Aztec Hills Site
Yuma County, Arizona

This is a low desert, winter site loacted about 3 miles east of Dateland, Arizona at an elevation of 530 feet. Unobstructed views are found
to the east, south and west with little light pollution in any direction. Looking south, the Mexican border is about 50 miles away across the
Barry M. Goldwater Bombing Range and Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. There are essentially no inhabited settlements for a
100 miles or more in that direction. Routine night manuevers by aircraft from both Luke AFB near Phoenix and Davis-Monthan AFB
in Tuscon can be heard and sometimes seen in the inky black skies to the south.

In Southern Arizona on many evenings the sunsets are nothing short of breathtaking. The above view was
taken looking west to the Mohawk Mountains and Mohawk Peak.

 


The Mohawk Mountains and prominent Mohawk Peak as seen by day. This airy perch is a prominent landmark in the region and is easily spotted
from miles around. I climbed this peak in 1998 and found it to be an exhilirating adventure with lots of vertical exposure near the top.

Here's my observing site with the trailer and sunshade/windbreak set up to protect against prevailing winds. Although this
site is less than a mile from Arizona Interstate 8, the hills to the north block out all freeway sound and give one the
feeling of being in an isolated area.