Mount Lemmon
Encyclopedia
Mount Lemmon is in the Santa Catalina Mountains
located in the Coronado National Forest
north of Tucson, Arizona
, United States
. It is 9157 feet (2,791 m) above sea-level, and receives approximately 180 inches of snow annually. Mount Lemmon was named in honor of botanist
Sarah Lemmon, who trekked to the top of the mountain with Native American guides by mule and foot in 1881.
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 are being rebuilt after the Aspen Fire. Much of this town was devastated by the Aspen Fire
of July 2003, and recovery is still taking place. It is near Ski Valley
which is the southernmost ski destination in the continental United States.
, which was formerly the site of an USAF radar base of the Air Defense Command, 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 US 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 University of Arizona
Astronomy Camp
program,, the University of Arizona, the University of Minnesota
, and the Mount Lemmon Sky Center. The educational resources at the top of the mountain make it a unique research, Biology
and Astronomy
, and teaching destination.
, using a large number of prisoners over a period of 18 years, and is a popular place for outdoor weddings.
, 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, for motorcyclists, and cyclists, and has been recently designated as the Sky Island Parkway, part of the US National Scenic Byway
system. The highway has been improved recently, but the speed limit has also been lowered to 35 MPH (56 km/h) due to concerns about the highway's safety during peak traffic times.
The highway and other roads around the area were used for the first training camp for professional cycling Team Radioshack
in December 2009.
2010 saw the inaugural running of the Mount Lemmon Marathon
.
, which is on state highway 77 northeast of Tucson. It offers a secondary route to the top. Follow East Mount Lemmon Road southeast off East American Avenue. This route is popular with off-road 4x4 drivers and with off-road or dual-purpose motorcyclists, but should not be attempted by regular passenger cars or street motorcycles. This road ends at the Catalina Highway near Loma Linda.
Santa Catalina Mountains
The Santa Catalina Mountains, commonly referred to as the Catalina Mountains, are located north, and northeast of Tucson, Arizona, United States, on Tucson's north perimeter. The mountain range is the most prominent in the Tucson area, with the highest average elevation...
located in the Coronado National Forest
Coronado National Forest
The Coronado National Forest includes an area of about 1.78 million acres spread throughout mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico....
north of Tucson, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is 9157 feet (2,791 m) above sea-level, and receives approximately 180 inches of snow annually. Mount Lemmon was named in honor of botanist
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
Sarah Lemmon, who trekked to the top of the mountain with Native American guides by mule and foot in 1881.
Summerhaven
SummerhavenSummerhaven, Arizona
Summerhaven is a small Census-designated place on Mount Lemmon in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson in Pima County, Arizona, United States. Summerhaven sits at an elevation of approximately 8,200 feet...
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 are being rebuilt after the Aspen Fire. Much of this town was devastated by the Aspen Fire
Aspen Fire
The Aspen Fire burned from June 17, 2003 for about a month on Mount Lemmon, part of the Santa Catalina Mountains located in the Coronado National Forest north of Tucson, Arizona, and in the surrounding area...
of July 2003, and recovery is still taking place. It is near Ski Valley
Mount Lemmon Ski Valley
Mount Lemmon Ski Valley is a recreational ski area in the U.S. state of Arizona, and the southernmost ski destination in the continental United States. Mount Lemmon Ski Valley is located on the slopes of Mount Lemmon in the Santa Catalina Mountains just north of Tucson, Arizona. It is part of the...
which is the southernmost ski destination in the continental United States.
Mount Lemmon Station Observatory
At the peak of Mount Lemmon is an astronomical observatoryObservatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
, which was formerly the site of an USAF radar base of the Air Defense Command, and the building that formerly housed a military emergency radar tracking station for landing the Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
at White Sands Missile Range
White Sands Missile Range
White Sands Missile Range is a rocket range of almost in parts of five counties in southern New Mexico. The largest military installation in the United States, WSMR includes the and the WSMR Otera Mesa bombing 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 US Forest Service
Forest Service
Forest Service may refer to:* Canadian Forest Service* Indian Forest Service* New Zealand Forest Service* United States Forest Service* Forestry Commission in the United Kingdom...
. 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
Catalina Sky Survey
Catalina Sky Survey is a project to discover comets and asteroids, and to search for Near-Earth objects. More specifically, to search for potentially hazardous asteroids , that may pose a threat of impact.-Mission:...
, The University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
Astronomy Camp
Astronomy Camp
Astronomy Camp is a science summer camp hosted by the University of Arizona's Alumni Association, and run by astronomer Don McCarthy. Most of the camp takes place at the Mount Lemmon Station Observatory atop Mount Lemmon, near Tucson, Arizona. On Mount Lemmon, the campers have access to a 12",...
program,, the University of Arizona, the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, and the Mount Lemmon Sky Center. The educational resources at the top of the mountain make it a unique research, Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
and Astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, and teaching destination.
Windy Point
The location 'Windy Point' was built by the Federal Bureau of PrisonsFederal Bureau of Prisons
The Federal Bureau of Prisons is a federal law enforcement agency subdivision of the United States Department of Justice and is responsible for the administration of the federal prison system. The system also handles prisoners who committed acts considered felonies under the District of Columbia's...
, using a large number of prisoners over a period of 18 years, and is a popular place for outdoor weddings.
Catalina Highway
The Catalina HighwayCatalina Highway
The Catalina Highway, officially the General Hitchcock Highway, is the popular name for a Forest Highway and scenic route located in Pima County in southern Arizona...
, 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
Summerhaven, Arizona
Summerhaven is a small Census-designated place on Mount Lemmon in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson in Pima County, Arizona, United States. Summerhaven sits at an elevation of approximately 8,200 feet...
, at the top of Mt. Lemmon. The beautiful, curving road is a favorite drive for tourists, for locals escaping summer's heat, for motorcyclists, and cyclists, and has been recently designated as the Sky Island Parkway, part of the US National Scenic Byway
National Scenic Byway
A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for its archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and/or scenic qualities. The program was established by Congress in 1991 to preserve and protect the nation's scenic but often...
system. The highway has been improved recently, but the speed limit has also been lowered to 35 MPH (56 km/h) due to concerns about the highway's safety during peak traffic times.
The highway and other roads around the area were used for the first training camp for professional cycling Team Radioshack
Team RadioShack
Team RadioShack is a professional road bicycle racing team, with RadioShack as the title sponsor, the creation of which was announced on July 23, 2009. Lance Armstrong co-owns and leads the team, which plans to race in the Grand Tours and the UCI ProTour, as well as running and triathlon events...
in December 2009.
2010 saw the inaugural running of the Mount Lemmon Marathon
Mount Lemmon Marathon
The Mount Lemmon Marathon is an annual marathon that takes place in the Santa Catalina Mountains near the city of Tucson, Arizona, United States. The race starts near the desert floor and ends at the village of Summerhaven near the top of Mount Lemmon. It is noted for the entire course being...
.
Back side
A dirt "access" road to the summit on the "back side" of Mount Lemmon starts in OracleOracle, Arizona
- Geology :Oracle and the surrounding area sit largely on a slab of granite called "Oracle granite" that is visible as red or grey-and-white speckled "boulders" rising over the scrub and grass. It is mostly porphyritic biotite Precambrian granite with large microcline phenocrysts, and has...
, which is on state highway 77 northeast of Tucson. It offers a secondary route to the top. Follow East Mount Lemmon Road southeast off East American Avenue. This route is popular with off-road 4x4 drivers and with off-road or dual-purpose motorcyclists, but should not be attempted by regular passenger cars or street motorcycles. This road ends at the Catalina Highway near Loma Linda.
External links
- Computer generated summit panoramas:
- NOAA Mt. Lemmon Forecast
- Current Weather Conditions on Mt. Lemmon
- Information about the astronomical observatory
- The Catalina Sky Survey
