Ski Valley Lifts

At the top of Mt. Lemmon you'll find Ski Valley.  That's right, a resort with "valley" in its name, that's located at the top of a mountain.  It makes a little more sense when you see it, since the lifts take you up out of a narrow valley, that's high in the hills.

Ski Valley stays open throughout the summer, operating a gift shop, ice cream parlor, and best of all, the chair lift.  Even when there's no snow, you can still ride to the top.

Almost there!

I'm torn on whether to recommend you take the lift.  As you can see, the view is less than spectacular.  Sure, you're up high, but smog and haze in the valley below can make for a less than breathtaking view.  And, many of the trees at the top have been scorched by a forest fire.  There's no real viewpoint, so you're left to just wonder around.

Here's another reason I'm hesitant to recommend the chair lift ride: its price.  A single adult is $9, families ride for $20.  Add to that the warning the clerk gave me when I purchased my ticket: "You're not allowed to walk around at the top, you have to get right back on".  It turns out, at least on that day, that wasn't true.  The guy operating the ride at the top didn't care what I did.  But, if they had enforced that policy, it would have been a big disappointment.