Tucson, AZ

After spending the last ten winters in the frozen tundra of upstate New York, I kind of miss the snow. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a big fan of sub-zero climates, but it’s kind of fun bundling up and heading out for a winter stroll when the weather isn’t so bad. Winter has its charm, so over the holidays my husband, son and I headed up to Summerhaven, Mt. Lemmon to enjoy snow and cooler weather.

Located about 47 miles away from Tucson, the drive up to Mt. Lemmon was really fantastic. It did take about an hour and a half to get there because of the steep elevation, but it honestly didn’t feel that long at all because of the scenery. It was really interesting to see the views of the city below, the rock formations, and the way the landscape changes from cacti to large trees as you get further away from the desert below.

Once up to the top, we decided to get out the stroller and walk through the white wonderland. We arrived early enough that there was nobody else there, so we were able to take a secluded walk through the streets lined with log cabins and trees. It was a little icy, so we had to be extra careful with the stroller where the snow plows missed, but mostly it was magic walking past cozy cottages and enjoying the sounds of snow. There was babbling brook we passed and the general sounds of nature that can be heard when the still quiet snow allows them to come to life.

After about an hour or so, we headed back to our car to take in lunch at the Iron Door Restaurant, right next to the skiing area. Once there, it was really quaint and cozy with rustic surroundings and a fireplace, with a real wood fire that added to the ambiance of a secluded winter cabin. The food was mostly just sandwiches, but the portions were good, and each came with a side of German potato salad and cabbage.

Once we finished lunch, even though we got there early, the entire mountain was packed with skiers and those that wanted to experience the snow. We did head back over to the Mt. Lemmon café for a piece of pie, though, and braved the crowds. We ordered the peach and the raspberry, and at $9.00 a slice, neither of us was able to finish it!

After our pie, we decided to walk up and down the main street to kind of see what there was available. We saw a pizza place, a general store, and there were tons and tons of people playing in the snow and walking by this point. It was actually kind of fun to meet new people. We met a family who had come up from south of the border and a couple who had five dogs who had come up from Tucson for some fun in the snow.

Eventually it got so crowded, we decided to head back home. All in all though, we really enjoyed our little day trip up to Mt. Lemmon. It was a lot of fun to see the snow and experience the change in climate just a short distance away from Tucson. The only recommendation I have is to come early and miss the crowds.