Costs
What a Tow Costs Up the Catalina Highway Near Tucson
A tow on the Catalina Highway near Tucson costs more than a tow in town, mostly because of distance. The road climbs 27 miles up Mount Lemmon, and the truck has to drive up to you and then haul your car back down. How high you stopped, what your car is doing, and snow on the road all move the price. You get your price by text before anyone heads up the mountain.
Why does a breakdown on Mount Lemmon cost more than one in town?
In the city grid, a truck may be a few streets away. On the mountain, it isn't. The Catalina Highway starts off Tanque Verde Road on the northeast side. The Forest Service calls it the only paved road to the upper Santa Catalinas. There is no shortcut up and no other way down.
That makes the tow a long round trip. Your driver climbs to your car, hooks it up, then drives back down the same curves to a shop in Tucson. Each mile you sit above the city adds miles both ways. A car that quits near the top can mean close to 27 miles of mountain road each way.
Speed is part of it, too. A mountain road with tight curves and steep grades is slow going for a loaded truck. That's why the climb, not the hookup, is most of what you pay for up here.
How far up are you? Read the nearest landmark
Your location is the biggest piece of the price. Give it as clearly as you can. The Forest Service lists these points along the road, measured from Tanque Verde Road:
| Landmark | Where it sits |
|---|---|
| Coronado National Forest boundary | 4.2 miles up. Here the road becomes the Hitchcock Highway. |
| Molino Basin campground | 5.7 miles past the boundary, at 4,500 feet |
| Gordon Hirabayashi campground | About 7 miles past the boundary |
| General Hitchcock campground | 12 miles past the boundary |
| Rose Canyon | Between mile markers 17 and 18 |
| Palisades Visitor Center | Milepost 19.9 |
The road tops out near 9,000 feet, by Summerhaven and the ski valley. Look for a green mile marker on the shoulder, or the name of the last turnout or campground you passed. Tell the dispatcher which way you were headed, too. "Uphill, just past Molino Basin" is a clear spot. "Somewhere on Mount Lemmon" is not.
What else changes the price up there?
Distance is the big one, but it isn't the only one. These four things also matter on the mountain:
- Where the car sits. A car parked flat in a paved turnout is a simple hookup. A car with a wheel off the pavement on a curve may need a winch-out first, if it's close to the road.
- What the car is doing. A car that rolls in neutral loads easier than one with a locked wheel or crash damage.
- What you drive. A small sedan and a full-size pickup don't load the same way.
- Where it's going. Your own mechanic across town is a longer haul than the closest good shop at the bottom.
A car that went over the edge or far down a slope is not a light-duty job. Call 911 if anyone is hurt or the car left the road.
Can you skip the tow altogether?
Often, yes. That's the cheapest way off the mountain. Before you ask for a tow, tell the dispatcher what the car is actually doing:
- It clicks and won't start. A cold night at the top or a long day parked at a trailhead can drain a weak battery. A jump start may get you rolling.
- A tire went flat. If you have a good spare, your driver can put it on so you can drive down.
- You ran low on gas. Fuel can come to you.
- It overheated on the climb. Pull into a turnout, turn the engine off and let it cool. Never open a hot radiator cap. If it cools and runs normally, you may not need a tow.
A short service call still means a drive up the mountain. But it skips the long haul back down with your car on the truck.
Does snow on Mount Lemmon change things?
Yes. The Forest Service says the highway is paved and fine for passenger cars. But after snowstorms the road may close for a while, and snow tires, chains or four-wheel drive may be required.
When the road is closed, a tow truck can't get up any more than you can. When chains or four-wheel drive are required, the truck has to meet the same rule. Snow and ice also make the slow drive slower. All of that can push the price up, or push the job to later.
Before you head up on a winter day, call the Pima County Sheriff's road condition hotline at 520-351-3351. The Forest Service lists it as a 24-hour line that runs all year. You can also check AZ 511. If you're already stuck in snow, stay with your car, keep the tailpipe clear, and run the engine only in short spells.
Where should you wait for the truck?
The highway has scenic turnouts, campgrounds and day-use stops like Windy Point. If your car still moves, roll it into one of those. A wide, flat turnout is safer for you and easier for your driver.
If the car died on a curve, turn on your hazards. Get everyone out on the side away from traffic if it's safe, and stand well off the road. Don't stand behind or in front of the car. Under Arizona law, A.R.S. 28-775, drivers coming up on a stopped car with flashing lights must slow down when they can't change lanes. On a two-lane mountain road, most can't, so slowing down is the rule.
Phone signal can drop on any mountain road. Note your spot first, and send it in one text if a call keeps dropping.
How do you lock the price before the truck climbs?
Sentinel Towing is a towing and roadside network, not a tow company. A vetted local partner tow company in the Tucson area does the job. Before we dispatch, we text you your price. That price is the most you pay for the job. If the job changes, like a car that turns out to need a winch-out, we text a new price first and you decide.
Then we check on you by text until the truck arrives. That's our Stay-With-You Promise. You get your driver's name, photo and truck by text, and you can track your truck on a map as it climbs. Your driver photographs all four sides of your car before hookup.
We don't promise the cheapest tow off Mount Lemmon. We promise no surprise after you say yes. To see what a full car tow includes, start there. For the rest of the metro, see our Tucson towing page.
Stuck right now? Call 1-888-TOW-1213, or request help online.
Catalina Highway Tow Questions
Is there another road down Mount Lemmon if the Catalina Highway is blocked?
Not a paved one. The Forest Service calls the Catalina Highway the only paved road to the upper Santa Catalinas. If it's closed, call the sheriff's hotline at 520-351-3351 and wait for it to open.
Why does my tow price depend on which mile marker I'm at?
The truck drives up to you and then hauls your car back down. A car near Palisades, at milepost 19.9, is a much longer round trip than one near the forest boundary. The mile marker helps set a fair price.
Can a tow truck come up when chains are required?
Only if it meets the same rule you do. When the road is closed after a storm, nobody gets up. Call the hotline first, and tell the dispatcher about snow when you call.
My car overheated on the climb. Do I need a tow?
Maybe not. Pull into a turnout, shut off the engine and let it cool. Don't open a hot radiator cap. If a warning light stays on or it overheats again, call for help.
Rules change, so check the official source before you rely on it. Sources: Coronado National Forest, Catalina Highway Scenic Drive, Coronado National Forest, Mount Lemmon Ski Valley, Molino Basin, Gordon Hirabayashi, General Hitchcock, Rose Canyon, Palisades Visitor Center, Windy Point, Pima County Road Closure Updates, A.R.S. 28-775, AZ 511.
