This panoramic view shows much of the Valley of the Sun (on
a cloudy day, however) as it looks from the summit of Butterfly Mountain in the Sierra
Estrella, looking northeast. Valley haze makes the mountain ranges stand out
more readily than they might otherwise. physiography is apparent.
Beginning with the foreground, you can see part of South
Mountain (the Alta Ridge, actually, on the right), the (with Squaw Peak near the center of the photo,
and Camelback Mountain at their right end), the McDowell Mountains behind them on the right, and the Mazatzal
Mountains on the skyline at a distance of about 70 miles (~110km). The New River
Mountains form the skyline on the left.
Downtown Phoenix is barely visible just below Squaw Peak, and slightly to the
right. While the area looks mostly empty, it is home to over three million people.
You can see the Sierra Estrella in a reverse view
from the McDowell Mountains.
