Mount Lemmon has a summit elevation of 9,159 feet. Located in the Santa Catalina mountains in northern Tucson, Arizona, it is a 27 mile beautiful drive from desert to alpine. With the altitude change the temperature can drop 20-30 degrees compared to the desert floor. Mount Lemmon was named after botanist Sara Plummer Lemmon who trekked to the top in 1881.
Summerhaven, Mount Lemmon
Summerhaven is the small town near the top of the mountain. It’s a summer residence for many. There is a ski area, Ski Mount Lemmon. Even in March, it was still open for the season, but not on the day we visited. It would have been fun to rent equipment and ski this small but unique location. More snow is in the forecast, so it is expected to stay open for awhile. There is an observatory at the summit. It was once used by the USAF that helped with tracking the Space Shuttle at White Sands, New Mexico. Eventually, the military gave the buildings to the Forest Service and the telescopes are used by the University of Arizona.
We hiked on a fire road for a bit, the snow was wet but firm. It was great to be around snow on a warm sunny day.
The views going up and down the mountain were stunning.
Desert Museum
There is always something to see at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. When in Tucson, we join for the year and go almost daily.
In the spring, there is something new blooming daily. Brittle brush, Parry’s penstemon and holly were all in bloom.
Desert globemallow’s orange flowers are a favorite and seem to be everywhere.
This year, spring was running a few weeks late, possibly because of wetter colder weather. Nevertheless, spring did come and there were spectacular blooms. Tufted evening primrose, silverleaf nightshade, desert marigold, and desert globemallow. The cactus seem to bloom best during April and May. Saguaro are a favorite with their huge creamy white blooms that don’t happen until late May when the temperatures are hitting 100F.
