Mount Lemmon

We drove up the Catalina Highway from Tucson (about 2000 feet above sea level) to Summerhaven (about 8000 feet above sea level) last week. It is the curvy two lane road that goes up Mount Lemmon. Starting out in Tucson – the Saguaro and ephedra are common.

The pattern of spines on this barrel cactus was full of complexity

Making the prickly pear spines on the flat pads look relatively simple.

A little further up the mountain – there are more ocotillo and water gurgling the stream beds. The snow was melting above.

Further still there are desert spoons and grasses with hardy trees.

Here there was a prickly pear with some fruits still attached.

And then the vegetation changes to pines and there are waterfalls cascading down the mountain.

Sometimes the slope is so steep that there is not much vegetation at all.

Finally - we get to snow! The temperature is still in the 40s but the sound of water trickling down the slopes surrounds us.

The overlooks have more people. There is something about snow this close to Tucson is a draw for tourists and natives alike.

The white of the snow drapes over rocks – in every nook.

When we got to Summerhaven we stopped for a big cookie and hot cider….and then came back down the mountain.