The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway has the world’s largest rotating tram cars.
The two and a half mile trip up the mountain from the desert floor takes ten minutes.
It brings you from a desert floor elevation of 479 feet to 8, 516 feet. That’s a big climb in ten minutes!
The ride up moves through five different life zones, from the Sonoran Desert floor to the Arctic/Alpine Zone, where the highest peak, Mt. San Jacinto, is 10, 834 feet.
You leave the stark, baking desert, and hike in the mountains where the temperatures are 30 degrees cooler than below.
During our trip, a summer storm was moving in, causing it to rain on the mountain, and dropping the temperatures even more.
By the time we returned to the desert, we could watch the rain clouds move in over the mountains accompanied by lots of thunder. This is a rare summer occurrence and one I have never seen before. Despite the rain, the temperature remained a steady 112 degrees fahrenheit, and the drops evaporated quickly after contact with the superheated desert.
After the passage of the brief storm, the light was lovely.
Cheers to you from the scorching, but beautiful, summer desert~
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Fabulous pics of an amazing place. Thanks, Cindy!!!
Heading up to northern Manitoba soon Resa to visit the polar bears…..why don’t you come on up. The train ride from Winnipeg only takes 40 hours. We’re renting a cabin.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the sun and the light and warmth, etc…. but my favorite picture is the rain. I love the grey, the darker colors that bring out so much around us we don’t necessarily see in the light. Love the dessert too!
Yes, I love the rain too. I would have too. I live in SoCal, and we get way too little of it, so when it comes, it is time for celebration.
Oh my my … the opening image surely caught my attention! Stay cool …and enjoy the desert.
I am glad the image captured you. Thank you. I do always try to be cool (even though I’m not!)
Oh, how spectacular!!!! Reminds me of the beautiful Arizona mountains. <3
The Arizona mountains are beautiful! I love the American southwest.
Me too Cindy. <3
<3
Oh my! Scary ride.🥺but the brave gets pictures like yours. 💛
Hugs to you and be well <3
Wow ! The ride must be fun neh ? 🙂
Great fun and it is right next to The San Andreas Fault!
🙂
Beautiful!
Grazie mille.
Fascinating collection of photos on the way up to the mountain top. Very impressive, Cindy!
Happy you enjoyed Peter & thank you.
Oh that light after the storm! Lovely. What a ride!
Alison
A bit of fun and excitement close to home.
We visit friends in Palm Springs occasionally, but I’ve never taken the tram up the mountain. Thanks for the encouragement. (I’m slowing down; don’t write much, but I do like to follow along. Your posts extend my world, keep me dreaming of adventures.)
Awww, your very kind comment motivates me to keep blogging. If my posts help you have positive dreams and images, then I am very glad I posted them. Be well Albert.
Ha. I did that ride a year and a half ago, after observing the Indian Wells tournament for a few days. There was about 4” of snow at the top.
What fun. I want to go snowshoeing there in the winter!
Amazing views! 🙂
On a clear day you can clearly see The Salton Sea.
You certainly live an adventurous life Cindy and record it admirably in your posts.
Enjoyed my visit to your site.
I love having you stop and appreciate you leaving such very thoughtful comments. Cheers to you~
These beautiful photos define “the wonders of nature.”
Kind friend <3 Thank you Liz.
I’ve been on that Tram once back in the late 80’s when He-Man and I got a romantic get-away. The views are amazing. How wonderful for you to be able to get up there to cooler air!
What’s funny is my son called home yesterday afternoon to chat and asked, ” how are you doing in the heat?” I replied I was doing great. It wasn’t bothering me at all as I do much better with the heat than cold. I hope it’s not really bothering you too much either.
I am like you. I am a desert rat. I always come visit the desert in the summer. It’s like a permanent dry sauna!! 😉
Fascinating and interesting. One would go from sweating the extreme heat to sudden chills in the climbing altitude and temperature drop and wonder what kind of clothes to wear for the occasion. 🙂
Exactly. I didn’t have a sweater packed because we left home in a state of chaos, so I was worried the temps at the top might be too cold, but it was comfortable.
Beautiful, and a wonder that you are able to see and experience both the desert and the high elevations. Thank you, Cindy.
Thank you more Jennie for leaving such kind & motivating comments! <3
My pleasure, and well deserved.
<3 <3
I hope you enjoyed it wish it had brought relief we have been 95-100 but had hail 2 days ago and this morning in the high 40’s in NH but will be in the 80’s all week with many chances of rain just praying storms behave 🙂
We have lived about the same amount of time. Strange days aren’t they Eunice. All that is good to you my friend <3
The desert is an eerie but beautiful landscape for me. Perhaps because it’s so different from where I live in South Florida. Thanks for sharing these wonderful pictures and story. <3
Yes your descriptor captures the desert perfectly and clarifies why I love it. Thank you Vashti <3
Fantastic photos, Cindy. Makes me homesick for the mountains.
Love to you cuz <3
Everything about this post is quite fascinating.
Just so kind, and so appreciated <3
Wow, that picture of the rain is amazing. Usually you can’t see the rain. It begins and ends up too high. A photo of a lifetime.
It is so good to be back in touch with you talented lady <3
Beautiful, Cindy! I’ve never been to this part of the country, but definitely hope to in the next year or two! We are headed to Big Sur Dec 2 for 3 months, and I am looking forward to exploring N CA.
Also I hope you are safe from the fires!
Cheers,
Lynne
Luoghi meravigliosi, su cui soffermarsi, che hai immortalato con le tue foto
Buona settimana, silvia
Aww…. Grazie mille mia gentile amica Silvia! დ
Prego, è sempre un piacere soffermarsi sulle tue belle fotografie
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