Mount Lemmon

Mountain in Arizona, United States

Mount Lemmon is located in Arizona
Mount Lemmon
Mount Lemmon
LocationTucson, Pima County, Arizona, U.S.Parent rangeSanta Catalina MountainsTopo mapUSGS Mount LemmonClimbingEasiest routeCatalina Highway

Mount Lemmon, with a summit elevation of 9,159 feet (2,792 m),[1] is the highest point in the Santa Catalina Mountains. It is located in the Coronado National Forest north of Tucson, Arizona, United States. Mount Lemmon was named for botanist Sara Plummer Lemmon, who trekked to the top of the mountain with her husband and E. O. Stratton, a local rancher, by horse and foot in 1881.[4][5] Mount Lemmon is also known as Babad Do'ag, or Frog Mountain[6] to the Tohono O'odham.

Geography

Climate

Due to the elevation change from the bottom to the top, the summit of the mountain can be 20–30°F cooler than the base. It usually sees at least one snowfall during the winter months, making it a cool escape and popular tourist attraction for Tucson inhabitants.

Geology

Mount Lemmon is made up of Bolsa Quartzite, Dripping Spring Quartzite, and a local sandstone and conglomerate. The portions have been intruded by a Diabase Dike of the Apace Group.[7]

Summerhaven

Summerhaven, Cookie Cabin

Summerhaven is a small town near the top of the mountain. It is a summer residence for many, but there are some year-round residents. There are many small cabins, most of which were rebuilt after the Aspen Fire of July 2003.[8]

Climate data for Mount Lemmon, Arizona (1958–2009)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 65
(18) 		65
(18) 		68
(20) 		74
(23) 		82
(28) 		91
(33) 		89
(32) 		82
(28) 		81
(27) 		76
(24) 		71
(22) 		65
(18) 		91
(33)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 49.2
(9.6) 		48.3
(9.1) 		52.9
(11.6) 		60.8
(16.0) 		69.1
(20.6) 		76.4
(24.7) 		76.5
(24.7) 		73.6
(23.1) 		70.4
(21.3) 		61.7
(16.5) 		56.3
(13.5) 		50.6
(10.3) 		62.2
(16.8)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 22.8
(−5.1) 		21.8
(−5.7) 		25.7
(−3.5) 		31.7
(−0.2) 		36.6
(2.6) 		44.4
(6.9) 		49.8
(9.9) 		49.8
(9.9) 		45.1
(7.3) 		36.4
(2.4) 		29.7
(−1.3) 		24.3
(−4.3) 		34.8
(1.6)
Record low °F (°C) −4
(−20) 		−7
(−22) 		−1
(−18) 		19
(−7) 		27
(−3) 		32
(0) 		39
(4) 		42
(6) 		31
(−1) 		20
(−7) 		4
(−16) 		4
(−16) 		−7
(−22)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.15
(80) 		1.69
(43) 		1.17
(30) 		0.50
(13) 		0.42
(11) 		0.62
(16) 		4.41
(112) 		7.00
(178) 		3.39
(86) 		3.04
(77) 		2.95
(75) 		2.60
(66) 		30.94
(787)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 16.5
(42) 		20.4
(52) 		6.8
(17) 		2.0
(5.1) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		2.0
(5.1) 		6.2
(16) 		11.0
(28) 		64.9
(165)
Average precipitation days 5 5 5 3 2 2 10 11 5 3 3 5 59
Mean monthly sunshine hours 241 243 299 325 374 372 327 319 315 301 260 242 3,618
Source: Western Region Climate Center [9]

Mount Lemmon Station Observatory

At the peak is the Mount Lemmon Observatory, which was formerly the site of a USAF radar base of the Air Defense Command,[10] and the building that formerly housed a military emergency radar tracking station for landing the Space Shuttle at White Sands Missile Range. Although the United States military had a presence on the mountain for several decades all their facilities have been abandoned and were given to the United States Forest Service. The area and buildings that makes up the Mount Lemmon Station Observatory are leased from the Forest Service by the University of Arizona. The telescopes on the mountain are still used for astronomical research today by organizations such as the Catalina Sky Survey, the Mount Lemmon Sky Center,[11] the University of Arizona Astronomy Camp program,[12] the University of Arizona, and the University of Minnesota. The educational resources at the top of the mountain make it a unique research and teaching destination.

Catalina Highway

Catalina Highway in the Santa Catalina Mountains

The Catalina Highway, also called the Mount Lemmon Highway, as well as the Hitchcock Highway (after Frank Harris Hitchcock), runs up the Santa Catalina Mountains from the east side of Tucson up to Summerhaven, at the top of Mt. Lemmon. The beautiful, curving road is a favorite drive for tourists, for locals escaping summer's heat and cyclists, and has been recently designated as the Sky Island Parkway, part of the US National Scenic Byway system.[13]

2010 saw the inaugural running of the Mount Lemmon Marathon.[14]

Fees and permits

Catalina Highway charges tolls for parking, camping, and hiking. However, the tolls are only officially charged for people who are camping. Tolls for other events, such as hiking, parking, or grilling, are a part of the honor system. Park rangers will not check for toll payments unless someone is using the park campgrounds. Anyone wishing to sightsee or travel to Summerhaven are not subjected to paying tolls.[citation needed]

View from Windy Point Visa while ascending Mt. Lemmon

Back side

An unpaved road to the summit on the north side of Mount Lemmon starts in Oracle, which is on Arizona Route 77 north of Tucson. It offers a secondary route to the top. This route is popular with off-road 4x4 drivers and with off-road or dual-purpose motorcyclists. This road ends at the Catalina Highway near Loma Linda. Before the Catalina Highway was built it was the only route up the mountain.[15]

  • Hoodoos, Santa Catalina Mountains
    Hoodoos, Santa Catalina Mountains
  • Remnants of the 2003 Aspen Fire
    Remnants of the 2003 Aspen Fire
  • Mount Lemmon Ski Valley
    Mount Lemmon Ski Valley
  • Cabins atop Mt Lemmon in Summerhaven
    Cabins atop Mt Lemmon in Summerhaven
  • View of the telescopes on Mount Lemmon
    View of the telescopes on Mount Lemmon
  • View of Mount Lemmon from Oracle, AZ
    View of Mount Lemmon from Oracle, AZ
  • Unpaved road on the north or "backside" of Mount Lemmon
    Unpaved road on the north or "backside" of Mount Lemmon
  • Catalina Highway climbing Mount Lemmon
    Catalina Highway climbing Mount Lemmon
  • Stereograph of the Mt Lemmon Highway near Windy Point Vista.
    Stereograph of the Mt Lemmon Highway near Windy Point Vista.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Catalina 2 Reset". NGS Data Sheet. National Geodetic Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Department of Commerce. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  2. ^ "Mount Lemmon, Arizona". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
  3. ^ "Arizona County High Points". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  4. ^ "California Beat Hero: Sara Plummer Lemmon". CaliforniaBeat.org. May 27, 2009. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
  5. ^ Lemmon, J.G. (1881). "A botanical wedding trip" (PDF). Californian vol. 5. no. 24. pp. 517–525. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2015.
  6. ^ "How did Mt. Lemmon Get Its Name?". SouthernArizonaGuide.com. July 22, 2015. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  7. ^ Bezy, John V. (2016). A Guide to the Geology of the Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona: The Geology and Life Zones of a Madrean Sky Island (PDF) (Down to Earth #22 ed.). Tucson, AZ: The Arizona Geological Survey. ISBN 978-0-9854798-2-4. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  8. ^ Faherty, John. "Town of Summerhaven back after devastating fire". AZ Central. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  9. ^ "Mount Lemmon, Arizona Climate Summary". Western Regional Climate Center. Retrieved December 4, 2011.
  10. ^ "Air Defense Radar Stations". Radomes Inc. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  11. ^ "SkyCenter". University of Arizona. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  12. ^ "Astronomy Camp". University of Arizona SkyCenter. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  13. ^ "Name change to Sky Island Parkway". Arizona Dept. of Transportation. Retrieved July 14, 2010.
  14. ^ Lacey, Marc (October 17, 2010). "A Finish Line With a Real High: 8,000 Feet". New York Times. Retrieved October 28, 2010.
  15. ^ "Backway to Mount Lemmon". Trails.com. Retrieved August 28, 2012.

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Santa Catalina Mountains.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mount Lemmon.
  • v
  • t
  • e
  1. Denali
  2. Mauna Kea
  3. Mount Rainier
  4. Mount Fairweather
  5. Mount Blackburn
  6. Mount Hayes
  7. Mount Saint Elias
  8. Mount Marcus Baker
  9. Mount Whitney
  10. Haleakalā
  11. Mount Shasta
  12. Shishaldin Volcano
  13. Redoubt Volcano
  14. Mount Elbert
  15. Mount Baker
  16. Mount Torbert
  17. San Jacinto Peak
  18. San Gorgonio Mountain
  19. Charleston Peak
  20. Pavlof Volcano
  21. Mount Veniaminof
  22. Mount Adams
  23. Mount Hubbard
  24. Mount Isto
  25. Iliamna Volcano
  26. Mount Olympus
  27. Mount Cook
  28. Mount Hood
  29. Mount Sanford
  30. Mount Tom White
  31. Wheeler Peak
  32. Glacier Peak
  33. Mount Kimball
  34. Mount Griggs
  35. Mount Foraker
  36. White Mountain Peak
  37. Mount Crillon
  38. Mauna Loa
  39. Cloud Peak
  40. Gannett Peak
  41. Mount Vsevidof
  42. Mount Hesperus
  43. Mount Bona
  44. Mount Drum
  45. Mount Chiginagak
  46. Grand Teton
  47. Sacajawea Peak
  48. Mount Neacola
  49. Kings Peak
  50. Mount Graham
  51. Mount Douglas
  52. Mount San Antonio
  53. Kichatna Spire
  54. De Long Peak
  55. Telescope Peak
  56. Mount Peale
  57. Pogromni Volcano
  58. Dewey Peak
  59. Mount Washington
  60. Mount Igikpak
  61. Snow Tower
  62. Mount Mitchell
  63. Truuli Peak
  64. Humphreys Peak
  65. Borah Peak
  66. Mount Natazhat
  67. Hanagita Peak
  68. Tanaga Volcano
  69. Makushin Volcano
  70. Sovereign Mountain
  71. Mount Jefferson (Nevada)
  72. Mount Ellen
  73. Isanotski Peaks
  74. Deseret Peak
  75. Mount Jefferson (Oregon)
  76. Isthmus Peak
  77. Frosty Peak
  78. Pilot Peak
  79. Crazy Peak
  80. Great Sitkin Volcano
  81. Puʻu Kukui
  82. Mount Cleveland (Alaska)
  83. McDonald Peak
  84. Mount Wrangell
  85. South Sister
  86. Devils Paw
  87. Mount Seattle
  88. Sierra Blanca Peak
  89. Pikes Peak
  90. Mount Russell
  91. Mount Nebo
  92. Snowshoe Peak
  93. North Schell Peak
  94. Hayford Peak
  95. Mount Foresta
  96. Star Peak
  97. Veniaminof Peak
  98. Flat Top Mountain
  99. Bearhole Peak
  100. Mount Steller
  101. Mount Stuart
  102. Blanca Peak
  103. Mount Miller
  104. Carlisle Volcano
  105. Mount Timpanogos
  106. Bashful Peak
  107. Ibapah Peak
  108. Mount Cleveland (Montana)
  109. Kawaikini
  110. Tetlin Peak
  111. Arc Dome
  112. Lassen Peak
  113. Mount Deborah
  114. Necons Peak
  115. Abercrombie Mountain
  116. Mount Lemmon
  117. Mount Gareloi
  118. Chiricahua Peak
  119. Stony Peak
  120. Mount Eddy
  121. Mount Augusta
  122. Copper Peak
  123. Mount Bear
  124. Korovin Volcano
  125. Miller Peak
  126. Kamakou
  • v
  • t
  • e
Black Hills
(Yavapai County)
Black Mountains
Bradshaw Mountains
  • Mount Union
Castle Dome Mountains
  • Castle Dome
Cerbat Mountains
Chiricahua Mountains
Chuska Mountains
Dragoon Mountains
Hieroglyphic Mountains
Huachuca Mountains
Hualapai Mountains
Little Ajo Mountains
Little Dragoon Mountains
Mazatzal Mountains
McDowell Mountains
Mule Mountains
  • Mount Ballard (Arizona)
Phoenix Mountains
Pinal Mountains
Pinaleño Mountains
Plomosa Mountains
  • Ibex Peak
Quinlan Mountains
Rincon Mountains
San Francisco Peaks
San Francisco Volcanic Field
Santa Catalina Mountains
Santa Rita Mountains
Santa Teresa Mountains
  • Mount Turnbull
Sierra Ancha
  • Mistake Peak
Sierra Prieta
  • Granite Mountain
Superstition Mountains
Tank Mountains
  • Black Dome
Tucson Mountains
Whetstone Mountains
  • Apache Peak
White Mountains
Others
Authority control databases Edit this at Wikidata
International
  • VIAF
National
  • Israel
  • United States