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DESTINATION
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California
Nevada
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Travel West guide to unique destinations, sight-seeing, history and
culture, budget travel vacation ideas for the U.S., Canada and Caribbean.
Travel Bargain destination
in California Desert
PALM SPRINGS AERIAL TRAMWAY
Rotating View Ride from Desert to Mountain Top
It
is one of the most familiar and distinctive features of Palm Springs,
the oasis in the
Southern California Desert where refuges from the sprawl
of LA come to relax. The San Jacinto Mountains stand with sheer face
over the resort city, ever present and up the side, the silver strand
of wire. It is possible to go from the climate of the Sonoran desert
steppe to the snow bound meadows of alpine peaks in 10 minutes. At
the top is the San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness, only accessible
from
the aerial tram car which rises from 2,643 on the desert floor to 8,516
feet above sea level.
The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway was opened in 1963, though the idea
for a tram cable to the mountain top first conjured in the mind of
electrical
engineer Francis F. Croker during a trip to nearby Banning in 1935.
Hardly the first of its kind, tram and cable cars had been built in
the Alps
for years before, but a local paper scoffed at “Crocker’s
Folly”. But the engineer had the last laugh, as the tramway has
been drawing tourists to Palm Springs since its inaugural run up the
highest sheerest mountain pitch in North America. The cable ride travels
an amazing two and a half miles up through five geologic climate zones.
Billed
as the largest rotating aerial tram in the world, meaning the cars
are the largest at 18 ft in diameter with room for up to 80 passengers,
the original tram cars where rectangular boxes with windows that opened
in the heat of summer. In 2001, the old cars were replaced by the Rotair
Rotating Aerial Tram cabins. A slight misnomer as it is not the car
which rotates, but the floor inside, slightly disconcerting as first
time visitors
pick a view spot inside the car, and as soon as it departs the station,
they slowly move past the windows, a shifting view as the tram rises
up or descends. Palm Springs is the third of only three Rotair trams
in the world. Manufactured by the Doppelmayr company of Thun, Switzerland,
the first rotating aerial tram rises to the peak of Mt Titlis carrying
over glaciers near Lucerne (see Mt
Titlis Rotair Engelberg), a second is in South
Africa, and soon the fourth and most ambitious will be up Mt Blanc
in France, the highest mountain peak in the Alps. One of the original
Palm Springs Tram
Cars can still be seen on display outside the Valley Departure Station.
What to Do
While waiting for the timed departure of the next tram, the Valley
Station is a modern facility with a patio and observation deck with
telescopes
for watching the trams rise up the cable which sinks by almost 30 feet
with the weight of the cars from tower to tower. There is a short walking
path and picnic area near a small waterfall, snack bar, and souvenir
shop. At the top of the ride, the Mountain Station offers a variety
of activities. The Desert View Terrace faces the valley side, looking
out across the
Coachella Valley and on the park side, the Long Deck offers a view
of the Jeffrey and Big Cone pine trees of the state park. The Peaks
Restaurant
offers California cuisine with spectacular views. For more casual meal
the Pines Café is cafeteria style and the Lookout Lounge Bar
for just a drink with your dizzying heights. The Park Visitors Center
offers
assistance with park information. There is even a movie theater and
video games room for kids easily bored with the glorious wonders of
natural
beauty.
Summer
In summer, activities in the San Jacinto State Park are Self-Guided
Nature Walks following marked signs. Guided Nature Walks are given
on weekends
from Memorial Day to Labor Day and wilderness hiking on 54 miles of
trails with a Trail Map available from the Visitors Center. Permits
are needed
to hike in the wilderness. The permits are free and can be obtained
at the Long Valley Ranger Station in the park. It is also possible
to camp
in the park at designated sites, but camping sites are designated as
primitive, meaning limited facilities. You need a permit for $5, and
a reservation is recommended.
Winter
In winter, when the desert floor is balmy and dry, the top of the
mountain is capped in snow, even though the weather is often crisp
and clear. Snow shoe hikes, cross country sking and snow disk runs are
pretty much the winter activity. The walkway down from the visitors center
can
get
a
little
icy for the non-sure
footed.
The
Adventure
Center,
open
from
mid-November
to Mid-April offers snowshoe and ski rental
for
cross-country
skiing
(no downhills),
with sleds, disks, gloves, hats and winter gear available for purchase
if you didn’t bring any with you. You can carry your winter
play stuff up on tram.
Taking the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
Ticket prices for the Palm Springs Aerial Tram are on the amusement
park scale - $23.25 for adults (including teenagers), $16.25 for
Children 3 to 12, $21.25 for Seniors 60+. Annual and Summer Passes
for multiple
visits are available. The Tram cars depart at least every half
hour, every twenty minutes during peak times. The first departure
is 8am
on
Saturday, Sunday and Holidays and 10am Monday to Friday. The last
tram up is 8pm and the last tram departure down is 9:45 pm. The
temperature
from valley to mountain can be 30 degrees, so bring some layers.
The Palm Springs Tramway is at the end of a ten minute 6-mile drive
from
the Palm Springs Tourism Center at Highway 111. © Bargain
Travel West
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Info
Palm Springs Tramway
These articles are copyrighted and the sole property of Bargain Travel West and WLEV, LLC. and may not be copied or reprinted without permission.
See these other articles on Bargain Travel West:
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PIONEERTOWN - OLD MOVIE MEMORIES IN YUCCA VALLEY
DESERT CHRIST PARK - YUCCA VALLEY
PATTON DESERT TANK WARFARE MUSEUM
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