Mt. Lemmon

 

Because we had lived in Tucson before we decided to take our Canadian friends up to the top of Mt. Lemmon, one of the things that makes Tucson so unique. It was a perfect 70 degree day on the valley floor and the mountain had had several days of snow at the summit so we decided to take the run up the mountain road.

 

It is about 26 miles from Tucson proper to the top at the ski area and the traffic was pretty bad. The local law enforcement would only allow so many vehicles at the top so we had to wait for a bit for more folks to come down before we went up. As we were waiting at the bottom I got this roadside bit of Tucson foliage. Here's a nice group of barrel cactus starting to blossom, prickly pear, mesquite, sage, and at least some mistletoe thrown in for texture.

 



As you go up each 1,000 feet marks a distinct rock and foliage change. Here are some of the unique rock formations that can look like faces or animals depending on your imagination.

At about 6,000 feet we hit the first snow and of course the warnings about the critters that cross your path in this remote forest region.

Going up further the sky gets even bluer due to the thinning of the atmosphere and really highlights the pine and ice formations above the 8,000 foot level ... beautiful! You have to keep reminding yourself you just left a comfortable 70 degree day only 20 minutes before ... wow.

At the top at the ski lift area we took our friends to the Iron Door Café ... yes the ski lifts and skiing were in use and neat to watch. We've been coming to the café for many years because there is nothing better on a hot day down on the desert than to come up here and have hot chili and corn bread and watch the skiers.  Even though this place has a captive crowd to partake, every item on the menu is well done and served by some really great folks.

After the chili and corn bread we had a fresh baked rhubarb pie that was one of the best we have ever had ... accompanied by fresh vanilla ice cream of course.

Look at the color of that sky at 9,000 feet. Unfortunately as I was snapping the pic of Morgan and Jeanette below, Jo-Anne was very slowly going to the car, not feeling very well, the results of hypoxia or altitude sickness.

My pilot training said let's get down the mountain kinda fast so Jo-Anne could get her land legs back. And we did and had a nice drive back to Casa Grande.

While the whole trip out to Arizona was a last minute decision we have had a great time seeing old friends and places we haven't seen for a while and enjoying the Palm Creek resort and all it has to offer.

Morgan and Jeanette are off west to see other friends and then relatives in the northwest before we see them again in in June back in Barrie. Tomorrow we are off as well back to the Dallas area for a bit and to see what brings us next.