Wiebe's Wanderings: Mount Lemon - Its the journey, not the destination.

Wednesday, Dec 12 we took a drive up to Mount Lemon. At an elevation of 9157 feet we wound our way up the mountain side almost 7000 ft above Tucson. We left the desert behind and were soon surrounded by Pine and Spruce. The views were spectacular. When we left the desert floor the temperatures were in the mid-sixties and by the time we got to Summerhaven, about 1000 feet below the peak of Mount Lemon, the temperature had dropped to a refreshing 45 degrees. Summerhaven is a small ski town with a permanent population of 40. There are numerous chalet type residences hanging off the mountain side and I'm sure once the ski season begins there is a little more activity than what we experienced. We had a nice lunch at the Sawmill Run restaurant and then headed back down. There is a Sky Center observatory a little higher up the mountain however the day we were there the gate was closed. I have since discovered that they do have Astronomer Sky Nights but tickets have to be purchased in advance and at $75. per person we will probably pass. On the drive up we passed numerous pullouts, picnic areas and hiking trailheads. Lori and I will probably return to check out some of the hiking trails but as far as another trip to Summerhaven, I think we'll pass.

A winding road with sheer drop-offs however its got a nice wide shoulder and a guardrail.

Not a bad view.

Definitely engage the parking brake.

Not a very big resort. No skiing yet and no evidence of snow making equipment.
Must be a very short season.

As the song says: you can see for miles and miles and miles.

A few days earlier we had placed an Amazon order and on Wednesday our new steps arrived. Our factory stairs only have 3 steps with about a 9 or 10" rise. They are suspended from the frame of the trailer and are not grounded so they bounce a bit when you walk up and down. That slight vibration plays havoc with my knees and ever since I saw the aftermarket steps that Morryde makes they have been on my wish list. With 4 steps the rise is only 8" which is much closer to the residential standard of 7.5" and with the legs resting on the ground they are very stable. They aren't cheap but $311. delivered is the best price I have seen.

The instructions and u-tube video that I watched said that they can be installed in about 20 minutes. I set aside the whole day fully expecting things not to go well with numerous trips to Home Depot required. To my delight, unlike many of my projects, everything went as outlined in the video and we now have sturdy new steps.