- Santa Catalina Mountains
The Santa Catalina Mountains are located north of
Tucson ,Arizona ,United States . Commonly referred to as the "Catalinas", the mountain range is the most prominent in theTucson area, with the highest average elevation. The highest point in the Catalinas isMount Lemmon at an elevation of 9,157 feet above sea level and receives 180 inches ofsnow annually. The Catalinas were named by ItalianJesuit priest Eusebio Francisco Kino in honor of St. Catherine in 1697.The Catalinas are located in the
Coronado National Forest and also include thePusch Ridge Wilderness Area . They were originally included inSanta Catalina National Forest , which in 1908 was combined with other tracts to create Coronado. The mountain range is considered a prominent range in theMadrean sky islands .The Catalinas are a significant focus of recreational activity, with areas such as
Sabino Canyon providing streams and perennial pools for visitors.Catalina State Park in the western foothills of the Catalinas attracts visitors for its hiking opportunities and permanent pools inRomero Canyon . The village of Summerhaven onMount Lemmon serves as a popular summer retreat from the heat ofArizona 's lower deserts.Mount Lemmon Ski Valley is also notable as it is the southernmostski destination in theUnited States .Other mountain ranges surrounding the Tucson valley include the
Santa Rita Mountains , theRincon Mountains , theTucson Mountains , and theTortolita Mountains .Notable sites and areas
Mountains and ridges
*Cathedral Rock
*Mount Bigelow
*Mount Kimball
*Mount Lemmon : highest point
*Pusch Ridge : westernmost point
*Rattlesnake Peak
*Table Mountain
*Thimble Peak Canyons
*
Bear Canyon
*Box Camp Canyon
*Canyon del Oro: north of Mount Lemmon
*Esperero Canyon
*Pima Canyon : southeast of Pusch Ridge
*Romero Canyon : located in Catalina State Park
*Sabino Canyon
*Ventana CanyonOther
*
Catalina Highway
*Catalina State Park
*Pusch Ridge Wilderness Area
*Redington Pass
*Summerhaven
*Tanque Verde Falls Miscellaneous facts
*Contrary to popular perception, Mount Lemmon is not the highest point in the Tucson area.
Mount Wrightson in the nearbySanta Rita Mountains has an elevation of 9,453 feet (2,881 m).*According to maps of Arizona dating back to 1864, the Santa Catalina Mountains were originally called the Santa Catarina Mountains. The name of the range morphed sometime between 1880 and 1912.
External links
[http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coronado/ Coronado National Forest]
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