We’re back after 2 years of construction!
By Steve Wilson
The annual GABA Mt. Lemmon Hill Climb is pleased to return after a 2-year
suspension due to the final reconstruction of the Mt. Lemmon highway. The road
is now 100% complete including the 5 miles of Catalina Highway leading to the
base. 28 miles of smooth 28-foot wide asphalt one-way to the top!
To celebrate the new road we’re expanding our sag support this year to two
leapfrogging sags covering 4 sag stops along the way. We have recommended start
times depending on your average speed to insure that you will find the team at
each of the four sag stops. Please try to follow these guidelines if you want to
have support all the way up.
The check-in location will remain the same at my house at 4601 N. Via Noriega.
(Approximately 1 mile from the base of the mountain) See Yahoo or Google on the
web for detailed maps. If you don’t have internet/printer access, take Catalina
Highway to Snyder, right on Snyder to Via Molino, right on Via Molino to Via
Noriega then take a left.
Check-in will run from 5:45 AM until 7:00 AM.
The sag schedule is as follows:
Sag 1 – Molino Basin 7:00-9:30
Sag 2 – Bear Canyon 8:30-10:30
Sag 3 – San Pedro Vista 10:00-12:00
Sag 4 – Loma Linda 11:00-12:30
Recommended start times, depending on your average speed up the mountain, are
6:00 AM for 4 MPH, 6:30 for 5 MPH, 7:00 for 7 MPH, and 7:30 for 9 MPH. If you
average these speeds with these start times and spend 15 minutes at each sag
stop, you’ll get to each one during the times they are open.
We’ve added pre-registration this year to give us a better idea of how many will
be attending. Fees to cover the sag costs will be $7 in advance and $10 day of
the ride. Please help to make our volunteer’s jobs easier by getting your
registration in early.
If you’ve thought about trying to make it all the way to the top but never have,
this is a great time for a big first attempt. The excellent sag support
eliminates the need for carrying extra food and fluids and the camaraderie along
the way is a great inspiration. Every year we’ve had a least one rider make it
to the top for the first time – it’s a worthy achievement!
After getting to the Ski Valley parking lot, there is an optional stop for lunch
at the Iron Door restaurant (at Ski Valley) or one of the cafés in Summerhaven.
Count on about $10-15 for lunch depending on your appetite. The pie at the Mt.
Lemmon Café in Summerhaven is always good.
The descent this year is the sweetest ever, with an almost continuous 21-mile
downhill shot from Bigelow road to the base. Round trip to Ski Valley is 56
miles, with 6,600 feet of elevation gain. Be sure to check the weather forecast
and be prepared. Rain is unlikely in early May, but you don’t want to be
surprised at 8,000 feet.
We hope to see you on the ride!