The most likely unique factor about flying in the Southwest would be the wide variation in altitude (and hence temperature and environment) over a very short distance as a flight transitions from low altitude deserts to relatively high mountains. This makes dressing for conditions on the ground somewhat tricky - best to dress in layers....

On reflection, of course, Alaska sees some fairly major variations in altitude, like from sea level to 20,320 feet ASL, which does indeed dwarf the altitude range present in the southwest.

I have done a fair amount of work related flying, as well as SAR related flying, in the southwest, primarily around Tucson in the vicinity of mountains. Over the years, I have lost more colleagues to automobile related mishaps than to plane crashes, just as the statistics would predict.

Thank you for some very revealing stories.