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MOUNTAINS
Denver, Colorado - Denver is actually on the Great Plains, with the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains in the background.
In the Front Range
Alpine, Arizona - Alpine is a hunting, fishing and cabin community in the White Mountains near Arizona's border with New Mexico. The White Mountains are not part of the Rockies, but are on the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau.
Bisbee, Arizona - Bisbee is a former copper mining town in the mountains of southeastern Arizona. With the closing of the mines, the town has been transformed into an artist and tourist haven. This pattern is common among older mining towns of the Mountain West region.
Central City, Colorado - Central City is another old mining town that now survives on tourism. It is also one of a handful of non-Indian reservation places in Colorado where high-stakes gambling is legal.
Meteor City, Arizona
San Juan Pueblo, New Mexico - One of a string of Pueblo Indian communities, mostly concentrated in the Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico, and then stretching across northern New Mexico and ending on the Hopi Mesas in Arizona.
Acoma Sky City, New Mexico - The high fortress-like site of Acoma enabled them to hold-off Spanish armies for a longer time than any other Pueblo Tribe in New Mexico. (Note that the Hopi villages in Arizona were never conquered by the Spanish.)
Navajo Nation, Arizona - The Navajo Nation is the largest American Indian reservation in the US -- both in land area and population.
South Rim of the Grand Canyon - The Colorado River cuts through the center of the Colorado Plateau, creating the Grand Canyon, as well as many other smaller canyons.
Oatman, Arizona - Oatman is an old mining town and Route 66 town in the desert near the Arizona and California border. It is also a major tourist destination, especially in the Winter months when the mild temperature attracts large numbers of 'Snowbird' retirees from cold northern states. Wild donkeys from the mining days still roam the streets seeking food handouts from tourists.
Tombstone, Arizona - the famous cowboy town, and home to the OK Corral, in southeastern Arizona.
A ghost town north of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The Las Vegas Strip, Nevada - A former Mormon town, Las Vegas today is the fastest growing large city in the US (based on % growth). The residential subdivisions can be seen stretching into the desert behind the casino hotels.
Luxor Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas - A majority of the world's largest hotels are located in Las Vegas.
The Bellagio Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas - The most expensive hotel ever built in Las Vegas -- and one of the most expensive to stay at.
Downtown Las Vegas - A light show covers the main downtown street in an effort to compete with the Strip casinos.
Pyramid Lake in northern Nevada, near Lake Tahoe. The drop in the lake level is readily apparent. This is due to the diversion of water for urban and agricultural use.
Lake Powell on the Colorado River
Infrared image of Lake Mead on the Colorado River, with Boulder City in the center of the image. (Red is dense vegetation.)
Hoover Dam
Post 9-11 Security check approaching Hoover Dam
Davis Dam at Bullhead City, Arizona (below Hoover Dam).
Central Arizona Project (CAP) pump station on the Parker Dam Reservoir. Water is pumped up and over the hill here to Phoenix and Tucson.
CAP canal in north Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix golf course - one of many urban uses of water
Recreation community on the lower Colorado River - Arizona's "West Coast"
Free camping on BLM land in Quartzsite, Arizona
Several hundred thousand RVers show up each January-February for the Quartzsite Gem and Mineral Show
Lake Havasu City, Arizona
London Bridge at Lake Havasu City
Article in the Arizona Republic - March 15, 2002
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Wasatch Valley from Little Cottonwood Canyon - a large copper mine can be seen midway up the mountain on the western side of the valley
Entrance to Little Cottonwood Canyon, looking east
Copper mine tailing on the western side of the Wasatch Valley
Mining operations from the ground level
Wasatch Range rises above the Wasatch Valley - the road is on top of the former shoreline of ice age Lake Bonneville, which filled this valley
Entertainment center built on the edge of the Great Salt Lake when its level was lower and the lake was smaller - the lake's size fluctuates considerably depending on mountain snow conditions
A portion of the Great Salt Lake
Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City
Mormon baptismal font
LDS traditions
Cattle ranching in southern Utah
Agua Prieta in Mexico - across the border from Douglas, Arizona. Shanty town houses here show the tremendous difference between the US (First World) and Mexico (Third World) economies.
The Colorado River's end at the Gulf of California - the river does not actually reach the Gulf above land, but seeps through under ground - the border with California can be clearly seen to the right of the arrow - more water and larger fields exist on the more red colored California side
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