"A" Mountain is also called Tortugas Mountain, after the Spanish word tortugas, which means "tortoise" in English. It was so-named by the indigenous people who were subjugated by the Spanish explorers who moved through this area on their entradas (explorations) into the New World. Not far from Las Cruces there is a small community called Tortugas Pueblo, which holds an annual pilgrimage to the top of the mountain in honor of La Virgen de Guadalupe, the Virgin of Guadalupe. This photo of the mountain gives the viewer an idea of why the native people called it "Tortoise" Mountain. Prickly pear cactus, yuccas and ocotillo are abundant in this area, as evidenced in the photo's foreground .
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