FLAGSTAFF  - Three-year-old Shane Cone browsed the stacks of brightly painted sleds, disks and inner tubes at the Flagstaff Quick Stop on Thursday, trying to figure out which snow toy looked best.

Finally settling on a yellow disk with handles, his family paid the $10.95 and he rushed out the door to find a snowy hill. Thankfully for business owners, those are abundant this year.

Visitors to Arizona Snowbowl spend about $15.8 million in Flagstaff in a good season, and sledders and snowman builders like Shane bring an additional economic benefit that is helping some businesses weather the recession.

"As long as there is snow on the ground out there, we are busy," Quick Stop owner Allan Wolfenberger said as two more families piled into the convenience store to peruse the sleds. "Snow is profitable."

Just having snow isn't enough, though. Timing can be crucial, especially for Snowbowl, which had about 135,000 visitors last season.

Getting the chairlifts turning at the resort during the holiday break when grade-school and college students are out of class and everyone is eager to use their new equipment is much more valuable than getting big storms in spring, when warm weather draws people to other outdoor sports across the state.

"In March last year, when Phoenix had record highs, people didn't think we had snow," Snowbowl spokesman David Smith said. "But we had tons of snow."

A study last winter by the Flagstaff Convention and Visitors Bureau found that of the $15.8 million spent by Snowbowl visitors during the 102 days the resort was open, nearly $3 million was spent on lodging, nearly $5 million on food and beverages, and more than $8 million on other goods and services.

The bureau is working on a follow-up study to determine the additional economic benefit from people like Shane and the thousands of other visitors to the snowy forest who bypass Snowbowl.

"Snow in general, even when (the snow at) Snowbowl is not super good, people come to play in the snow," said Winnie Hanseth, who owns Beaver Street Brewery in downtown Flagstaff with her husband. "You can totally tell the difference in the business."

Early storms that piled 110 inches of snow at the resort this season likely have boosted the economic impact from both visitor types.

The resort opened Dec. 17, and for five consecutive days leading up to New Year's Eve, the 1,200-space parking lots hit capacity, causing the resort to turn latecomers away. That happened only three times all of last season, Smith said.

"It just shows everyone is anxious to get on the snow," he said. "Definitely to have guests over the holidays is wonderful for business. On lean years, if we run out of money, we have to go to the bank and borrow. We are not borrowing any money now."

The economic benefit of the snow is felt well beyond the 500 or so full- and part-time Snowbowl employees.

"These good winters during the recession have helped," said Dave Barnett, manager of Aspen Sports in downtown Flagstaff.

The shop sells a variety of outdoor gear including snowboards and cross-country skis.

"We get a lot of local customers, but a lot of our customers live in the Phoenix area," he said.

Many Phoenix customers arrive with the snow, which isn't guaranteed in Flagstaff. As recently as the 2001-02 season, Snowbowl was open just four days, and as recently as 2006 the resort missed a Christmas opening.

"To have Snowbowl open before Christmas is key," Barnett said.

Despite working in a business that benefits from snow, Barnett doesn't debate whether Snowbowl should make artificial snow with reclaimed wastewater, which would allow the resort to open even if natural snow was scarce.

The resort recently won a legal challenge against its snowmaking plans brought by Native American tribes who oppose the plan for religious reasons.

Snowbowl still has not received the permits to begin the work, and the plans face another legal challenge based on health concerns.

"There are a lot of viewpoints on that and all are legitimate," Barnett said. "It probably does divide the town in some ways. Even the outdoor community is divided on it."

But last week, on the hill at Snowbowl, many newcomers were just happy to have snow for New Year's Eve.

John and Lorna Nevitt from Queen Creek had five children ages 9 to 18 on the hill Thursday.

Two of their boys wanted nothing but snowboard clothes and to learn to ride for Christmas, and with news of good snow, the family made the trip.

"I'm sure we'll be doing it every year now," Lorna said.

First-timers can be more lucrative customers than experienced skiers because instead of just a $53 holiday lift ticket ($49 non-holiday; $30 holiday, $26 non-holiday for children 8-12) they often need to rent equipment and take lessons. Lesson packages run $70 to $80 for a full day with a lift ticket included.

All five Nevitt children took lessons.

"Those lessons really help," Lorna said. "We don't know if they're going to come back and meet us. They're having the time of their lives."

Ashok Chavan was taking a break in the shade, tending to a busted ski binding while his 13-year-old daughter and wife learned to ski.

The family moved from the Midwest to Chandler about two years ago, and decided to visit Snowbowl for the first time for a three-day trip because his daughter missed snow.

"What I really like is this big area," he said sweeping his arm to take in the beginner slope. "The snow really is soft. This really is perfect."

Six-year-old Julia Gryp, clad in a bright pink jacket, pointed her skis toward her instructor 15 feet downhill, held her arms to her side for balance and skidded toward him.

"The instructors are really friendly," said her mother, Tina, adding that Julia was just as interested in the après ski activities. "She's doing really good. But after her last run, she turned to her instructor and asked what they're having for lunch."

Snowfall uplifts Arizona Snowbowl