PALM SPRINGS, CA (January 9, 2018) The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway’s Annual Snow Guessing Contest officially ended on Tuesday, January 9 with one inch of measurable snow at the Tramway’s Mountain Station as of 6:35 a.m.

The first ten contestants who submitted the correct date are:

1. B.K. Palmer of Palm Desert
2. Brenda Siddon of Desert Hot Springs
3. Mr. & Mrs. A. Shutak of Palm Springs
4. Harold Clumeck of Palm Springs
5. M.L. Bratton of Indio
6. Jeff Givo of Irvine
7. Linda Dinko of Cathedral City
8. Vanessa Ng of Irvine
9. Diane Lakata of Palm Desert
10. Tim McQuaide of Culver City

The winners will receive four Tramway admissions plus a Tramway snow globe. The contest began October 1 and 845 entries were received.

PALM SPRINGS, CA (January 5, 2018) The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway will observe holiday hours during the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Weekend January 13-15 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 9:45 p.m. Tram cars depart at least every 30 minutes.

At the Mountain Station, visitors may enjoy viewpoints, 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.

Dining options include:

• Peaks Restaurant offers a waiter-service dining experience. Reservations are recommended by calling 760-325-4537 or by booking via Open Table on the Tram’s website.
• Pines Café offers a more casual, cafeteria-style dining alternative.
• Lookout Lounge offers a variety of alcoholic beverages and appetizers.

Tram admission is $25.95 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 $22.95 for adults and seniors, and $13.95 for children ages 3-10. Ride ‘n’ Dine tickets are $36 for adults and seniors, and $23.50 for children ages 3-10. This combination ticket includes Tram admission and dinner at Pines Café.

Special Tram Hours and Dining Throughout Holiday Season

PALM SPRINGS, CA (December 5, 2017) Santa visits the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway on Saturday, December 16 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Free candy canes and photo opportunities for the kids bring another dose of Yuletide merriment to all who visit the Tramway’s Mountain Station.

The Tramway operates a special schedule from December 18, 2017 through January 1, 2018. 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 9:45 p.m.

On December 25, 2017 and January 1, 2018, Ride ’n’ Dine tickets—which include Tram admission and dinner at Pines Café (a cafeteria-style restaurant)—is available for purchase beginning at 8:00 a.m. (rather than the usual 4:00 p.m.) Dinner service begins at 11:00 a.m. and ends at 8:30 p.m. Combination tickets are $36 for adults and seniors, and $23.50 for children (ages 3-10).

Peaks Restaurant serves their regular lunch and dinner menus along with a special prix fixe holiday menu beginning at 11:00 a.m. on December 25, 2017 and January 1, 2018. Reservations are recommended and may be made by either calling 760-325-4537 or via Open Table on the Tram’s website (www.pstramway.com/dining).

Finally, the remaining performances of the Tram’s “Sounds of the Holidays” musical series are as follows:

• Friday, December 8 – Desert Ridge Academy Concert Choir
• Saturday, December 9 – Martin Luther King High School Chamber Singers & Show Choir
• Sunday, December 10 – Encore High School for the Arts Madrigals
• Friday, December 15 – The Lions’ Pride Chamber Singers (Cathedral City H.S.)

Choirs perform on the Pines Café Stage at 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Trail Closed Since 2013 Mountain Fire

PALM SPRINGS, CA (November 19, 2017) California State Parks and the United States Forest Service announced last week that the Willow Creek Trail located within the San Bernardino National Forest and Mount San Jacinto State Park has reopened. This trail was closed due to damage caused by the Mountain Fire in July 2013 and is a popular “through hike” between the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway and the town of Idyllwild.

According to Palm Springs Aerial Tramway General Manager Nancy Nichols, “Our patrons have anxiously awaited the reopening of this route. On behalf of the Tram’s governing board of directors, I would like to thank the staff and volunteers of the State Park and Forest Service for their hard work in completing the trail repairs.”

Mt. San Jacinto State Park offers over 50 miles of hiking trails within a 14,000 acre pristine wilderness, one of the last in California. All trails can be accessed by exiting the Tramway’s Mountain Station and descending a concrete pathway to Long Valley. There you will find picnic tables, the ranger station, restrooms and directional signage for the trail system.

For more trail and hiking information, please visit https://pstramway.com/hiking/  or www.parks.ca.gov.

Decades-Long Tradition Kicks-Off December 1

PALM SPRINGS, CA (November 11, 2017) On December 1^st, a decades-long tradition resumes when holiday choir season commences at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through December 15^th, a different middle or high school choir performs holiday favorites at the Tram’s Mountain Station.

For the 2017 holiday season, the Tramway is proud to present the following line-up:

• Friday, December 1 – Jurupa Valley High School Chamber Singers
• Saturday December 2 – Rubidoux High School Chamber Choir
• Sunday, December 3 – Palm Springs High School Madrigals & String Quartet
• Friday, December 8 – Desert Ridge Academy Concert Choir
• Saturday, December 9 – Martin Luther King High School Chamber Singers & Show Choir
• Sunday, December 10 – Encore High School for the Arts Madrigals
• Friday, December 15 – The Lions’ Pride Chamber Singers (Cathedral City H.S.)

Brian Holm, Choral Director of Martin Luther King High School, recalls, “Our choir has performed at the Tram for at least a decade. But back in the ‘70s, I performed there as part of my own high school choir, so I have quite a history with the Tram.” He adds, “We love sharing our music with Tram audiences, especially in such an amazing setting.”

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. (Note: The 5:00 p.m. performance on December 3^rd is outside on the Desert View Terrace as part of the tree lighting ceremony.) Open seating (no reservations taken).

PALM SPRINGS, CA (November 5, 2017) Award-winning actor, writer, singer, spokesperson and photographer, Shari Belafonte, serves as this year’s celebrity tree lighter for the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway’s Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. Festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 3 at the Tram’s Mountain Station kicking off with a holiday performance by the Palm Springs High School Madrigals and String Quartet. Then Belafonte lights the Tram’s landmark 45-foot tree comprised of 4,000 LED lights, which can be seen throughout the Coachella Valley.

Belafonte’s first acting credit of note was co-starring with Marc Singer in the movie If You Could See What I Hear, about blind musician, Tom Sullivan.  She then went on to co-star in the popular Aaron Spelling series, Hotel. That led to numerous guest-starring roles in television sit-coms, dramas and feature films, along with several commercial assignments, including Calvin Klein, Lawrys, Slim-Fast, MasterCard and Diet Coke.

Among her hundreds of magazine covers—five times on Vogue alone—she was the first woman of color to appear on the covers of Self Magazine, Los Angeles Magazine and numerous foreign magazines.

 Shari is actively involved with The Lili Claire Foundation for children and their families who suffer with neuro-genetic birth conditions such as William Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Fragile X and Autism, and still does special events for The American Cancer Society (her famous father had been diagnosed with prostate cancer a few years back.) She is also an avid wildlife and no-kill animal advocate.

Along with her husband, actor and director Sam Behrens, Shari lives near Simi Valley on a 6-acre hillside ranch.

PALM SPRINGS, CA (November 3, 2017) The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway will operate a special schedule during the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend, Thursday, November 23 through Sunday, November 26. The first tram up each day will be at 8:00 a.m., the last tram up will be at 8:00 p.m. and the last tram down will be at 9:45 p.m.

In addition, on Thanksgiving Day, November 23, Ride ’n’ Dine tickets—which include Tram admission and dinner at Pines Café (a cafeteria-style restaurant)—will be available for purchase beginning at 8:00 a.m. (rather than the usual 4:00 p.m.) Dinner service begins at 11:00 a.m. and ends at 8:30 p.m. Combination tickets are $36 for adults and seniors, and $23.50 children (ages 3-10). The holiday menu includes a mixed greens salad; a choice of oven-roasted turkey, slow-roasted prime rib or vegetarian lasagna; a selection of side dishes; and old-fashioned carrot cake or pumpkin pie. Dinner roll along with a small fountain beverage, coffee or tea are included.

Peaks Restaurant will begin serving their regular menu along with traditional holiday favorites at 11:00 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Reservations are recommended and may be made by calling 760-325-4537 or by visiting https://pstramway.com/dining/ .

This Thanksgiving, take a ride on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, stroll the majestic forests of Mt. San Jacinto State Park, and then dine while enjoying the most spectacular views in the entire Coachella Valley.

PALM SPRINGS, CA (October 28, 2017) The winner of today’s 32^nd Annual Palm Springs Aerial Tram Road Challenge was JJ Santana who ran the “World’s Toughest 6K” in 29 minutes, 24 seconds. The first female to cross the finish line was Marina Orrson in 34 minutes, 09 seconds.  Austin Redwine, age 6, finished first in the youngest category (6 and under) and Anthony Silva, age 85, finished first in the oldest category (85-89).

This year’s Female and Male Challenge Division Winners are:

The first Tram Road Challenge was held in 1983, and was won by Rob Slick in 27 minutes, 35 seconds and Nancy Baird in 35 minutes, 25 seconds. The fastest men’s time was set by Rubin Garcia of Mexico—26 minutes, 5 seconds—in 1987. Lubov Kremleva of Russia set the fastest women’s time—28 minutes, 56 seconds in 1998.

Over 1,200 runners and walkers participated in this year’s Tram Road Challenge, which, again, benefitted United Way of the Desert.

32^nd Annual Event Supports United Way of the Desert

PALM SPRINGS, CA (October 14, 2017) The 32^nd annual Palm Springs Aerial Tram Road Challenge will be held on Saturday, October 28, 2017 with a start time of 7:00 a.m. This 6K run/walk begins at the bottom of Tram Way and ends at the Tram’s Valley Station, an elevation gain of 2,643 feet in just 3.7 miles.

Special finishers’ medals will be presented to all participants along with a Cool Tech race shirt. Awards will be given three deep in each age category for both male and female finishers during a breakfast ceremony near the finish line immediately following the race. Cash awards ($100/$50/$25) will also be given for best costume—first, second and third place.

Proceeds from this event benefit United Way of the Desert.

The first Tram Road Challenge was held in 1983 and was won by Rob Slick in 27 minutes, 35 seconds and Nancy Baird in 35 minutes, 25 seconds. The fastest men’s time was set by Rubin Garcia of Mexico – 26 minutes, 5 seconds – in 1987. Lubov Kremleva of Russia set the fastest women’s time – 28 minutes, 56 seconds in 1998.

The Tramway’s road will be closed until (approximately) 9:30 a.m. on race day with the first tram scheduled for 10:00 a.m. This year, spectator shuttles will run from 5:30-6:00 a.m. from the Palm Springs Visitors Center (all spectators and participants will be directed to nearby parking lots.)

For more information or to register for the race, please call (760) 832-0497 or visit www.kleinclarksports.com.

PALM SPRINGS, CA (October 12, 2017) October 14 kicks off the fall series of the Mt. San Jacinto Natural History Association (NHA) in partnership with the Mt. San Jacinto State Park & Wilderness.

According to NHA President Joe Migliore, “Our first series last summer was so successful, it reinforced our belief that people really do want these types of nature experiences.”

The fall series features five unique and informative programs:

• Saturday, October 14 – “The Hubbub About Hubble,” presented by Allison Barnes, State Park Interpreter.
• Saturday, October 21 – “The Geologic Story of the San Jacinto Mountains,” presented by Allison Barnes, State Park Interpreter.
• Sunday, October 29 – “Birds of Another Feather,” with Kurt Leuschner, Ornithologist and Professor of Natural Resources at College of the Desert.
• Saturday, November 4 – “The Ten Essentials for Winter,” with Carl Maple, Senior Wilderness Patroller and members of the Hasty Search & Rescue Team.
• Saturday, November 18 – “Round Valley Discovery,” with Allison Barnes, State Park Interpreter and Carl Maple, Senior Wilderness Patroller.

There is no charge for any of these programs, except for regular Tramway admission.

For more information about the NHA fall programs or to register, please visit www.msjnha.org/events.