Arizona's Superstition Mountains are like no other mountain range in the continental United States. The ancestral ground of the western Apache and sacred heights of the neighboring Pima, these mountains were once a veritable no-man's land of soaring cliffs, dead-end box canyons, and eerie hoodoos of stone, marking them as one of the last places on earth that any person would dare to tread. While this range appears on the surface to be a veritable nature lover's paradise with towering saguaro cactus forests, desert wildflowers, and roadrunners, it is also home to rattlesnakes, plants and animals that stick, sting, or bite, and modern gun-toting drygulchers. In fact, in the past century, the Superstition Mountains have claimed the lives of more than six hundred visitors, marking them as the West's deadliest wild area. Part hiking guide, part history book, and part treasure hunter's source book, Exploring the Superstitions: Trails and Tales of the Southwest's Mystery Mountains vividly brings the supernatural beauty, mystery, and majesty of this unique area to life. Within the pages of Exploring the Superstitions, readers will first be swept up in the legends of the Superstition Mountains, encountering colorful historical characters such as 1840s gold prospectors, brave hearted Apaches, and sly outlaws. Readers will encounter the native flora and fauna of the range, from poisonous rattlesnakes to rare flowers. And finally, an in-depth guide to every trail in the range will satisfy even the most experienced of hikers. Including dozens of original photos, and treasure maps, Exploring the Superstitions belongs on the shelf, or in the backpack, of every history buff, treasure hunter, and novice or veteran hiker. Lavishly illustrated with more than 20 pages of full-color photograph s, Exploring the Superstitions includes its rugged landscapes, colorful characters, and lost treasure and Jesuit landmarks. The Mystery Mountains' legends and lore are underscored by 10 seldom seen, historical black and white images of Native peoples, gold-seeking artists and actors, the fabled Spanish treasure maps, and contemporary trail maps. Southwest Book of the Year Exploring the Superstitions: Trails and Tales of the Southwest's Mystery Mountains by John Annerino Nonfiction "It's safe to say that Annerino is enamored with the Superstition Mountains, which he finds "treacherous, hauntingly beautiful and deceptively enchanting." Rising slightly over 5,000 feet, the Superstitions are not imposing or majestic by most standards but, when one considers the 654 people who perished in these "Killer Mountains," they may be the darkest and most violent. Intimately familiar with the region, Annerino features only trails that he traversed. In addition to his stunning photography, he includes directions, topographical maps, field notes, and trip reports. To assist readers with planning and preparation, emergency contact information (including Final County Search and Rescue) is listed as well as links to trail maps, lodging, local sights and, for prospectors still searching for the Lost Dutchman's Gold, treasure maps along with a government site noting required permits and regulations. Readers will also find an account of the Mountains' colorful and tragic history, descriptions of native flora and fauna, and, lest we forget, an appendix of those who met their end there. In all, it is a complex guide certain to appeal to beginning and seasoned outdoorsman alike." --Vicki Ann Duraine, Southwest Books of the Year "Annerino is an excellent photographer and fine writer with a special affinity for the American Southwest and Old Mexico." --DALLAS MORNING NEWS Newest Masterpiece. "I've been reading John Annerino's newest masterpiece: Exploring the Superstitions . It is a wonderfully fresh look at an old, tired subject, but John makes it come alive and gives folks something exciting to read at every turn of the road or dip in the trail. John's research is compelling. Wow! I hope it sells a truckload of books!!" ~Bill Broyles, author of Our Sonoran Desert Ode to the Superstitions. "Living in the shadow of the infamous Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix, I've heard many tales of lost gold and lives lost, but until I read John Annerino's arresting new book, 'Exploring The Superstitions~Trails and Tales of the Southwest's Mystery Mountains', I didn't have a clue how much I'd missed. Annerino, a gifted writer-photographer and veteran Southwest adventurer, lovingly reveals it's storied history from both Native American, Mexican miner and frontier settler POV's, describes it's legacy as the most dangerous mountain range in the world (650+ victims), while teasing us with treasure maps and genuine stories of real gold discovered within the Superstitions. And then he caps it off with detailed trail hikes, climbing routes, water sources, and essential information to keep you from adding your name to the Superstition death lis