Take a Hike

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Hiking Arizona's Sky Islands Sierra Vista may not have much in the way of culture, but it does offer some beautiful "mountain views," as its name implies.

	Mike and Matt spend much of their spare time in the mountains. When Cherie and I got back from San Diego in 2002 Matt introduced me to some of his favorite haunts. On the left is a view into Mexico from the Huachuca Mountains, and above, Matt looks out into Lutz Canyon.

The terrain in the sky islands is much different than that of the desert floor. Tall pines, lush grasses, waterfalls and flowing streams attract wildlife such as bear, deer, frogs, and a plethera of birds. Here Matt climbs rock faces to find quiet, out of the way oases

	Matt and an Arizona native vie for the title of the most tenacious rock climber.

Matt likes a challenge... even a life-threatening one. There are several mines sprinkled throughout the Huachucas. At top, Matt looks out from a crude one along the trail, cradling one of the danger signs. At bottom, he's several hundred feet into a rather sophisticated mine -- one that illegal aliens frequently turn into way stations, as evidenced by the plastic trash bags and smell of feces they leave behind.

Interesting rocks can be found along the way, from copper ores to crystal.


And along the trail you can find an animal's "mineral deposit" perched upon the rocks, presumably marking its territory -- after all this doesn't look like the most comfortable place to sit for a spell.

	Sometimes the drive up to the trails is an adventure in itself. One always hopes that you don't meet a truck coming the other way on the road, 'cause the roads are narrow, primative, and have no guard rails.

The view from the top
Matt stands atop Miller Peak, at 9,500 feet. From there he can take in a view of Sierra Vista spreading out on the desert floor, above.

Four good seasons of hiking...
Spring Summer
	Autumn ...and Winter

Fall's a particularly good time for color
	Matt and two of my co-workers, Linda and Belinda, strike off into the colorful woods.






And finally, it's home sweet home, with a view of the autumn sky from the back patio.