LAS MONTAÑAS

Today is International Mountain Day, celebrated around the world.

Even here in Arizona, the land of the desert, the San Francisco Peaks house a ski resort a mere 150 miles north of Phoenix.

The Peaks are the home of Arizona's highest point, Humphrey's Peak, that tops out at over 12,600 feet.

Several mountains are contained within the Phoenix city limits, the most famous of which is Camelback Mountain.

But there is also Piestewa Peak, which was known as Squaw Peak when our family first arrived back in the early 1970's.

One weekend day we decided to climb it.

Here am I at the summit.

And She Who Must Be Obeyed, my intrepid wife Judy.

But in spite of our victory, the accomplishment was dwarfed by Judy's son, who had not followed the path but scrambled up the side and beat us to the top.

Here he celebrates with a death-defying pose.

Well, as some of our friends used to say, "those aren't mountains, they're just hills!"

But we have visited their Colorado mountains and others elsewhere.

Here is Judy, enjoying a view of Beartooth Pass in Wyoming.

And just to top off this story, here is an obviously exultant (or altitude sick) Catalyst introducing the Alps in Innsbruck, Austria.

Wherever you live in this big world, happy International Mountain Day!