Tramway

When the temperature gets hot, it is time to hit Palm Springs. So... the logic would seem to be the opposite since Palm Springs is a desert environment with typical scorching temperatures over 100+°F. But... Palm Springs is one of the gateways to the San Jacinto Mountains, with the highest peak at 10,834 ft. The air can be as much as 40°F (22°C) cooler at the top than in the desert. It also helps that there is great bouldering up in the mountains...

And off we go on the Aerial Tramway!

This was the kids' first time riding the 360° rotating tram, 2.5 miles, and ~6,000 feet elevation gain and it was quite spectacularly fun, with an amazing view of the city below.

The history and the engineering feat of the tram construction is also pretty neat as the kids got to view the gears in motion and the display of various cables and structures.

Tramway is also reminiscent to me as my first backpacking excursion, a good 12+ years ago!

We spent a couple days bouldering at top of the Tram Station at ~8,500 feet elevation, in the San Jacinto Mountains. Plenty of time for the kids to hone their creative play. In that time frame, they opened a tattoo parlor for climbers, built their own version of a wooden tram using team work, practiced musketeering skills, and opened up a temporary snack shop. I'm always curious on what the kids come up with on each of our trips. They seem to always have new ideas!

More to come...