The 2010s

As the new decade began, the last decade's denouement was still getting rave reviews. Letters, emails, phone calls... turns out, readers were more than willing to sacrifice vowels and consonants once a year for an “all-photo issue,” and they were vocal about wanting more. So, before the last echoes of Auld Lang Syne had vanished into the ether, the editorial team was already thinking about an encore for December 2010. But how do you follow The Beatles, everyone wondered. That's when the editor said to the photo editor, “I have an idea.” The idea came to life 12 months later under the headline: Best Ever. Period. It was a bold statement about the history of photography in Arizona Highways. “After poring over more than a thousand issues and tens of thousands of images,” the subhead read, “these are, in our estimation, the 50 best photographs to ever appear in Arizona Highways. Some were made by famous photographers Ansel Adams, Edward Curtis, Laura Gilpin and others came from newcomers like Chikku Baiju, a 20-year-old kid from Chandler, Arizona.”

Narrowing an archive like ours to 50 photos took months and was, at times, excruciating. But like the first-ever “all-photo issue” in December 2009, the follow-up was a hit. “What a beautiful magazine,” Carolyn Welsh of Scottsdale, Arizona, wrote. “And what a perfect time to present it ... December.” The next year, operating on the theory that The Godfather Part II measured up to the original, Arizona Highways published The Next Best, a sequel that expanded the magazine's portfolio of best photographs to 100. It was around then that readers started asking for a coffee-table book, and we obliged at press time, 100 Greatest Photographs to Ever Appear in Arizona Highways Magazine was in its third printing.

Two months after the sequel hit newsstands, the magazine published a special 100-page “Centennial issue,” which commemorated Arizona's 100th year of statehood. The issue included an introduction by Arizona native Sandra Day O'Connor and several historical narratives, but the highlight of the magazine was an extensive collection of black-and-white photographs. Within days of its release, the magazine sold out, and for the first time since January 1974, Arizona Highways went back on press. Twice.

included an introduction by Arizona native Sandra Day O'Connor and several historical narratives, but the highlight of the magazine was an extensive collection of black-and-white photographs. Within days of its release, the magazine sold out, and for the first time since January 1974, Arizona Highways went back on press. Twice.

In the years between then and now, the magazine has focused on a mix of interesting stories, spectacular photography and dynamic illustrations the things that have made it great for so many years as well as a steady stream of service journalism. Issues such as Best Restaurants, Summer Hiking Guide and Weekend Getaways are among our most popular, and they pass the litmus test of the magazine's mission, which is to “encourage travel to and through the state of Arizona.” Of course, travel isn't always inspired by a “things to do” checklist. Sometimes, it can be accomplished with powerful writing about people, places and things. When Robert Stieve became editor in 2007, one of his objectives was to make the writing in Arizona Highways as impressive as the photography. Today, inspirational essays by Craig Childs, J.P.S. Brown and the late Charles Bowden; thoughtful stories about the environment by Terry Greene Sterling; and fascinating profiles by Kelly Vaughn Kramer have added prose and poetry to a magazine best known for photography.

The combination of the two is what makes Arizona Highways as appealing today as it was in the days of Raymond Carlson and George Avey. The names on the masthead have changed since then, and we've added a lot of color, literally and figuratively, but in many ways, nothing's really changed. Like our founding fathers, we work hard every month to showcase the very best of Arizona.

As Mr. Carlson used to say: “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” For 90 years now, we've been striving for lasting beauty, and we're not done. In fact, we'd like to live to be 100. We hope you'll join us.

2011

George Stocking's stunning Arizona monsoon images appeared in The Howling Winds in June 2011. The portfolio featured seven photographs, including this one, which Stocking made near Coal Mine Canyon. Portfolios have been a monthly feature in the magazine since 2008.

Whitewater-rafting in Upper Salt River Canyon anchored our Weekend Getaways cover story in January 2011. The people in the front of the raft? Editor Robert Stieve and Managing Editor Kelly Vaughn Kramer.

WEEKEND GETAWAYS

Neon signs, like this one along Tucson's Miracle Mile, were featured in Glimmer of Hope in November 2011. Kathy Montgomery authored the story, which discussed neon's comeback along Arizona's roadways, while Terrence Moore provided the photography.

Jim Pyeatt and the Pyeatt Ranch were the subjects of our 100 Years, 100 Ranchers piece in October 2011. The yearlong feature, photographed by Scott Baxter, included some of the 100 people Baxter photographed for his project about families who have ranched in Arizona for 100 years or longer.

2012

Mark Lipczynski's Where the Bodies Are Buried portfolio ran in October 2012. It included this shot of Williams' Mountain View Cemetery, along with more photographs from historic cemeteries around the state.

The state of Arizona turned 100 in February 2012, and to celebrate, we published our 100-page Centennial issue. It included a timeline of Arizona history, essays by Sandra Day O'Connor and Hugh Downs, and a portfolio of historical Arizona photographs. It stands as one of the biggestselling newsstand issues in the history of Arizona Highways.

Artist Chris Gall's amazing illustrations accompanied J.P.S. Brown's cowboy story, The High Lonesome, in October 2012. Gall, who's best known for his children's books - Dinotrux, Substitute Creature and more continues to be a frequent contributor to the magazine.

In December 2013, our annual all-photography issue was organized by color “album.” This photograph of White Pocket, at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, was part of the blue album and was made by Shane McDermott.

Scott Baxter photographed cowboy Casey Murph and Navajo medicine man Jones Benally together for this cover, which celebrated The Photography Issue in September 2013. The issue featured an Indians portfolio by Joel Grimes and a Cowboys portfolio by Baxter. The purple ribbon in the top right corner of the cover paid tribute to the 19 firefighters who were killed fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire earlier that year.

Dune and Gloom, Kathy Ritchie’s story about sand dunes on the Navajo Nation, ran in October 2013. It detailed how the dunes were swallowing homes and threatening the Navajos’ way of life. John Burcham made the photos.

2014

Writer Matt Jaffe and photographer Tom Gamache teamed up for this travel story about the duo's trip across the Navajo Nation in Gamache's orange 1972 Chevy Blazer - a truck that, by the way, has more than 1.5 million miles to its credit. The story ran in November 2014.

May 2014 marked the first time Florence-based photographer Eirini Pajak's images appeared in the magazine. This shot of wholeleaf Indian paintbrushes appeared in our May Flowers portfolio and was created using a unique photostacking technique that combines multiple exposures into a single image.

2015

When we asked Ed Mell if he'd be willing to create a piece of fine art for our 90th-anniversary cover, the world-renowned painter said: “I'd love to. As an Arizona native, it's one of those 'bucket list' things. I did the Centennial stamp for Arizona, too.” As excited as he might have been, we were ecstatic. To have an artist of his caliber - someone who was born and raised in Phoenix - create an original work of art for our 90-year retrospective was more than we could have hoped for. As you've already seen, it's a remarkable painting that combines some of the many elements of the Arizona landscape, with an Arizona highway thrown in just for us. Thank you, Ed. AH Providing an Arizona History Adventure on four acres of compelling exhibits, historic buildings, heritage gardens, colorful festivals, and diverse programs to engage, educate and entertain... since 1928.

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