The Ascent

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We have been enjoying the sight of the Catalina Mountains from the desert valley that Tucson occupies for 2 seasons now.  Yesterday we decided to take a drive up to the highest peak of these mountains that are just north of Tucson: Mount Lemmon. The altitude here is 9,157 feet.  This area is part of the Coronado National Forest.  The hour long journey ascending the "Sky Island Parkway"is one of the most beautiful scenic drives.  Along the way are many "vistas" where you can stop and drink in the fabulous scenery.  The temperature in the valley was mid 70's F but by the time we reached the summit it was mid 40's with substantial snow patches.  Enough for the ski hill to be open! 

Tucson from the first Vista.  When you look up from Tucson the Catalinas look barren and shallow. But once up here It is amazing how much vegetation there is and how it changes as you climb.  There are many more canyons than you would think. 

The first part of the drive was through the low scrub vegetation and Saguaros typical of the desert around Tucson.  But once you reach a certain elevation the Saguaros disappear and pines become more dominant.

Giant Saguaros dominate the lower elevations

John is feeling brave! 

John and Tom check out one of the many crevasses

Tom and Bernie: Oregonian friends we met here last season. 

As we travelled and stopped it was fun to look up and back to see the winding road where we had been and where we would go!  This road is used by serious cyclists to train.  It is remarkable to see them making the climb and then whizzing down.  Surely they must burn out their brakes.  We even saw a jogger or two.  Motorcyclists love this road as well.  

Windy Point was one the most spectacular vistas.   Huge boulders were perched precariously and as far as the eye can see are layers of mountain ranges, their depth and numbers more evident from up here than from Tucson below.  

Don't back up!! 

We saw several rock climbers enjoying the day but this was all I could handle.  John is edgy about edges so he lets me pose while he takes the pictures!

Hoodoos!!  Erosion and wind blow around making hoodoo formations.  

The San Pedro River Valley is a spectacular sight from this vista.  At this point I felt like I was in an airplane. We are nearing the top!  

Yup!  This is snow he's stepping on!  As we drove through the pine forest near the summit we could see families with their children sledding where ever they could find large patches of snow!

The ski hill is at the top and I have to say it is very strange leaving the desert and arriving at a ski hill in about an hour!  When the ski hill is closed tourists  can take the chair lift to the top but they are open right now.  I had no desire to boot up and go for the swish!!

Lots of snow in some spots.  While looking out from this and similar vistas you get the strange feeling of sticking your head in a refrigerator.  Cold air wafts your face while the heat of the desert sun warms your back. 

Just below the ski hill is a town called Summerhaven.  It is small but picturesque and I realize now that many of the cabins and chalets looked new because of a huge and destructive fire in 2003.  This fire, named Aspen Fire destroyed 325 of the 450 structures in this town!  Many of these homes are summer residences but there are a few people who live there permanently.  It is a strange reversal of snowbirding!  People here go north in the summer to escape the heat.  (desertbirding?)