Mount Lemmon: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 32°26′35″N 110°47′19″W / 32.442961983°N 110.788478444°W / 32.442961983; -110.788478444
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{{Weather box
{{Weather box
|single line= yes
|location = Mount Lemmon, Arizona
|location= Mount Lemmon, Arizona (1958-2009)
|width = 80%
|width= 80%
|single line = Y
|temperature colour= <!--Enter "pastel" for pastel temperature colors, remove this line for the standard coloring.-->
|Jan record high F = 78

|Feb record high F = 83
|Mar record high F = 86
|Jan record high F =65
|Apr record high F = 90
|Feb record high F =65
|May record high F = 100
|Mar record high F =68
|Jun record high F = 107
|Apr record high F =74
|Jul record high F = 109
|May record high F =82
|Aug record high F = 102
|Jun record high F =91
|Sep record high F = 101
|Jul record high F =89
|Oct record high F = 93
|Aug record high F =82
|Nov record high F = 85
|Sep record high F =81
|Dec record high F = 78
|Oct record high F =76
|year record high F = 109
|Nov record high F =71
|Jan high F = 55
|Dec record high F =65
|Feb high F = 58
|year record high F =91

|Mar high F = 64
|Apr high F = 71
|Jan high F =49.2
|May high F = 82
|Feb high F =48.3
|Jun high F = 91
|Mar high F =52.9
|Jul high F = 92
|Apr high F =60.8
|Aug high F = 88
|May high F =69.1
|Sep high F = 85
|Jun high F =76.4
|Oct high F = 76
|Jul high F =76.5
|Nov high F = 63
|Aug high F =73.6
|Dec high F = 55
|Sep high F =70.4
|year high F = 73
|Oct high F =61.7
|Jan low F = 36
|Nov high F =56.3
|Feb low F = 37
|Dec high F =50.6
|Mar low F = 41
|year high F=62.2
|Apr low F = 47
|Jan low F =22.8
|May low F = 56
|Feb low F =21.8
|Jun low F = 65
|Mar low F =25.7
|Jul low F = 69
|Apr low F =31.7
|Aug low F = 67
|May low F =36.6
|Sep low F = 62
|Jun low F =44.4
|Oct low F = 52
|Jul low F =49.8
|Nov low F = 42
|Aug low F =49.8
|Dec low F = 35
|Sep low F =45.1
|year low F = 51
|Oct low F =36.4
|Jan record low F = 5
|Nov low F =29.7
|Feb record low F = 11
|Dec low F =24.3
|Mar record low F = 15
|year low F=34.8

|Apr record low F = 22
|May record low F = 30
|Jan record low F =-4
|Jun record low F = 38
|Feb record low F =-7
|Jul record low F = 46
|Mar record low F =-1
|Aug record low F = 52
|Apr record low F =19
|Sep record low F = 42
|May record low F =27
|Oct record low F = 25
|Jun record low F =32
|Nov record low F = 15
|Jul record low F =39
|Dec record low F = 6
|Aug record low F =42
|year record low F = 5
|Sep record low F =31
|Oct record low F =20
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain inch = 2.43
|Nov record low F =4
|Feb rain inch = 2.51
|Dec record low F =4
|Mar rain inch = 2.20
|year record low F =-7

|Apr rain inch = 0.91
|precipitation colour= green
|May rain inch = 0.50
|Jun rain inch = 0.34
|Jan precipitation inch = 3.15
|Jul rain inch = 3.51
|Feb precipitation inch = 1.69
|Aug rain inch = 4.15
|Mar precipitation inch = 1.17
|Sep rain inch = 1.95
|Apr precipitation inch = 0.50
|Oct rain inch = 1.42
|May precipitation inch = 0.25
|Nov rain inch = 1.43
|Jun precipitation inch = 0.62
|Dec rain inch = 2.21
|Jul precipitation inch = 4.41
|Aug precipitation inch = 6.99
|source 1 = The Weather Channel<ref name= nws.noaa.gov>{{Cite web |url= https://weather.com/weather/monthly/l/d66c2270ad5025e9c6b66fab8dd6cbf0102466ad00f076062973137a59d51dbe|title= weather.com|publisher= |accessdate=Sepmtember 2, 2020 }}</ref>
|Sep precipitation inch = 3.39
|date=September 2020
|Oct precipitation inch = 3.05
}}
|Nov precipitation inch = 1.75
|Dec precipitation inch = 2.60
|year precipitation inch=29.56
<!--Rainfall-->
|rain colour= <!--Enter "green" for green rainfall colors, remove this line for blue coloring.-->
|Jan rain inch =
|Feb rain inch =
|Mar rain inch =
|Apr rain inch =
|May rain inch =
|Jun rain inch =
|Jul rain inch =
|Aug rain inch =
|Sep rain inch =
|Oct rain inch =
|Nov rain inch =
|Dec rain inch =
|year rain inch =
<!--Snowfall-->
|Jan snow inch =16.5
|Feb snow inch =20.4
|Mar snow inch = 6.8
|Apr snow inch = 2.0
|May snow inch = 0
|Jun snow inch = 0
|Jul snow inch = 0
|Aug snow inch = 0
|Sep snow inch = 0
|Oct snow inch = 2.0
|Nov snow inch = 6.2
|Dec snow inch =11.0
|year snow inch=64.9
<!--Average daily % humidity-->
|Jan humidity=
|Feb humidity=
|Mar humidity=
|Apr humidity=
|May humidity=
|Jun humidity=
|Jul humidity=
|Aug humidity=
|Sep humidity=
|Oct humidity=
|Nov humidity=
|Dec humidity=
|year humidity=
<!--Average number of precipitation days-->
|unit precipitation days= <!--If entering the average number of days, then the unit requirement should be used, because this varies between countries. E.g. 0.1 in, 0.01 in.-->
|Jan precipitation days = 5
|Feb precipitation days = 5
|Mar precipitation days = 5
|Apr precipitation days = 3
|May precipitation days = 2
|Jun precipitation days = 2
|Jul precipitation days =10
|Aug precipitation days =11
|Sep precipitation days = 5
|Oct precipitation days = 3
|Nov precipitation days = 3
|Dec precipitation days = 5
|year precipitation days=59
<!--Average number of rainy days-->
|unit rain days= <!--If entering the average number of days, then the unit requirement should be used, because this varies between countries. E.g. 0.1 in, 0.01 in.-->
|Jan rain days=
|Feb rain days=
|Mar rain days=
|Apr rain days=
|May rain days=
|Jun rain days=
|Jul rain days=
|Aug rain days=
|Sep rain days=
|Oct rain days=
|Nov rain days=
|Dec rain days=
|year rain days=
<!--Average number of snowy days-->
|unit snow days= <!--If entering the average number of days, then the unit requirement should be used, because this varies between countries. E.g. 0.1 in, 0.01 in.-->
|Jan snow days=
|Feb snow days=
|Mar snow days=
|Apr snow days=
|May snow days=
|Jun snow days=
|Jul snow days=
|Aug snow days=
|Sep snow days=
|Oct snow days=
|Nov snow days=
|Dec snow days=
|year snow days=
<!--Average monthly sunshine hours, monthly totals are preferred, and will produce colors, but percentages are accepted.-->
|Jan sun= 241
|Feb sun= 243
|Mar sun= 299
|Apr sun= 325
|May sun= 374
|Jun sun= 372
|Jul sun= 327
|Aug sun= 319
|Sep sun= 315
|Oct sun= 301
|Nov sun= 260
|Dec sun= 242
<!--Mandatory fields, source-->
|source 1= <ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?az5732|title= Mount Lemmon, Arizona Climate Summary|publisher= Western Regional Climate Center |accessdate=December 4, 2011 }}</ref>

<!--For a second source-->
|source 2= <ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.chinci.com/travel/pax/q/5301780/Mount+Lemmon/US/United+States/0/#1%7c5%7ctravel%7cpax%7c5%7c5301780%7cMount%20Lemmon%7cUS%7cThe%20United%20States%7cAmerica/Phoenix%7cAZ%7cMT%7c32.4431311%7c-110.7884295%7cArizona |title= Mount Lemmon, Arizona Averages|publisher= Chinci World Atlas|accessdate=December 4, 2011 }}</ref>
|date=May 2012}}<!--Infobox ends-->


==Geology==
==Geology==

Revision as of 19:42, 2 September 2020

Mount Lemmon
View of Mount Lemmon from the western side of Tucson
Highest point
Elevation9,171 ft (2,795 m) NAVD 88[1]
Prominence5,157 ft (1,572 m)[2]
Listing
Coordinates32°26′35″N 110°47′19″W / 32.442961983°N 110.788478444°W / 32.442961983; -110.788478444[1]
Geography
Mount Lemmon is located in Arizona
Mount Lemmon
Mount Lemmon
LocationTucson, Pima County, Arizona, U.S.
Parent rangeSanta Catalina Mountains
Topo mapUSGS Mount Lemmon
Climbing
Easiest 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.[3][4] It is reported that Mount Lemmon Ski Valley, on the mountain's northeastern side, receives 200 inches (508 cm) of snow annually.[5]

Geography

Climate

The summit of the mountain is approximately twenty degrees cooler than the base. Therefore, large amounts of snow fall during the winter months, making it a cool escape and popular tourist attraction for Tucson and Phoenix inhabitants.

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) 		0.25
(6.4) 		0.62
(16) 		4.41
(112) 		6.99
(178) 		3.39
(86) 		3.05
(77) 		1.75
(44) 		2.60
(66) 		29.56
(751)
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 1: [6]
Source 2: [7]

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.[8]

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.[9]

Mount Lemmon Station Observatory

Main article: Mount Lemmon 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]

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. ^ "California Beat Hero: Sara Plummer Lemmon". CaliforniaBeat.org. May 27, 2009. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ "Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley". SkiTown.com. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
  6. ^ "Mount Lemmon, Arizona Climate Summary". Western Regional Climate Center. Retrieved December 4, 2011.
  7. ^ "Mount Lemmon, Arizona Averages". Chinci World Atlas. Retrieved December 4, 2011.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ Faherty, John. "Town of Summerhaven back after devastating fire". AZ Central. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  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.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mount_Lemmon&oldid=976412929"