SUMMERHAVEN, Ariz. (KGUN) — On top of Mount Lemmon and 20-30 degrees cooler than Tucson, Summerhaven has been living up to its name recently.
The small community has been a go-to destination for Tucsonans and tourists alike, especially during the weeks-long heat wave that has flirted with or broken heat records in Arizona.
“We’re getting a new air conditioner installed so obviously the old air conditioner had to be turned off,” said Jan Slaby, taking advantage of nature’s air conditioning with her family. They recently moved to Tucson and were visiting Mt. Lemmon for the first time.
“And what a difference this is compared to Tucson, only one hour away.”
Longtime mountain resident Leanne Mack says this summer has been even busier than the typical flood of visitors.
“This summer’s been extremely busy, especially the last couple of weeks, as Tucson’s been hitting record highs,” she told KGUN on Monday. “The restaurants are just packed. The streets are packed.
“I’m gonna say the last two or three weeks is probably close to almost double the amount of traffic we would usually see.”
It’s not just Tucsonans making the trip; visitors from Phoenix and out of state are discovering Summerhaven.
“We see a lot of Phoenix visitors come this way. Instead of going north, they come down this way,” said Mack. “I think it’s just a little shorter drive. Or a lot of people are just actually learning about Mt. Lemmon. Like, ‘What? There’s mountains down there?’”
More people driving to Summerhaven, and staying there.
“I have an Airbnb cleaning business,” Mack explained. “So that’s my main business and I have seen the cabins book a lot more… They’re just finding time to come up. Not just weekends anymore.”
That’s all led to new businesses popping up in the past year: the Mt. Lemmon Coffee Bean, a shop called Ugo’s offering gifts and home decor, and a soon-to-open Mount Lemmon Lodge with overnight accommodations and a Beyond Bread.
There’s also been a boost for the longtime favorites, like the Mt. Lemmon Cookie Cabin.
Longtime resident Jeanne Hartmann, who works at Cookie Cabin, says weekends are “extremely busy,” but that the crew is able to handle the crowds.
“I just love it,” she said. “It’s kind of my mission to love every person that comes through that door. And I think that shows.”
Nowadays there’s a lot more people coming in that door, with the mountain one of the few comfortable outdoor options.
“It has a peaceful effect on people,” she said. “They’re chilled, not just spiritually, but they’re chilled because it’s about 20 degrees cooler [than Tucson].”
