Ice crystals cling on groundcover
Ice crystals cling to groundcover at the Terry Flat loop in the Escudilla mountains. This 15-mile driving route along the eastern edge of the White Mountains loops around the high meadows of Escudilla Mountain, the third highest peak in Arizona at 10,877 feet. There are old-growth stands of Engleman spruce, aspen, and Douglas and white fir in the nearby Escudilla Wilderness Area. Extensive groves of aspen provide magnificent fall colors around the first week in October. Sego lily, Indian paintbrush, cinquefoil, and wild onions are among the abundant wildflowers here in July and August. The Escudilla Wilderness Area encompasses a hiking trail on top of Escudilla Mountain.