Greetings from the White Mountains…wish you were here!

Photo taken at 6 am this morning of the sunrise in Show Low, Arizona.

After fifteen years of visiting Tucson, it was time to explore another wilder part of Arizona: The White Mountains. Located three hours northeast of Phoenix, the White Mountains contain one of the largest collections of Ponderosa pine trees in the state. The elevation climbs rapidly and ranges between 5,000 to 11,400 feet which is the location of Mount Baldy.

Driving from the hot, deserts of Phoenix and climbing up the Mongollon Rim is quite an experience as the cactus rapidly disappear, the juniper arrive and then finally, the fragrant majestic pines that this area is known for. Unfortunately wild fires are all too common in this part of the world and millions of acres have been destroyed. The air here is pure, fragrant and fresh. It is a nice change from the big dusty city of Phoenix thus attracts tons of city dwellers wishing to escape the heat and breathe in the pure mountain air.