Last year I drove up the back side of Mt Lemon (dirt) and road down the front side. Didn't know that it had been mud slide damaged and under repair. Is all the road work done and is it paved all the way. Down is fun, but up would be amazing.

Andrew

Last year I drove up the back side of Mt Lemon (dirt) and road down the front side. Didn't know that it had been mud slide damaged and under repair. Is all the road work done and is it paved all the way. Down is fun, but up would be amazing.

Andrew
I believe the road is still being worked on above general Hitchcock. Check with the rangers to be sure and see how far they'll let bikes up.

I was just there a couple of weeks ago and the rangers and construction workers would only allow us up to mile 11 or 12 depending on the day. One guy snuck across before 8AM one day but supposedly if you're caught, its a $250 fine. Awesome ride even up to mile 12.
power1369

My spies tell me the road is open all the way to the top for cyclists on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays all day, and before/after work hours (9 a.m. - 7 p.m.) the rest of the week. Same spies inform me of new, wider shoulder striping as well both up and down the mountain.

Rock on.

p.

My spies tell me the road is open all the way to the top for cyclists on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays all day, and before/after work hours (9 a.m. - 7 p.m.) the rest of the week. Same spies inform me of new, wider shoulder striping as well both up and down the mountain.

Rock on.

p.

Do your spies tell you when the road will be open wif no restrictions?

My spies tell me the road is open all the way to the top for cyclists on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays all day, and before/after work hours (9 a.m. - 7 p.m.) the rest of the week. Same spies inform me of new, wider shoulder striping as well both up and down the mountain.

Rock on.

p.
Paul, the "secret service bike type dude". He has all the answers!!!

Do your spies tell you when the road will be open wif no restrictions?

When the road work is complete. Right now it's only open when they're not working on it. "It" being Windy Point IIRC. No idea when the road work will be done.

Many of my best agents died bringing this information to me.

p.

I was there a couple of weeks ago. You can get about half the way up before they stop you. We hitched a ride across the construction and rode to the top and hitched a ride on the way back down. I believe that I read that it will be done fall 2006. It is going to be great when they are done.

It seems to be open on Fridays and Saturdays, though there is still some unpaved section at mile 14. I don't know how long that it as I turned back there...

So, does anyone with spies or inside knowledge know if there will ever be any plans to pave the road down the other side of Mt. Lemmon? A paved road that traversed Mt. Lemmon would allow for a very tasty Sunday Loop ride......

Are there any underground paving groups in Tucson that are planning to carry out midnight paving raids on dirt/gravel roads?

We rode to the ski area on Sunday. The unfinished road is maybe two sections of not more than 20 meters separated by a concrete section (which is like a road). The traffic light is a pain because it is red for 9 minutes (green for 3) and we seemed to catch it at the worst time both going up and down. The fine is $180 for ignoring the light, or so I was told by a guy who said a group was caught last week. Not that I would ever ignore a posted sign but I hear that some cyclists do!
As for finishing the back side of Lemmon. I doubt it but that would be a nice ride, I would guess about 120 miles around? You could do it on a mountain bike.

I've never heard of any plans to pave the Oracle Control Road (the road off the back that goes through all the burn area and down into Oracle).

I rode to Summerhaven last Sunday (5/8) and it is a SWEET ride. Pavement is in beautiful condition, clean and buttery-smooth all the way up (and down!). The dirt section is super-short, and interrupted by a section of rideable concrete. Even a sissified race tire will have no trouble dealing with that little bit o' gravel.

It was the first time I've seen Summerhaven since '01. What a sight.

p.

Just went to the ski area today. That concrete at mile 14 sucks. Who came up with the brilliant idea of stamping a flagstone pattern into and and making it rough like that? Fortunately it is only 50 feet or so...

Just went to the ski area today. That concrete at mile 14 sucks. Who came up with the brilliant idea of stamping a flagstone pattern into and and making it rough like that? Fortunately it is only 50 feet or so...
Heh, I'll tell him.....
It's to slow folks (cars and bikes) down so they don't cream the oblivious tourists........