Though there's no snow yet, you won't experience real winter any closer to Tucson.
Every 1,000 feet you drive up Mount Lemmon is akin to traveling 300 miles north. So by the time you reach the top of the 9,157-foot mountain, it's like you're in British Columbia.
For desert dwellers, Mount Lemmon is the place to ride on a ski lift (even in the summer), throw snowballs or just experience a 30-degree temperature drop.
The Mount Lemmon Highway winds its way 28 miles up the mountainside. At milepost 18 is the Palisades Ranger Station of Coronado National Forest (749-8700), where there's information on campgrounds and hiking trails. It's open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekends in winter.
A precious few weeks a year, Mount Lemmon Ski Valley (www.skithelemmon.com) opens at the end of Mount Lemmon Highway. The southernmost ski resort in the continental United States receives 180 to 200 inches of snow annually.
People are also reading…
If skiing's not your thing, sliding down hills on sleds, inner tubes or even sheets of plastic is a less expensive way to get your thrills in the winter.
In the winter, the Forest Service shuts down most of the picnic areas, so you'll need to park on the side of the road and hike in to sled.
There are no official sledding slopes in the Catalinas, said Fran Zimmerman, who owns Mount Lemmon Realty and has lived on the mountain since 1974.
She recommended sledders try the Inspiration Rock area by Milepost 23, where "there's a real nice hill on the side of the road."
Popular sites also include areas along the road to Rose Canyon Lake, near Milepost 17, and areas around the Mount Bigelow Road between Mileposts 20 and 21. Another hill is near Bear Wallow, at Milepost 22 on the Catalina Highway.
After playing in the snow, you'll want to stop in the village of Summerhaven, which has a couple of restaurants and gift shops.
The Iron Door Restaurant, 10300 E. Ski Run Road, serves salads, sandwiches, soups and chili and corn bread. A floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace will keep you cozy in the winter months.
The Mount Lemmon Cookie Cabin, 12781 N. Sabino Canyon Road (576-1010), is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Munch on a cookie as big as a plate for $5, or order a bowl of mild homemade chili for $6.75 . A propane fireplace with big logs will keep you warm.
Heartier appetites might want pizza, which costs $7.50 to $24 .
For more information, check out the Mount Lemmon Community Center, 12949 N. Sabino Canyon Parkway, which is a visitor center with public restrooms.
If you go
• What: Experiencing Mount Lemmon.
• When: Daily.
• Where: Up Mount Lemmon Highway.
• Cost: $5 per vehicle if stopping along the way ($20 for an annual pass); free if only visiting Summerhaven. Fees are required 24 hours a day. Free days include Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
• To get there: It's about a 45-minute drive from the Catalina Highway. To reach Summerhaven, take Tanque Verde Road to Catalina Highway, which becomes Mount Lemmon Highway as you head north.
• Bundle up: Daytime highs will be in the 50s, nighttime lows will be in the 30s.
• Parking: Various spots around Summerhaven.
• Details: www.skithelemmon.com/ Call 576-1400 for a recorded snow report; 547-7510 for winter road conditions.
