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Jerry Ogburn, retired urban planner and designer, has been elected chairman of the Mount San Jacinto Winter Park Authority (MSJWPA), governing body of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Ogburn was appointed to the Authority by the Palm Springs City Council in 2006 and previously served as chair in 2009 and 2017.

For over four decades, Ogburn worked as an urban planner and designer in both the public and private sectors leading interdisciplinary teams of specialized consultants. Most recently, he served for five years as a senior designer for The Planning Center in Rancho Mirage, and then another five years for MSA Consulting, Inc., also in Rancho Mirage, as a senior planner. In January of 2017, he formally retired from the latter and continues to serve as a member of Desert Roundtable.

“As we approach the completion of the multi-year remodel of the Mountain Station in the coming months and the 60^th anniversary of the Tramway in 2023, we look optimistically towards the future,” says Ogburn. “It is an honor to serve as the 2022 chair alongside my fellow board members and the truly extraordinary staff members of the Tramway and our restaurant operations.”

Ogburn succeeds 2021 Chair Bary Freet, a 2015 Riverside County MSJWPA appointee. Other officers elected for 2022 are Vice Chair Brian Conley, Secretary Jeff Ohlfs and Treasurer Sandra Magana-Cuellar.

The current Authority members are: Jerry Ogburn and Nancy Stuart appointed by the Palm Springs City Council; Bary Freet and Brian Nestande appointed by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors; and Brian Conley, Sandra Magana-Cuellar and Jeff Ohlfs appointed by the Governor.

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway will observe holiday hours during the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Weekend January 15-17 with the first tram up each day at 8:00 a.m., the last tram up at 8:00 p.m. and the last tram down at 9:30 p.m. Tram cars depart at least every 30 minutes.

At the Mountain Station, visitors may enjoy viewpoints, dining, a gift shop, a natural history museum, over 50 miles of hiking trails and two documentary-style movies about the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and the Mount San Jacinto State Park.

Tram admission is $28.95 for adults and $16.95 for children ages 3-10 years.

Special discounts and packages are available after 4:00 p.m. Twilight Tickets are $25.95 for adults and seniors, and $13.95 for children ages 3-10. Ride ‘n’ Dine, which includes tram fare and dinner at Pines Café, a cafeteria-style restaurant, is $38.00 for adults and seniors, and $24.50 for children ages 3-10.

Extended Hours and Holiday Dining

The Tramway operates a special holiday schedule from December 25, 2021 through January 2, 2022. The first tram up each day is at 8:00 a.m., the last tram up is at 8:00 p.m. and the last tram down is at 9:30 p.m.

On December 25, 2021 and January 1, 2022, Ride ’n’ Dine tickets—which include Tram admission and dinner at Pines Café (a cafeteria-style restaurant)—are available for purchase beginning at 8:00 a.m. Dinner service begins at 11:00 a.m. and ends at 8:00 p.m. Combination tickets are $38 for adults and seniors, and $24.50 for children (ages 3-10).

Peaks Restaurant serves the regular lunch menu on December 25 and January 1 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and, on January 1, the regular dinner menu from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Reservations are recommended and may be made by either calling 760-325-4537 or via Open Table on the Tram’s website at www.pstramway.com/dining.

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway’s Annual Snow Guessing Contest officially ended on Tuesday, December 14 with one inch of measurable snow at the Tramway’s Mountain Station as of 11:30 a.m.

The first ten contestants who submitted the correct date are:

1. Ben Broyles, CA
2. Janet Shutak of Palm Springs, CA
3. Phillip Merriam of Highland, CA
4. Bruce Palmer of Palm Desert, CA
5. David Butts of Anchorage, AK
6. Matthew Sarmiento/Edward Ramos of Palm Springs, CA
7. Scott Nevison of Palm Springs, CA
8. Curtis Conant of Palm Desert, CA
9. Stewart Arledge of Santee, CA
10. Geri Pederson of Arleta, CA (tie)
11. Aurora Pedroza of Thousand Palms, CA (tie)

The winners will receive four regular Tramway admissions plus a Tramway-embroidered baseball cap. The contest began October 1 and 717 entries were received.

Decades-Long Tradition Returns December 3

On December 3, holiday choir season returns at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Select Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through December 12, a different high school choir performs holiday favorites at the Tramway’s Mountain Station.

For the 2021 holiday season, the Tramway is proud to present the following line-up:

• Friday, December 3 – The Lion’s Pride Chamber Singers (Cathedral City H.S.)
• Sunday, December 5 – Palm Springs High School Madrigals (Tree Lighting Ceremony)
• Friday, December 10 – Jurupa Valley High School Chamber Singers
• Saturday, December 11 – Martin Luther King High School Chamber Singers & Show Choir
• Sunday, December 12 – Encore High School for the Arts Madrigals

Show times are 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., and are complimentary with regular Tram admission. Performances are on the Pines Café Stage with food and beverage service available from either the Pines Café or the Lookout Lounge. Open seating with no reservations taken. (Note: The December 5^th performance is outside on the Desert View Terrace and begins at 5:30 p.m.)

On Sunday, December 5, the Tramway’s Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m. with Santa serving as this year’s official tree lighter. The Tram’s landmark 45-foot tree is comprised of over 4,000 lights and can be seen throughout the Coachella Valley. While there is limited in-person viewing, the ceremony will stream on Facebook Live beginning at 5:30 p.m. https://www.facebook.com/PalmSpringsAerialTramway .