Latest Stories

Winter is upon us, and this will be the first in a few years to feel the effects of El Niño, which, under normal circumstances, tends to make things cooler and wetter in our neck of the woods. Time will tell, but if you’re hoping for a white Christmas, there’s hope.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Photo of the Day

Photographer: Shirley Ramaley

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In Depth

Snow isn’t really a prerequisite for winter. Or for Christmas. Or, perhaps, for life itself. But when it sparkles like diamonds under the full moon, or in the slanting rays of morning sun; when its softness invites you to lie in it, whether you make a snow angel or not; when its silence creates a dimension of reverence, it becomes easy to connect with this most magical of seasons.

I don’t think it necessary to love winter in order to appreciate its beauty. Wherever we live, many of us are probably “dreaming of a white Christmas,” or sending holiday cards featuring snow scenes, or decorating trees with tinsel connoting icicles and lights illuminating the season’s darkness. The charm of the season may have as much to do with imagination — with memory — as it does with actuality.

But connecting with winter’s beauty is natural when you love the season. Skiers, for instance, love winter. Often traveling between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres in order to live in perpetual winter, skiers are not unbiased commentators on the season. They can be trusted only by...

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Photograph by Derek von Briesen

History, Nature & Culture

History

Chances are, you haven’t heard of Virgil Carrell. But if you’ve spent any time at all on America’s highways, his work is as familiar as McDonald’s golden arches. Although...

Photograph by Chris Boswell/Alamy Stock Photo

Nature

No, this isn’t a cat, even though it somewhat resembles one. Rather, this is a ringtail (Bassariscus astutus), which is actually more closely related to the raccoon. In...

Photograph by Bruce D. Taubert

Latest Feature

The storm came in over the mountains from the north, over the high Rockies of Utah, over the Wasatches, the Uintas, and the dreamy Henrys. It covered the mountain peaks...

Photograph by Ray Manley

OUR SPONSORS

One of the best reasons to visit Yuma in the heat of the summer is the access to water. With a river literally running...

There are countless adventures in store for you when you visit Pinetop-Lakeside, Arizona. If you think Arizona is all...

The community was founded in 1880 and quickly became a thriving urban center, driven by a booming mining industry that...

From the river to the rails, Clarkdale shines like a true Arizona gem teeming with world-class attractions. Nestled in...