DEAR EDITOR

Perched on the Edge

Your May 2006 cover was terrific, but seeing the hiker perched on an overlook made me shudder. I know that the Grand Canyon park rangers wake up every day hoping they won't have to rescue or evacuate (or worse) someone foolish enough to venture to this spot. You don't have to read Death in the Canyon to get that point! Please remind your readers that this person has taken a BIG chance.

Good point. Risky perch. Very sensible. Better-grounded editors here said the photograph might frighten otherwise friendly readers. This underscores the need for sensible editing. So please everyone: Go, look, quiver, but don't fall off.-Peter Aleshire, Editor

Writing About Heroes

Thank you for writing about the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Hike for Discovery at the Grand Canyon (May '06). This hike has special meaning for me since I was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia eight months ago. Since that time, I have met many true heroes, such as the Vargases and others mentioned in the story. Fund raising is especially important now as government funding for cancer research has decreased.

Where's the Locator Map?

Love Arizona and the magazine. We use it to plan our winter and fall trips. However, I very much miss the little map on the table of contents page that highlights the locations of stories.

We did drop the story locator map on the contents page, because it didn't look as good on a full-bleed, two-page picture there, but added locator maps for many stories - Ed.

Power of Love

Just want to say thanks for "My Goofball Dog and Me" ("All Who Wander," May '06). It's part of what makes Arizona Highways a magazine everyone can relate to! Your one story came across with as much power and love as could be found in an entire book. It made my day!

I thank you. Lobo thanks you. At least he will as soon as he finishes eating my CD collection - Ed.

Keep 'em on a Leash

You might want to find out about the leash laws in Arizona ("All Who Wander," May '06). On a recent hiking adventure up the Cochise Trail in the Stronghold area of the Dragoon Mountains, we were confronted with three hikers, each with a dog, one not on a leash. As we all tried to pass, one dog came between us and I fell down. This makes for what was a very nice hike into a painful downhill finish. I am not against dogs, but it just seems best that dogs be kept on a leash so that everyone can be "free" and enjoy.

With Lobo, I do wait until we get to the usually unpopulated ridge, but you raise a good point. Heck, half the time I don't think they ought to let me off the leash -Ed.

The Ink Stinks

I am very disappointed that you changed the format of the magazine. You also changed the ink. When I open your magazine, I can't breathe. Why do you guys always have to change things? Thank you.

We haven't changed the ink, but please write again and tell me what element of the redesign bothers you. -Ed.

Film vs. Digital Revisited

I've just stumbled across Peter Ensenberger's article on film vs. digital (July '05). What a model of unmuddled thinking. Having invested heavily in digital imaging equipment, I'd like to believe that the images are every bit as good as film-even 35 mm-but the evidence is there before my eyes. I'm about to head off to Myanmar, and I'd like nothing better than to trek with just my Nikon D200, but my clunky, heavyweight, medium-format camera will be coming along for the ride for one simple reason the end result.

Pete Ensenberger is indeed the master of unmuddled thinking, but I love my digital since I can delete the ugly shots. That's less of a selling point for Pete; his stuff always comes out disgustingly good-Ed.