WINTER

(winter) n. the coldest season of the year; in the Northern Hemisphere, generally regarded as including the months of December, January and February.

“When you spend your winter in the Old West,” Raymond Carlson wrote, “you have all of southern and central Arizona to choose from; and much of northern Arizona has that delightful winter climate that beckons. Winter of snow and cold comes only to our high mountains. Only our loftier peaks and higher elevations wear coats of ermine, and they do so proudly, for theirs is a noble mission. They seem to stand like mighty guardians against the storms that come with winter, and in their strong arms they seize the storms' challenge and struggle ever-victoriously to protect the pleasant valleys and the desert below.”

PRECEDING PANEL:

The snowy San Francisco Peaks, their slopes covered with golden-hued aspens, surround Lockett Meadow, a popular recreation destination. At press time, Lockett Meadow was open to hikers but remained closed to motor vehicles in the aftermath of the 2022 Pipeline Fire.

The icy water of Oak Creek flowS between snow-covered banks at Slide Rock State Park. Traditionally a summer destination, the park does attract photographers - and maybe a handful of brave swimmers - in winter. It receives an average of 25 inches of snow per year.

Snow adorns mature saguaro cactuses and other desert flora beneath the Santa Catalina Mountains in a view from Catalina State Park, near Tucson. Opened in 1983, the 5,500-acre park offers numerous hiking trails and plenty of opportunities to see desert wildlife.

PAUL GILL

Early snowfall blankets aspens and young evergreens along a forest road near the White Mountains community of Greer. In contrast to the state's desert regions, this part of Eastern Arizona becomes a wonderland of snow and ice in winter.

TOM BEAN

Considered for It All Started With the Snow, December 2022 Colorful sparkles appear amid tall grasses on a frosty morning in the Fay Canyon area, near Flagstaff. The sparkles are the result of prismatic dispersion of sunlight through ice particles.

PRECEDING PANEL: JACK DYKINGA

The rising sun strikes a wall of the Grand Canyon near Shoshone Point, as seen amid snowcovered trees. This viewpoint is along Desert View Drive, a section of State Route 64 that runs between Grand Canyon Village and Desert View Watchtower on the South Rim.

TOM BEAN

Snow flocks the needles of ponderosa pines of Walnut Canyon, as viewed from the canyon's rim near Lake Mary Road. In addition to its natural wonder, Walnut Canyon is known for its ancient cliff dwellings, many of which can be seen at Walnut Canyon National Monument.

► REBECCA WILKS

February snowmelt feeds Sycamore Falls, a secluded waterfall southeast of Williams. A short hike from one of the trailheads on the Sycamore Rim Trail, a loop hiking route that dates to the 1970s, leads to this spectacular destination.

PAUL GILL

Considered for Back Cover, January 2022 Saguaro limbs along the Apache Trail (State Route 88) wear unfamiliar caps of snow after a winter storm. Saguaros tolerate short stretches of below-freezing temperatures, but longer freezes can damage or kill these cactuses.

MARK FRANK

Considered for It All Started With the Snow, December 2022 Snow covers agaves amid the red rocks of the Sedona area. The deep red color found on these rocks comes from a layer of iron oxide, otherwise known as rust.

Considered for It All Started With the Snow, December 2022 The Mittens and Merrick Butte. three of Monument Valley's best-known rock formations, wear a wintry coat at sunrise. This view is from near the visitors center at Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, which straddles Arizona's state line with Utah.