Mount Lemmon

Where it is

Mount Lemmon rises out of the Sonoran Desert north of Tucson, Arizona. The Catalina Highway climbs roughly 40 km from the desert floor at 820 m to the village of Summerhaven near the summit at around 2400 m, with the radio towers and ski area higher still at 2790 m.

What makes it iconic

This is the most popular long climb in North America for a reason. The gradient is moderate (around 4 to 5 percent), the road is wide and smoothly paved, the shoulder is broad, and the climb traverses six distinct ecosystems from saguaro desert to ponderosa pine. Drivers respect cyclists. It is rideable nearly every day of the year.

Race history

Mount Lemmon does not have a great race history, but it is the de facto winter training climb for many North American World Tour riders. Tour stages of the Tour of California and the Tucson Bicycle Classic have used it, and Lance Armstrong made the climb famous in his comeback era by training there.

Pacing

Because of the length and altitude, treat this as a sustained tempo session rather than a threshold effort. Most riders complete it in two to three hours. The first 20 km are warmer and steeper feels at the bottom; carry more water than you think you need (one bottle per 15 km in summer). Above Windy Point the road eases for several kilometres before climbing again.

Practical notes

The Cookie Cabin at Summerhaven serves the famous oversized chocolate chip cookies - a tradition for anyone finishing the climb. Cell coverage is intermittent. Snow can dust the upper slopes November to March, but the lower 30 km remain clear year-round. The descent is one of the best in North America - long, smooth and gradual.