AZ's Autumn Harvest

Schultz and Doyle Peaks from the western base of Sugarloaf. Schultz and Doyle Peaks are remnants of a larger strato-volcano known as San Francisco Mountain of northern Arizona. The "reconstructed" shape of San Francisco Mountain indicates a former summit at about 16,000 ft above sea level. The high point presumably existed about 400,000 years ago, the youngest known age of the lava flows making up the body of the volcano. Today's highest elevation on the mountain, Humphreys Peak at 12,633 ft, can be seen from vantage points one hundred or more miles away. The earlier, higher version of the volcano would have been visible from even greater distances. Gotta LOVE those fall colours on the east side of the volcano! October 7, 2009