Category: photography

Palm Springs: The Tramway

Want to take a virtual ride on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway?

There was snow at the top. Look at all of it!

The San Andreas Fault runs across the bottom of those hills on the opposite side of the valley.

That’s Palm Springs down there.

On a clear day, you can see the mountains just outside of Las Vegas. Is that them way over there? I have no idea. Let’s pretend that it’s true!

There’s supposed to be lots of these guys around, but very well-behaved fellow in the lobby was the only one that we saw.

The tram takes you to Mountain Station on Mt. San Jacinto. Lots of people were on the little paved trail. They were having a great time going down, but a hell of a time coming back up. The air is thin at 8,500 feet.

This is the sight that greets you as you head down. Somehow the downhill journey is more troubling than the uphill ride.

Palm Springs: Let’s Try This Again

For realz!

This is the Palm Springs Tourist Office. But it used to be a gas station. I mean, look at it. It’s a hell of a thing.

“Hyperbolic paraboloid” seems an appropriately grand description.

This is the view from the parking lot. How beautiful is that? Look at the colors!

Yeah, we’ll be going up to the top of one of those peaks on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, which I remembered being insanely steep and close to some craggy cliff faces. I remembered correctly.

The crazy-beautiful Mission Inn…

On our way to a quick getaway to Palm Springs, we stopped in Riverside to have a look at the glorious Mission Inn.

Some of the Christmas decorations were still up.

The William Howard Taft chair, because he was a large guy and needed a tad more room.

Stained glass windows abound throughout the hotel.

The beautiful courtyard (taken up by an insanely overpriced Mexican restaurant).

It has loads of flying buttresses!

The “Anton clock.” It rotates through a series of five figures: a California Indian and grizzly (shown), St. Francis of Assisi, explorer Juan Batista de Anza, and Father Junipero Serra. No, we did not see it in action. It stayed on the Indian and grizzly the whole time we were there.

The outside of the St. Francis of Assisi chapel. I was hoping it would be open when we were there, but it was not. I played a wedding there once, and it was quite a sight, with its Tiffany stained glass, immense, 18th century gold-leafed altar, and enormous wood beams.

A portion of the Flyers Wall, which commemorates the visits of famous aviators.

The creche was still up.

Lots of lovely plaster-work throughout.

It’s a really spectacular place, with endless nooks and crannies full of surprising , quirky, and delightful details.

Highly recommended if you’re in the area.