Palm Springs

On one of our outings we went to Palm Springs which is only 1 hour travel from Loma Linda. We didn't really have a plan about what to do we just figured we would take it as it came. After arriving at the beautiful Visitors Center we decided to visit the Indian Canyons and take a ride on the Aerial Tram to the top of Mt. San Jacinto. It turned out to be a full day doing just these 2 things.

The Indian Canyons are South of Palm Springs on the Agua Caliente Indian Reservations where four canyons are located. The four canyons are Palm Canyon, Andreas Canyon, Murray Canyon and Tahquitz Canyon. The Agua Caliente Cahuilla Indians settled in the Palm Springs area centuries ago. They developed complex communities in the canyons. With an abundant water supply, the plants, animals and Indians thrived. Today, remains of Cahuilla society like rock art, house pits, foundations, irrigation ditches, dams, reservoirs, trails and food preparation areas still exist in the canyons.

While we were at the visitor center Indian exhibit we were talking about hiring a Ranger guide but the lady at the booth said we could hike the same trail for nothing and read the information in the pamphlet. Also she mentioned that this time of year there may not be water in some of the areas mentioned but a good stream of water is still flowing in one of the canyons. So feeling adventuresome, we decided to go it on our own. She also informed us that we could buy entrance tickets from her for $5 instead of $8 a piece at the main gate so it was a double win.

We first went to Palm Canyon with water still flowing. It's 15 miles long and is said to be one of the most beautiful areas in Western North America. It had an abundance of flora and fauna which is a stark contrast to the rocky gorges and barren desert lands surrounding it. We hiked a 2 mile graded foot path that wound down into the canyon to find a nice winding stream and enjoyed the beautiful palms and flowers along the way. We took water with us due to the 85 degree temperature and finished it by the time we returned. We saw some people drinking out of the stream that came down from the mountains and knew they would have trouble later in the night due to what was probably in the stream. (YUK!) It was gorgeous and we thoroughly enjoyed the hike. I was surprised that I did so well negotiating the winding trail and climbing over big rocks and was glad that we went the whole way.

Then we hopped in the car and drove a few miles to Andreas Canyon. It also had magnificent fan palms and more than 150 species of plants within a half-mile radius also surrounded by rocky gorges and barren desert. It is such a stark contrast. We first had to climb down about 100 yards worth of steps cut into the rock wall to get to the canyon. We then hiked only about a mile through this beautiful canyon that God made in the middle of nowhere. The foot trail led us through various palm trees and plants we hadn't seen before and I wanted to take pictures of everything. Around every corner was another majestic site waiting to be viewed. It was breathtaking and we recommend that all come and see for themselves.

We (I) were tired after the hikes and opted for some riding to round out the day. We headed for the Aerial Tram at the entrance to Palm Springs. The tram starts at the valley station located at 2,643 feet and takes you to the mountain station at 8,516 feet on the San Jacinto Mountain. You travel approximately 12,800 feet with a vertical ascent of 5,863 feet taking about 15 minutes travel time. The tram holds 80 passengers who are in cars that rotate during the ascent and descent.

TECHNICAL INFO for those who like this kind of stuff: Five towers support four 1-7/8" steel cables as well as four hauling cables, two auxiliary cables and a communications cable. The first tower is the tallest at 214' high; Tower Number Four is the shortest at 56 1/2' high. The weight of steel in the five towers totals 263 tons; the weight of the 11 cables totals 330 tons. The maximum span between towers is 3,455' between Towers 3 and 4.

I have to say that it was a totally breath taking ride. I don't really enjoy enclosed spaces or being trapped in some way but they had 4 windows on the top of the gondola and there were not many people in our group so I did OK. Looking out over the valley as we ascended certainly helped take my mind off the tight quarters. We not only saw Palm Springs but also hundreds of working windmills. In fact we passed hundreds on our way to Palm Springs. We enjoyed lunch at the mountain station and spent an hour or so just looking at God's creation and the magnificence of it all.

Isn't this gorgeous. The one on the left is of the Palm Springs area and the one on the right shows Steve (in the blue) standing behind the station on top of a stump. The mountain goes higher and we saw many people with packs that were going into the woods for a day or more. They were dressed very warmly. The temperature from the bottom to the top of the mountain can vary by 30 degrees or more. On the day we went it was pretty nice and our light jackets were sufficient if we didn't stay out too long.

There are many more things to see and do in Palm Springs and the surrounding area which we hope to visit in the future.