Mt. Lemmon, AZ ride

[cactusjack]

Toophun and I talked about doing this ride last summer, but we wanted to wait until it cooled off. Well, pretty soon it was too cold and snowy to do the ride, so we decided that today would be the day!

Temperatures were in the 70's by the time we made it to Tucson, about 100 miles from where we live. We then rode to the foothills on the Catalina Hwy, and started up the canyon. Here's a couple of photos from the mouth of the canyon:

Looking back at the sprawling city of Tucson
http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad358/cjack_1/29/P1000887_RSZ_001.jpg

http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad358/cjack_1/29/P1000892_RSZ_006.jpg

Some hoodoos (rock formations) ahead...
http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad358/cjack_1/29/P1000894_RSZ_008.jpg

But wait! What's that white stuff? This is Arizona, so it can't be snow.
http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad358/cjack_1/29/P1000896_RSZ_010.jpg

These next two were taken at 8000' above sea level..
http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad358/cjack_1/29/P1000899_RSZ_013.jpg

It was pretty chilly up here, I'd guess temps were in the 40's.
http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad358/cjack_1/29/P1000905_RSZ_019.jpg

I thought this was interesting. All this snow around us, and looking to the east, maybe 250 yards away, it's dry as a bone.
http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad358/cjack_1/29/P1000906_RSZ_020.jpg

I've been in AZ for nearly 11 years and this was my first visit to Mt. Lemmon, the road was clear except for runoff from snow melt. The highway is excellent and is a great ride!

[Cajunrider]

Thanks for sharing the pics Scott. It was too nice a day to be working today.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Wonderful post Scott. I remember the area around Tucson very well. I spent a couple of months in the Sierra Vista area and I loved it out there. Great pictures.

[Jared]

Looks like a great ride! I'm envious!

[azpnshr]

Thanks for posting the pics and info. Hopefully, I can take my wife up there this week as well. I just moved back to Az but still have never been here either.

[schoeney]

Thanks for the pics....not much greenery but it looks warm so there is the trade off.

[cactusjack]

Thanks for the pics....not much greenery but it looks warm so there is the trade off.

The photos don't show it, but there were a lot of pine trees on the mountain, from probably the 4000'-5000' level on up. Below that, it just gets to frickin' hot here for green. That's how the whole state is.

Toophun sent me a few of the pics he took. Here's one he took of me while I was fumbling with my camera while wearing gloves.
http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad358/cjack_1/29/006_RSZ_001.jpg

[billz410]

Makes me kind of lonesome.....

[delivery58]

That must be kinda a cool sensation to come down from 8000 ft, in the mid 40's...then hit the bottom and cruise home at 70+ degrees
Thanks for the pics

[dolanz]

Toophun and I talked about doing this ride last summer, but we wanted to wait until it cooled off. Well, pretty soon it was too cold and snowy to do the ride, so we decided that today would be the day!

Temperatures were in the 70's by the time we made it to Tucson, about 100 miles from where we live. We then rode to the foothills on the Catalina Hwy, and started up the canyon. Here's a couple of photos from the mouth of the canyon:

Looking back at the sprawling city of Tucson
http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad358/cjack_1/29/P1000887_RSZ_001.jpg

http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad358/cjack_1/29/P1000892_RSZ_006.jpg

Some hoodoos (rock formations) ahead...
http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad358/cjack_1/29/P1000894_RSZ_008.jpg

But wait! What's that white stuff? This is Arizona, so it can't be snow.
http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad358/cjack_1/29/P1000896_RSZ_010.jpg

These next two were taken at 8000' above sea level..
http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad358/cjack_1/29/P1000899_RSZ_013.jpg

It was pretty chilly up here, I'd guess temps were in the 40's.
http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad358/cjack_1/29/P1000905_RSZ_019.jpg

I thought this was interesting. All this snow around us, and looking to the east, maybe 250 yards away, it's dry as a bone.
http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad358/cjack_1/29/P1000906_RSZ_020.jpg

I've been in AZ for nearly 11 years and this was my first visit to Mt. Lemmon, the road was clear except for runoff from snow melt. The highway is excellent and is a great ride!

CJ, next time you come to my town, you should be calling me. I live here and only ride up a couple times a year, must be too close. I would love to meet any of the KawaNow members, its a lonely place with a Nomad here.

We will have to set up a ride sometime, maybe when the furnace gets turned up, a ride to the Rim would be in order.