"Mt. Lemmon Scenic Byway is the only paved road that leads to the upper reaches of Mt. Lemmon and the Santa Catalina Range. It is one of the most scenic drives in southeast Arizona. It provides access to a fascinating land of great vistas, outlandish rockscapes, cool mountain forests and deep canyons spilling out onto broad deserts. Because the road starts in the Lower Sonoran vegetative life zone and climbs to the high forests of the Canadian zone, it offers the biological equivalent of driving from the deserts of Mexico to the forests of Canada in a short stretch of 27 miles.
Here you'll find plants and animals and geology that exhibit some of the most wide-ranging natural diversity to be found in any area of comparable size in the continental United States." And the climb begins...The Tucson area is quite spread out...
Tucson is in the distant valley...
A stop at one of the many viewpoints...
"As you drive up the mountain, every turn seems to reveal something new. In some places that may be a community of trees, shrubs, and wildflowers different from the one just around the previous curve.
In others, it may be a new gallery of natural rock sculptures even more impossibly perched than the last, or a broader panorama that stretches in an entirely different direction than the one that caused you to stop and snap a photo just a few moments before."
Hey...whats up with all the Border Patrol vehicles?
The tan coloured area in the distant valley is the "Aircraft Boneyard" area Steve and Red visited yesterday...
Oh...Border Patrol is practicing rapelling down the cliff, see them on the edge to the right...
Can you see the two guys rapelling down the cliff?Now they have to walk back up...
"For your convenience, there are turnouts at scenic overlooks and several campgrounds and picnic areas. Dozens of hiking trails offer access to the mountain's backcountry canyons and ridges. Though virtually everyone calls this road the Catalina Highway or the Mount Lemmon Highway, it is officially designated the General Hitchcock Highway in honor of Postmaster General Frank Harris Hitchcock. The highway, which is traveled by over 1 million visitors each year, was designated a Scenic Byway of April 28, 1995."
Can you see the people on top of the rock on the right? Crazy!
We made it all of the way up to the top...and the ski runs. When we were here last time in Feb. 2012 there was snow and skiers on the hill...
We were hoping to go for lunch at The Iron Door Restaurant but it wasn't open...
So we drove back down a little ways to the community of Summerhaven.There had been a forest fire here a few years ago...
Where we found a spot for lunch...The Sawmill Run Restaurant...The food was good but Steve could have used a fire extinguisher to put out the flame from his chili...
They have seating outside as well...
After lunch, we drove the rest of the way through the community and then turned around...it was time to head back down the mountain.
Hurry up...I can't squint much longer!
We were back home at about 3:30...wow, what an awesome day! Thanks Red and Pam!
Since we are leaving tomorrow Steve wanted to fuel up the truck, so we headed out in the truck to find the Frys's that had diesel for $3.38/gallon. This is the view of the Catalina Mountains as we drove back to the campground at the base of them...beautiful!
Once home, we walked down to Red and Pam's and shared one last happy hour with them. It's been fun sharing time with them...we look forward to connecting again down the road.
what a great day trip! this will be one we will keep on our list of 'must see's'
ReplyDeletethanks for the ride along!