Tram News

PALM SPRINGS, CA (November 5, 2019) On November 29, a decades-long tradition resumes when holiday choir season begins at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through December 13, a different high school choir performs holiday favorites at the Tramway’s Mountain Station.

For the 2019 holiday season, the Tramway is proud to present the following line-up:

• Friday, November 29 – Rancho Mirage High School Choir
• Saturday December 30 – Indio High School Choir
• Sunday, December 1 – Palm Springs High School Madrigals & String Quartet
• Friday, December 6 – The Lions’ Pride Chamber Singers (Cathedral City H.S.)
• Saturday, December 7 – Martin Luther King High School Chamber Singers & Show Choir
• Sunday, December 8 – Encore High School for the Arts Madrigals
• Friday, December 13 – Jurupa Valley High School

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 1^st  is outside on the Desert View Terrace as part of the tree lighting ceremony.) Open seating (no reservations taken).

Special Appearance by Santa Adds to Festivities

PALM SPRINGS, CA (November 3, 2019) Peabody and Emmy Award-winning journalist, Hank Plante, will serve as the 2019 celebrity tree lighter for the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway’s Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. Festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 1 at the Tram’s Mountain Station kicking-off with a holiday performance by the Palm Springs High School Madrigals & String Quartet along with a special appearance by Santa. Then Plante will  light the Tram’s landmark 45-foot tree comprised of over 4,000 LED lights, which can seen throughout the Coachella Valley.

Plante is the recipient of six Emmys and has covered California for three decades on TV stations in San Francisco and Los Angeles. He is the winner of the George Foster Peabody Award and was named “Reporter of the Year” by the Associated Press. He is now a resident of Palm Springs and serves on the Desert Sun Editorial Board, as well as providing commentary for NBC Palm Springs.

As one of the first openly-gay TV reporters in the United States, Plante has been honored by numerous LGBT rights organizations. In addition, he was featured in the documentary “5B” which was selected for the 2019 Cannes Film Festival and chronicles the first AIDS ward opened in the nation, which he covered as a reporter.

“For me the holidays are a time when we rise above our differences (which can be glaring if you work in the news business like I do), and we’re lifted up to who we really are: brothers and sisters getting through life together,” according to Plante. “Driving around the Valley, looking up at the holiday lights coming from the top of the Tram, I’m instantly reminded of that all through the Season. “

PALM SPRINGS, CA (October 28, 2019) The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway will operate a special schedule during the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend, Thursday, November 28 through Sunday, December 1. 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.

On Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 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 8:00 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, beef a la mode 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://www.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 26, 2019) The winner of today’s 34^th Annual Palm Springs Aerial Tram Road Challenge was CJ Hitz of Colorado Springs, CO, who ran the “World’s Toughest 6K” in 30 minutes, 49 seconds. The first female to cross the finish line was Lynda Weyman of Calgary, Canada in 40 minutes, 50 seconds.  Sela-Mia Howard of Bedford, MA, finished first in the youngest category (6 and under) and Bill Bell, age 96, finished first in the oldest category (90-120).

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.

1,201 runners and walkers participated in this year’s Tram Road Challenge.