Whenever I post something about our cooler weather or snow I get the same reaction from folks far and wide along the lines of "I didn't know it ever snowed in Arizona" or "I thought Arizona was hot and dry".
Today I'm offering a short educational post.
Most people who've never been here or have only been to places like Phoenix or Tucson in the summertime have only one impression of the climate here.
It's true.
Much of the southern part of the state is in the Great Sonoran Desert where the mighty Saguaro Cactus thrives.
But as the tv commercials yell "But wait! There's more!"
In northeastern Arizona, one finds Monument Valley as the Hollywood director John Huston did a few years ago.
He used that scenic wonderland to make Western movies that turned John Wayne into a movie star.
Also near that part of the state is a big hole in the ground which gave my state it's nickname: the Grand Canyon State.
But I know you've all seen pictures of it so I won't bother to show it to you again.
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Oh, oops, I guess I couldn't sneak that omission by the Canyon's press agent.
But now let me show you some other aspects of Arizona which are NOT copper-colored.
For example the Mogollon Rim, which covers many miles across the mid-section of the state.
See all those green trees?
Over to the east from there, near the border with New Mexico, are the White Mountains, a cool vacationland for Phoenix residents seeking to escape the summer heat and maybe do a little fly fishing.
There's a town over there called Snowflake.
And speaking of snow let me take you to the Flagstaff area and the San Francisco Peaks and Mount Humphreys, which tops out at nearly 13,000 feet.
So you see?
There's a wide diversity in Arizona.
Of terrain, of flora and fauna, and of climate.
I'm not getting paid for this but I'd recommend a subscription to Arizona Highways magazine if you'd like to see and learn more about my adopted state.
Actually I've lived here more than half of my life and that's a lot of years.
And hot or cold, I still love it here.
That was great! Yes, a subscription to AZ Hwy is a good start. Getting out there and seeing it is even better.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a wonderful place to visit... I may have to make some plans to do that! Thanks for the tour!
ReplyDeleteI remember on my long road trip of a few years past, I assumed that southern Arizona, by Brisbbee, would be warm in December. I learned that it's at 5,000ft, and has mining 'headframes' just like in my town of Butte, and temps were barely cool, let alone warm.
ReplyDeleteBisbee, dammit.
DeleteBeautiful! Most people do think of AZ as just Phoeniz and Tucson. I like where you live much better than those places!
ReplyDeleteQuite a variety!
ReplyDeleteWe love winter! Bring on the snow! Great pictures too!
ReplyDeleteYour fellow Arizonians should be proud of you laddie. That's a nice survey of a beautiful state. I'm glad you left the whacko politicians out of it.
ReplyDeleteIt really is beautiful in Arizona with deserts and mountains, rivers and valleys. It's lovely to see the diversity of landscapes, rivers, deserts, and mountains.
ReplyDeleteI'll pass on the magazine subscription, but add a little about my own country, which is also mostly hot, dry and empty. Are you ready? Australia ALSO has areas that get snow! and people go skiing! not me, I can't afford that and don't fancy freezing my butt off trying and really don't want to break any arms or legs. Most of the snow is in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania. A little falls in the Adelaide hills area, but I'm down in the "Flatlands" and don't even get frost.
ReplyDeleteVery nice tour around the state.
ReplyDeleteThat you for sharing, I didn't know.
ReplyDeleteWell, I am dumbfounded. Thanks for the education!
ReplyDelete