San Francisco Peaks

In our last few weeks we are trying to visit all our favorite places in northern Arizona. Our mountains, called the San Francisco Peaks are quite beautiful.

The meadow was covered in wild flowers.

These beautiful orange butterflies (I actually think they are some kind of moth) were all over.

While passing through the meadow, Charlotte was talking about wanting to see a dear. I told her that we often see deer on the mountain road, but I've never seen one up this high. Then Olivia says "there's one" and points to the side. Sure enough a young buck was trotting though the meadow-he was too fast for a picture. It was funny.  

View from the top. Actually we are only about half way up the mountain, where the ski lodge parking lot is. The full mountain reaches 14,000 feet.  I've hiked it several times, once while pregnant. Good old Charlie even made it to the summit once with me. It is a lovely hike. I will miss seeing this mountain in the backdrop each day.