Mt Lemmon Ski Valley — Attraction in Four Corners States

Mt Lemmon is without a doubt one of the coolest, most interesting, visually striking places we have had the pleasure of hiking, so do yourself a favor and stick to that. The unpleasant people who work at the Ski Valley shop are some of the rudest most argumentative people. We were extremely disappointed by a miscommunication on their end and while we understood there was nothing that could be done we were offered no apology, no acknowledgment of mishap and were certainly offered no solutions to try and remedy the situation. It might just be me, but if I make a mistake I always try to come up with solutions that make people feel as thought I at least care about the outcome. Not sure whether these people are jaded from working at a seasonal resort, just plain don’t care about anyone or anything, or don’t have the capacity to problem-solve but whatever it is it makes for an unpleasant encounter if you have to deal with them in any capacity. We made the long drive up the Ski Valley two days in a row and both days wished we hadn’t stepped foot in that little shop. The rest of Mount Lemmon however is STUNNING. I’m talking take-your-breath-away stunning. Windy Peaks were incredible, Oracle Trail was awe-inspiring, the quaint little town is so unique and friendly and Sawmill Run is the perfect place to grab a burger after a day of hiking, great food! Almost anywhere you stop to take in the views or go for a hike is inspirational and has such varied climates! The bottom is all rock ledges saguaros and thorny brush, while the top (when we visited) is snow capped covered in beautiful tall pines and feels more like Colorado than the middle of the desert! All-in-all Mount Lemmon has so much more to offer and while we’d never step foot in that ski shop again we will absolutely be back to admire the beauty and majesty of Mount Lemmon. It is truly a special place.

Edit: I filtered through some other reviews to see if our experience was isolated and it seems everyone who has to deal with these people especially Becky have an unpleasant experience. Becky, please retire. Then you won’t have to take your unresolved anger and bitterness out on people who travel thousands of miles to see what you obviously take...

This is such a cool mountain! It's definitely a small mountain, with small mountain vibes, and the terrain is a bit steeper than I expected (which is a super win imo). The glades are nice and spread out, there's some really fun hits/drops/kickers throughout the mountain.

The ticket price is super reasonable especially compared to other mountains, the drive is absolutely gorgeous, and the lift isn't too slow either (there are two lifts, but one is just the beginner area and the other is the only way to the tippy top).

Now i read a handful of reviews that mentioned the employees were rude or mean; don't believe them. Seriously the rental shop guys were SO NICE and really helpful when I had to swap out my gear, and when they saw me later in the day they even took the time to ask if I was enjoying myself!

If you are getting rentals, let me just mention real quick that this is an older, small mountain that has inconsistent seasons since they rely solely on natural snow, meaning they don't make the same type of revenue as big resorts, and the rental equipment does show this. My rental boots were rear entry Nordicas circa 1980, and the skis were decent enough but there's only one style to choose from (no premium or sports packages here guys) which is very narrow underfoot and wider at the tip with a flat tail and basically the polar opposite of what i normally ski on (i left my gear in CO so, i had to rent if i wanted to ski, and boy did i want to lol).

They're not bad skis by any means, I kinda really didn't like the boots, but beggers can't be choosers and at least they have rental equipment! Next time I'm definitely bringing my own gear so I can feel more confident truly experiencing all the funness this mountain has to offer. Don't let the rental gear dissuade you from going; even tho I didn't like the boots, it was 100% worth it!!!! Go check it out, you may be pleasantly surprised 😁 I went on a Thursday and there was NO ONE on the mountain, which is always a...

I lived in Tucson for five years while being a graduate student at the University of Arizona. I loved every minute of it. My children are born in Tucson. It breaks my heart to leave lukewarm review of Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley.

In spite of its altitude, Mt. Lemmon is way too South to receive any significant snow participation. During my five year tenure in the city Mt. Lemmon received on average 1-2 weeks of nice snow on good years and 3 out of 5 years the snow was almost non-existing even on 10 000 feet. During the day when temperatures are high snow quickly melts, then it freezes again during cold nights. Please make a guess and imagine how the slopes look like (Hint: mixture of ice and rocks). On the nice deep fresh snow which happens very rarely skiing (1-2 days) is OK if you are intermediate to advanced skier. I would not take my chance on that mountain if I was an absolute beginner. The most annoying thing about mount Lemmon is the road pay station on the way up to the ski valley which collect mandatory "donations". When snow is good, it seems that the whole city is heading up the mountain and the pay station causes 3-4 h traffic delays. The only way to get to the top of the mountain is to get up at 5:00 AM in the morning to make that short 30-40 mile trip.

One of earlier reviewers suggested that people should consider flying to Tucson to ski. Unfortunately, due to recent droughts skiing is no longer possible even on traditional Arizona ski areas Snowbowl and Sunrise, let alone on Mt. Lemmon.

I would like to finish this review on a positive note. Tucson is a beautiful city and one of premier locations in U.S. for people who like to live close to great outdoors including great hikes to Mt. Lemmon. However if you like skiing please keep you hopes low when it comes...