Up Up And Away With James And Carri    


March 1, 2012 To The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway 

Off We Go Into The Wild Blue Yonder Again 3/1/2012 (Page One)

Page 1 - Arrival, lunch and a walk | Page 2 - Snowman, Drinks, and a Drive
Page 3 - Comic View | Page 4 - Snowman Movie & Carri Cam | Page 5 - James Cam

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! 

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
We are on our way.... A mere 90 miles away

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
James and Paul parked the car and then we heard....
"BOYS! HURRY UP, WE DEPART IN 10 MINUTES!"

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
The wind was blowing quite nicely... Look at the flags!

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Half a mile up already!

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
We hurried up the hill, up the stairs... no girls! They were in the powder room

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Smile... Our ride is almost here

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Here it comes.... It inches into the station

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
A slow entry into the station is a good idea

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
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.

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Fearless James

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
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.

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
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.

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
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.

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
The mountain is solid granite

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
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.

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
On a clear day one can see Las Vegas 200 miles away

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Our departure point is getting pretty small

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
We are moving quickly fast at this point

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Halfway point

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Amazing how plants take root on the side of a mountain and survive

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Snow has arrived ... The temperature is dropping dramatically

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Clouds over the pass did not ever make it into the valley

We Are At The Top

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
40 degrees outside and a nice 75 inside

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Our dining facilities await ... The Peaks Restaurant is very nice

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Linda gets a photo from the iPhone

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
The picture is a bit shaky as the 40 degrees and 30 mile per hour breeze takes its toll ... 40 x 30 = 1200, right?

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Inside is more better

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
James was concerned about the cold.... until we told him they have inside plumbing up here

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Fresh layer of two inches of snow made everything a brilliant white

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
The sign is an optical illusion

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
James saw the sign and decided we could NOT have lunch.... We corrected his misconception

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
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.

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
James! Can I borrow your coat?

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Looking down almost 8,000 feet

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
The trees are twisted and with this wind we know why

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Some areas were still closed... Icy and slippery

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Tracks in the snow

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Highway 10 down in the valley

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
The clouds just float well below our altitude

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Electronics everywhere... Camera, microwaves....

Let's Take A Walk In The Forest

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Thirty-nine degrees

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Bye bye... Have a nice walk!

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
"Lucky lucky... a pink elephant!"

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Sue leads the way

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
James and Carri look for a good snowman spot

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Tab Dah


Cold cold cold

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Slow down Sue..... Right ! Like that is going to happen

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
James... You going off roading???

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
"This is the biggest toilet seat I have ever seen!"

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Smiles

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
"You guys go ahead... I'll wait here"


James didn't scare anyone when he yelled at the passers bye

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Being old and wise, we did neither... a few more steps and snowman time

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
Love those snow shoes... Silver??

March 1st 2012 visit to the Palm Springs Tramway!
James approves of this location!

Page 1 - Arrival, lunch and a walk | Page 2 - Snowman, Drinks, and a Drive
Page 3 - Comic View | Page 4 - Snowman Movie & Carri Cam | Page 5 - James Cam