthusiasts. Flagstaff was recently designated as the United State's first "international dark sky city" and boasts three observatories, including Lowell Observatory, where Pluto was first discovered.
