At the Top of the World: Mount Lemmon

So as you all know I am really into Nature and all sorts of its but my most favorite environment has to be mountains, valleys, and desert. My homestate of Arizona has them aplenty and these unique natural features truly add a layer of biodiversity to an already unique and multi-layered place of extremes/diversity. Yesterday, I visited one such place that captured my heart the first time I visited it as a young child and it still has the ability to capture my heart, expand my appreciation for nature, and truly leave me in wonder. That place is Mount Lemmon in the Santa Catalina mountains by Tucson, Arizona my hometown. Which I had not visited in 7 years.

Like a lot of Arizona, Mount Lemmon and the Catalinas (as we locals call them) break down stereotypes by being more than you'd expect. At first glimpse it looks a lot like any other desert mountain: barren and full of shrubs, dead trees, and lots of rock. But as we Arizonans know that's just a facade for like our land we are multi-layered. Mount Lemmon is no different and is multi-layered literally.

As you drive up the mountain what you mostly see is dead grass, lots of natural stone features, and cactus. Typical Arizona right? (The views are still breathtaking )This area is about from 0-4-5,000 ft elevation. But as you climb the mountain you start to see less cactus and then none. The stones and features are just as big and just as old but now you start to see lichen growing all over them. Mesquite becomes Fir trees and Creosote Bushes become Oaks and Pines. As we climb, a beautiful view of the mountain valley below comes into view. Lush, green, and the clouds hanging low lent an ethereal look to it all. (7,000 ft elevation)

Of course not all of it was green at the next turn on the winding road up a grim reminder is present. A whole hillside is seemingly barren of all life except pines but they are bare, dead, and act as a reminder of the deadly force of nature that swept through 10 years before. A forest fire. The Aspen Fire of 2003. Which burned for a month and ravaged the area. Burning thousands of acres, destroying over 300 homes and businesses of the nearby village of Summerhaven. But it wasn't all doom and gloom, from death, new life emerges and I could faintly make out new saplings growing on that same hillside. (8,000 ft + elevation)

I forgot to mention one other thing that became present as we climbed higher. Something of legend to people who don't know Arizona well and it's true we (Arizonans) don't expect it much in the valley but in this place all stereotypes go away. Gleaming like radiant silver and diamonds in the sunlight, it's snow! Lots and lots of snow. It covers everything from the tiniest pebble to the tallest pine.

In this place, I remember it like I once did as a child and it's still so strikingly beautiful and fills me with a wonder and joy. As I spent the afternoon playing in the snow with my older brother Chris and our friend Will. I was reminded that life is full of beautiful things if you take the time to look beyond what you see only with your eyes.

Below is a photo collection of some pics