The weather in Arizona is quite varied. The higher elevations are typically snowy and cold during the winter months while the low desert areas are warm and hospitable. The Rim Country and mountain areas provide extensive and pleasant recreational opportunities year-round. Several good ski areas are within three hours driving distance. The many lakes and wilderness areas that are within an hour's drive from campus offer exceptional hiking and backpacking opportunities.
Phoenix is located in a large, flat valley just west of the Superstition Mountains.
The valley was originally occupied by Hohokam Indians who farmed near the Salt and Gila rivers. They developed an extensive irrigation canal system but their civilizations withered away about 500 years ago. Settlers from the East revived the canals in the late 1860s. The Phoenix metropolitan area, with a population exceeding two million people, incorporates a wide range of lifestyles, housing, shopping, dining, cultural, and recreational activities. It is one of the nation's most active vacation centers.