Twice previously I’ve tried to get to the top of Mount Lemmon but its 25 mile drive, its 6,400 foot climb, its weather all proved obstacles given my time constraints. That wasn’t going to happen this time. Today I was making it my hightest priority; other priorities would be sacrificed.
So why? What’s the big deal with Mount Lemmon? I suppose I’ve become intrigued by sky islands, where one experiences change through elevation. With this ascent one climbs from desert to alpine, the equivalent of going from Mexico to Canada. At stages throughout there are remarkable changes.
With time and good weather, today I had no obstacles until I got within 1.5 miles of the peak at Ski Valley. Here plugged in my mobile ham radio and tried to establish a contact. Here I looked out great distances to the north. Here I watched people skiing down the slopes of the U.S.’ southernmost ski resort. Here I dawned my hiking boots and started the hike to the top.
The path to the top was via paved road. At the peak I found the typical dozens of antennae, great views looking south over Tucson, and the Steward Observatory.
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