Off We Go Into The Wild Blue Yonder Again 3/1/2012 (Page One)
James and Carri joined us today for an adventure into the snow. 8,600 feet on the top of Mt, San Jacinto with 24 inches of snow and a lot of champagne! We departed our house at 9:00 and picked up James at 9:15 at Old Ranch and then headed out west. Door to door, 113 miles!
We are on our way.... A mere 90 miles away
James and Paul parked the car and then we heard....
"BOYS! HURRY UP, WE DEPART IN 10 MINUTES!"
The wind was blowing quite nicely... Look at the flags!
Half a mile up already!
We hurried up the hill, up the stairs... no girls! They were in the powder room
Smile... Our ride is almost here
Here it comes....
It inches into the station
A slow entry into the station is a good idea
Jump right in!
Did You Know? - In 2001, the original aerial-tram cars were replaced by new cars that rotate slowly, offering riders a 360° panoramic view of Chino Canyon and the desert valley floor.
Fearless James
Up up and away
- Check the wind sock!
Did You Know? - A windsock is a conical textile tube designed to indicate wind direction and relative wind speed. Windsocks typically are used at airports and at chemical plants where there is risk of gaseous leakage. They are sometimes located alongside highways at windy locations.
Wind direction is the opposite of the direction in which the windsock is pointing (note that wind directions are conventionally specified as being the compass point from which the wind originates; so a windsock pointing due north indicates a southerly wind). Windspeed is indicated by the windsock's angle relative to the mounting pole; in low winds, the windsock droops; in high winds it flies horizontally.
Per FAA standards referenced below, a 15-knot (28 km/h; 17 mph) wind will fully extend the properly functioning windsock. A 3-knot (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) breeze will cause the properly functioning windsock to orient itself according to the wind.
The car saw its shadow and predicted seven more minutes of movement upwards
Did You Know? - The twelve-and-and-a-half minute ride begins at the Valley Station at 2,643 ft (806 m) and passes up North America's sheerest mountain face through five life zones on its way to the Mountain Station at 8,516 ft (2,596 m) above mean sea level. Travelers start in the Sonoran Desert and arrive at an alpine forest.
The white knuckles
Did You Know? - The floor of the 18 ft (5.5 m) diameter aerial tram-cars rotates constantly, making two complete revolutions throughout the duration of the journey so that the passengers can see in all directions without moving. With a maximum capacity of 80 passengers it is the largest of the three rotating aerial trams in the world. The other "Rotair" aerial trams are located in Cape Town, South Africa and Titlis, Switzerland.
The mountain is solid granite
Only two more towers to go
Did You Know? - Both World War II and the Korean War shelved the project. Construction began in 1960. The unprecedented use of helicopters in the construction of four of the aerial tram's five towers helped the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway earn a reputation as one of the greatest engineering feats ever accomplished.
On a clear day one can see Las Vegas 200 miles away
Our departure point is getting pretty small
We are moving quickly fast at this point
Halfway point
Amazing how plants take root on the side of a mountain and survive
Snow has arrived
... The temperature is dropping dramatically
Clouds over the pass did not ever make it into the valley
We Are At The Top
40 degrees outside and a nice 75 inside
Our dining facilities await
... The Peaks Restaurant is very nice
Linda gets a photo from the iPhone
The picture is a bit shaky as the 40 degrees and 30 mile per hour breeze takes its toll
... 40 x 30 = 1200, right?
Inside is more better
James was concerned about the cold.... until we told him they have inside plumbing up here
Fresh layer of two inches of snow made everything a brilliant white
The sign is an optical illusion
James saw the sign and decided we could NOT have lunch.... We corrected his misconception
NOTICE... Jacket on and zipped up... The Old Man of the Mountain
James in his Mountain Man outfit
Did You Know? - Approximately 3,000 mountain men ranged the mountains between 1820 and 1840, the peak beaver-harvesting period. While there were many free trappers, most mountain men were employed by major fur companies. The life of a company man was almost militarized. The men had mess groups, hunted and trapped in brigades and always reported to the head of the trapping party. This man was called a "boos way", a bastardization of the French term bourgeoisie. He was the leader of the brigade and the head trader.
James! Can I borrow your coat?
Looking down almost 8,000 feet
The trees are twisted and with this wind we know why
Some areas were still closed...
Icy and slippery
Tracks in the snow
Highway 10 down in the valley
The clouds just float well below our altitude
Electronics everywhere... Camera, microwaves....
Let's Take A Walk In The Forest
Thirty-nine degrees
Bye bye... Have a nice walk!
"Lucky lucky... a pink elephant!"
Sue leads the way
James and Carri look for a good snowman spot
Tab Dah
Cold cold cold
Slow down Sue..... Right
! Like that is going to happen
James... You going off roading???
"This is the biggest toilet seat I have ever seen!"
Smiles
"You guys go ahead... I'll wait here"
James didn't scare anyone when he yelled at the passers bye
Being old and wise, we did neither... a few more steps and snowman time
Love those snow shoes... Silver??
James approves of this location!