{"id":14021,"date":"2017-10-06T11:00:46","date_gmt":"2017-10-06T18:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/community.nrs.com\/?p=14021"},"modified":"2022-01-06T06:56:46","modified_gmt":"2022-01-06T14:56:46","slug":"a-fall-weekend-in-flagstaff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2017\/10\/06\/a-fall-weekend-in-flagstaff\/","title":{"rendered":"A Fall Weekend in Flagstaff"},"content":{"rendered":"

Born and raised in Flagstaff, I\u2019m still a local, even though my license plates carry the crest of a neighboring state. My transient lifestyle as guide\/student\/scientist\/freelancer has loaded miles on my rust-coated vehicles, but Flagstaff is my epicenter. I\u2019m more of an iterant resident now, following rivers and embracing the challenge of change. Despite my physical distance, the cords that connect me to this well-loved mountain town are robust.<\/p>\n

My dad used to say I could walk to school from preschool to a PhD\u2014truth. I grew up thinking weekend trips to the Grand Canyon were standard, having a coffee shop 200 yards from your house was normal, and 300+ days of sunshine a year coupled with 100+ inches of snow was typical. After seasonal stints in Wyoming, California, Utah, Idaho, Mexico, and Colombia, I realized what I often took as banal was the Holy Grail for many in the West.<\/p>\n

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A significant amount of residents worry Flagstaff is becoming too popular for its own good, a tick mark in the list of forever-changed Western towns. A large service economy<\/a>, burgeoning second-home market, and university population<\/a> exacerbate development and gentrification, as more and more people chase the Flagstaff special sauce: multi-sport days followed by local vittles, under the cover of sparkling sunshine and clear air, in the midst of the largest Ponderosa Pine forest in the U.S.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s still here. And it\u2019s still good: really good.<\/p>\n

A Southwest hub on the Colorado Plateau, Flagstaff is well-known along the outdoor circuit. Climbing? Check. Hiking? The tallest peaks in the state. Beer? Five microbreweries in the historic downtown, with more distilleries, and vineyards a short drive away. Arts? Festivals abound. Paddling? Well, the river runners around town affectionately refer to Flag as \u201cthe biggest river community in a town that doesn\u2019t actually have a river.\u201d<\/p>\n

Diehard local paddlers may stubbornly try to convince you the Rio de Flag<\/a> is a viable run, during the two or three days per year when it\u2019s more than a dry ditch during the spring snowmelt or summer monsoons. Much of the Flagstaff river scene is centered on the Grand Canyon. Commercial guides<\/a>, private boaters<\/a>, and educational organizations<\/a> have focused their downriver dreams here. If you\u2019re coming to town for a trip down the Big Ditch and want to fill out your itinerary, or if you need a long-weekend escape, welcome to my forever hometown.<\/p>\n

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Friday
\n<\/strong>In tourist towns, some suggestions are constant for a reason. Caffeine up at Macy\u2019s European Coffeehouse<\/a>. Yes, it\u2019s crowded. Yes, I always see at least two people here I know. Yes, the entire menu is vegetarian: savor the biscuits and gravy with the Macy\u2019s Special, espresso with hot chocolate and whipped cream. The line often expands to the door, but don\u2019t be afraid to jump to the second register when they open it in the back. You can order all the same things there. Really.<\/p>\n

Walk just up the street from Macy\u2019s to stock up on hiking snacks and gear needs at Peace Surplus<\/a>. Next, drive up to the San Francisco Peaks to hike the seven-mile-roundtrip Abineau-Bear Jaw Loop<\/a>. The turning aspen leaves create a picturesque fall backdrop, and you can see the Grand Canyon seventy miles away.<\/p>\n

For its relatively modest size, the arts community is disproportionately large. If it\u2019s the first Friday of the month, go Art Walk<\/a> (both a noun and a verb!) in historic downtown. Creatives from the breadth of disciplines fill studios, galleries, and shops with their work and free wine and snacks. Once you\u2019ve noshed on enough free vittles, Annex Cocktail Lounge<\/a> has a bomb shandy and some of the best fries\u2014<\/em>and my favorite catsup\u2014<\/em>in town.<\/p>\n

If it\u2019s later in the month, the Orpheum Theater<\/a> hosts national touring acts in a renovated historic theater. Wear your flannel-best and get down to bluegrass, hip-hop, and indie favorites.<\/p>\n

The Weatherford Hotel<\/a> is both stately and charming; it\u2019s both internationally inspired and casually Flagstaff. The third-story patio of Zane Grey<\/a> is great for people-watching (definitely not for throwing the free popcorn off onto them). If you want to keep expenses down, try the Grand Canyon International Hostel<\/a>. And if you\u2019re a true dirtbag, head out to the Coconino National Forest<\/a> to camp.<\/p>\n