Melodies of Spring

Summer in the Mountains

ON FIRST thought, one sounds rather vacuous in speaking of vacations and summer time in these terrible days of war. Boys in North Africa and the South Pacific, for whom there is no respite from the ardors of combat, might well imagine us completely oblivious of their ordeal and the hours of the holocaust. We fully realize the desperate seriousness of their lot, but we also realize that despite travel restrictions there must be for the civilian a period, however brief, of relaxation and rest. This is essential for the health and well being of every individual. It results in renewed vigor and greater efficiency. He was a wise man who first observed that all work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy. With the definite purpose in mind of suggesting an ideal summer vacation land, ARIZONA HIGHWAYS in this issue takes you on a picture journey through the White Mountains and the Blue Range, that majestic mountain area in eastern Arizona that sprawls like a great, rich carpet between Springerville and Clifton. Our story of this summer retreat is designed especially with Arizona defense industry workers and Arizona military personnel in mind. This region, too long neglected by Arizonans, is of easy access over perfect highways and within travel distance of less than a day from central and southern Arizona.

A tankful of gasoline will take you from the desert to these mountains. In but a few hours you exchange the desert summer for the refreshing, pine-scented breezes of the higher elevations. Because of their accessibility to the travel-restricted person, and because they offer such excellent opportunities for rest and recreation, these mountains, forming one of the most beautiful ranges in the West, are ideal for the Arizonan with a weekend, a week or a month to spend.

Once you have arrived in this forest-clad region all the charm of a mountainous wilderness is yours, and yours, too, the lazy hours to pass in many pleasant ways. There is everything from fishing to whittling. You can camp out or find accommodations to suit you throughout the area. We invite your further consideration of the White Mountains and the Blue Range when you carefully plan that precious trip this summer, precious for time, tires and gasoline. We don't believe you will be disappointed. But please do not let us leave you with the impression that there are no other suitable places in Arizona for a summer visit. From the Chiricahuas to the Kaibab, from Mount Graham to the San Francisco Peaks, where ever you find the higher elevations you'll find delightful vacation lands. All of northern Arizona, the West's great scenic wonderland, is a treasure chest for the vacation seeker. You can't go wrong in any locality. But we did want to emphasize one area too long neglected in these pagesThe White Mountains and the Blue Range... R. C.