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Field Guide to the Sandia Mountains
Robert Julyan and Mary Stuever, Eds.
Albuquerque, NM: University of NM Press, 2005
272 pp., $19.95, spiral bound
ISBN: 0-8263-3667-1

Sandia Mountain Hiking Guide
Mike Coltrin
Albuquerque, NM: University of NM Press, 2005
177 pp., $19.95, spiral bound
ISBN: 0-8263-3661-2

People throughout the centuries have revered the Sandia Mountain in New Mexico. It’s current name dates back to Spanish explorers calling it Sierra Sandia (Watermelon mountain), due to the watermelon pink color it reflects at sunset (though more likely called that for the large gourds that were mistaken for watermelon when the Spaniards visited the Tiwa/Sandia Pueblo). The city of Albuquerque lies in the western foothills and valley of the Sandias, while additional communities sprouted up along its eastern edges.

But it is the mountain themselves, and not the communities that grew up around it, that intrigue peoples imaginations – so much that the Sandia Ranger District and the New Mexico Friends of the Sandia Mountains decided to publish a Field Guide to the Sandia Mountain. It is a comprehensive guide to the Sandia Mountains, starting with an Introduction by Tony Hillerman. He introduces the reader to some of the history and mystique of the mountain, and giving the reader a taste of what is to come in later chapters.

The Field Guide is divided into different sections, starting with chapters on ecology, weather, and fire, and ending with chapters about the human presence in the Sandias, place names, hiking trails, and winter recreation/skiing. But it is the sections in between that are the most interesting, with chapters focusing on geology, and the different types/categories of flora and fauna that can be found in the mountain. A nice touch by editors Robert Julyan and Mary Stuever was to color code these sections – brown for geology, different green shades for each chapter on flora, and other colors for the chapters on fauna – gold for insects, orange for reptiles, blue for birds, and purple for mammals. In addition, symbols on the bottom of the page – mountain ranges, flowers, leaves, butterfly, a bird, and animal tracks – are also helpful guides for readers for identifying the topics being discussed in that section/page. Another big plus are the numerous color photographs that serve to enhance the Field Guide's already expansive amount of information.

Another book for those who love to hike is the Sandia Mountain Hiking Guide by Mike Coltrin. The book’s primary focus is on the many trails in the Sandias. Coltrin gives directions on how to get there, the length of the trail, its difficulty, and descriptions of the trail. He has numerous maps to use as guides while on your trek, and the book comes with a color map showing the trails (map can also be purchased separately). Coltrin has detailed appendices, from summaries of the trails, listing the trails by difficulty, Global Positioning System (GPS) data, and additional resources.

Both books are excellent companion pieces for lovers of the outdoors. The Hiking Guide will take you places that you’ve never seen before, while the Field Guide will introduce you to the sights and sounds you may not have previously noticed around you.

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University of New Mexico Press
Order Department
3721 Spirit Drive SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106-5631
(800) 249-7737
www.unmpress.com