This portrait of Sandia, the mountain backdrop that dwarfs Albuquerque's sprawl, offers a sense of place through the eyes of a photographer and the words of a writer. Fascinated by Sandia, by the light of its dawns and sunsets, by its seasons, by the power of its altitude, photographer David Muench shows us a brilliant autumn, the sparkle of snow, an April explosion of cactus blooms, a summer summit garden of wildflowers, the marvel of the mountain's rock forms.

This guide to fifty-seven hiking trails in New Mexico's Sandia Mountains includes twenty-five contour maps and one large four-color pull-out map on water-resistant paper.

A presentation of the most commonly encountered species of flora and fauna and ecological features found in New Mexico's Sandia Mountains.

A comprehensive guide to hiking and other recreation in the Sandia Mountains near Albuquerque.

This is a beautifully illustrated wildflower book for nonprofessionals, focused on the mountains of central New Mexico, including 715 color photographs of different organs and developmental stages of 201 common species occurring at approximately 6,000-11,000 feet elevation. Plant descriptions include their typical habitats, blooming period, floral and vegetative characteristics, uses by southwestern Native American tribes, the plant’s common and scientific names and plant family. Plants are divided first by flower color, then by family common name, then by scientific name.

Despite their seemingly impenetrable western facade, the Sandia Mountains of central New Mexico have been home to humankind for millennia. Ancient cultures ventured into these peaks for the creeks, game, and shelter. The Spanish established protective outposts along the canyons and intermarried with local tribes. Civil War soldiers passed through en route to their infamous battle at Glorieta Pass. Navajos marched around the mountains' southern end after the confinement that ended their Long Walk. Anglo settlers cleared the hilly land and built cabins. And tuberculosis patients moved up into primitive resorts, hoping that the mountains' abundant sunshine and fresh air would help them heal. Today the tiny resorts and traditional hamlets of the Sandias are established villages and communitiesAa-Carnuel, Tijeras, San Antonio, Cedar Crest, Sandia Park, San Antonito, Placitas, and othersAa-and the rough dirt roads that once saw the passing of ox carts are highways and even an interstate. The area's history lives on, however, in crumbling adobe walls, bits of rust, fading memories, and in this photographic retrospective.