Events

Extended Hours and Special Holiday Dining

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway will operate a special holiday schedule during the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend, Thursday, November 24 through Sunday, November 27. 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 9:30 p.m.

On Thanksgiving Day, November 24, Ride ‘n’ Dine tickets—which include Tram admission and dinner at Pines Café (a cafeteria-style restaurant)—will be available for purchase from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Dinner service begins at 11:00 a.m. Combination tickets are $38 for adults and seniors, and $24.50 for children (ages 3-10). The holiday menu includes a choice of oven-roasted turkey, beef burgundy or vegetarian lasagna; a selection of side dishes; and pumpkin pie for dessert. Dinner roll along with a 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 spectacular Coachella Valley views.

The winner of today’s 35^th Annual Palm Springs Aerial Tram Road Challenge was Steven Bingham of Cathedral City, who ran the “World’s Toughest 6K” in 33 minutes, 11 seconds. The first female to cross the finish line was Kate Tennant of Edmonton, Canada in 39 minutes, 45 seconds. Richard Olivares finished first in the youngest category (19 and under) and Patrick Bivona of Los Alamitos finished first in the oldest category (80-99).

This year’s Male and Female 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.

849 runners and walkers entered in this year’s Tram Road Challenge.

Scenic 6K Run/Walk Set for October 22

The 35th annual Palm Springs Aerial Tram Road Challenge will be held on Saturday, October 22, 2022, with a start time of 7:00 a.m. (walkers start at 6:30 a.m.). This 6K run/walk begins at the bottom of Tram Way and ends at the Tram’s Valley Station, an elevation increase of over 1,900 feet in just 3.7 miles.

Special finishers’ medals will be presented to all participants along with a 2022 Tram Road Challenge tee shirt. Participants will also receive a post-race breakfast snack. 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place awards will be given in each age category for both male, female, and non-binary finishers during an awards ceremony near the finish line immediately following the race.

The Tramway’s road will be closed until (approximately) 11:00 a.m. on race day. 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).

Shutdown Concludes with Refurbishment and Comprehensive Testing

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway will reopen on Monday, October 10, 2022 after its annual maintenance closure. The first tram up will be at 10:00 a.m., the last tram up will be at 8:00 p.m. and the last tram down will be at 9:30 p.m. Tram cars depart at least every 30 minutes.

Completed projects this year include the replacement of tower sheaves, replacement of the dome windows in both tramcars, and comprehensive mechanical and electrical testing of Tramway systems.  

“Each year’s maintenance closure allows our team the opportunity to perform both mechanical and aesthetic improvements to our tramcars and to our Valley and Mountain Stations,” says General Manager Nancy Nichols. “We look forward to welcoming a new season of Coachella Valley residents and visitors to the Tramway and Mt. San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness.”

Fall is finally here, and snow will soon be falling on Mount San Jacinto. That means the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway’s Annual Snow Guessing Contest is here! This event runs from October 1 until the first measurable inch of snow falls at the Tramway’s Mountain Station, elevation 8,516 feet.

The first ten entries received with the correct date of snowfall will win four Tram admissions plus a special Tram gift memento. In the event there are more than ten correct entries, the earliest postmarks will prevail.
To submit an entry, simply write down your best-guess date on a postcard and mail it to: Snow Guessing Contest, 1 Tram Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262. Participants may enter as many times as they would like, but only one date per postcard. For more information and contest rules, please visit www.pstramway.com/tram-news.

It won’t be long before snowflakes are falling on Mount San Jacinto, and that means a snow day will soon be a short 10-minute tramcar ride away from the desert floor. There’s never been a year when someone didn’t win the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway’s Annual Snow Guessing Contest.

September 11 Last Day to Ride Until October 10

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway will close for annual maintenance beginning Monday, September 12, 2022 with a tentative reopening date of Monday, October 10 at 10:00 a.m.

“During this year’s shutdown, we will be replacing track sheaves and refurbishing both cabins, including the replacement of the dome windows,” says Vice President of Tramway Systems Chris Bartsch. “This will also give our Switzerland-based technicians the opportunity to perform State-permit testing, along with control systems’ annual service and upgrades.”

Adds Tramway General Manager Nancy Nichols, “Our annual maintenance helps ensure the safety and enjoyment of our guests throughout the year. We encourage everyone to visit during the days leading up to our closure and appreciate their patience and understanding as we work towards improving the Tramway.”