Quartzite Spring-Mt Lemmon

[Jim]

I see numerous reports for Quartzite Spring on Mt Lemmon, the one just down trail from the Lemmon Rock Lookout on the side of the Mount Lemmon Trail where a large amount of water (especially for the altitude ) is gushing from a metal pipe just below a metal spring house.

I know nothing of the water quality, but it appears people drink it. Assuming adequate snow melt this spring for this May and reasonable flow, I would like to use it as a source for a day hike.

Have many members have drank this water? It is considered potable, or are people treating it in some fashion; filter, chemical, whatever?

[chumley]

I would drink from the pipe. But I'm more adventurous than some (and far less adventurous than JJ!). As with any natural water source in Arizona though, my official recommendation would be to treat it before drinking if you are able to.

[Jim]

@chumley
It sounds like at least one member has. I am wondering if this particular spring is the source of water for the town of Summer Haven? They might be able to give information about its quality.

That high up on Mount Lemmon, and without cattle grazing, the only source of contamination that I can think of would be potential septic tanks around the observatories. I wouldn't expect parasites but maybe e coli. This spring may be similar to the water source / spring in upper oak Creek just below the switchbacks where people drive from Sedona, Flagstaff, and other locations to fill up 5-gallon water jugs to use that water source untreated in their homes. they did post a sign on it years ago talking about e coli contamination and they test the water routinely, but generally speaking it's considered high quality potable water direct from a spring.

[SpiderLegs]

I know someone that lives in Summerhaven and does a bunch of trail running and hiking up there. Let me ask him.

[SpiderLegs]

The scoop on that spring.

Very reliable, my friend has never seen it not running. He fills up his water bottle or takes a swig from the pipe every time he passes by and has never had a GI issue. His guess is that the spring is actually being pumped from deep in the ground by the pump house adjacent to the trail.

[Jim]

@SpiderLegs
According to newspaper articles, though from 2012 so higher levels of truth, the village gets it's water from two sources without wells, or pumping. This one seems like it very well may be the "Upper Sabino Canyon source", given the flow.

[ShatteredArm]

@SpiderLegs
I've drunk from the spring on a couple of occasions, no big deal. I have seen it "dry" though, on a summer weekend when 100% of the flow was being diverted to Summerhaven.