ArcaMax

You want me to go where on what? That was my first reaction to seeing Mount San Jacinto in Palm Springs, California, and the tramway I was supposed to ride to its top. It was a somewhat precarious option for someone not all that happy about heights.

However, once safely enclosed in the tram, which slowly ascended to the apex, I was able to fully appreciate the surroundings, knowing there was an even more spectacular view awaiting me at the summit. The attraction also offers a number of other amenities not usually associated with mountaintops.

The tram car -- the world's largest rotating version -- ascends 2.5 miles along the cliffs of Chino Canyon to a height of more than 8,500 feet, offering 360-degree panoramic views of the desert below and the rugged mountain landscape. Did I mention that it rotates? OK, another minor mind-adjustment. I focused on the mesmerizing scene unfolding before me -- and above me and below me. I overheard several people saying, "OK, that's high enough." Lots of oohs and aahs accompanied the commentary, which admittedly was hard to hear over the excited murmurs of the crushed humanity around me.

Even the ride up to the tram is imposing as the desert mountains close in around you. The popping in my ears alerted me to the increase in attitude -- a whole lot of increase -- and I hadn't even boarded the tram yet.

I couldn't help but wonder where I was going and what I would find once I got there. It was that unusual an experience. A restaurant -- even two -- was to be expected. Gift shop -- no question; 360-degree views, of course. But a couple of theaters and a natural history museum -- not so much. Nor 50 miles of hiking trails from easy to moderate to strenuous, appealing as much to the casual stroller as the seasoned trekker. You could live up there. But do keep in mind that the temperatures can be as much as 30 degrees cooler than the city below, so plan accordingly.

Stunning views, of course, were everywhere -- and looking down provides a very different perspective -- literally -- from looking up. The high-elevation patchwork of meadows, granite peaks and conifer forest was hard to turn away from. You don't often get a chance to look down upon the famed San Andreas fault -- which Californians are always expecting to erupt into a dreaded earthquake. The sign at the viewing area warns that the fault is moving at almost 2 inches a year, suggesting that in a million years, Los Angeles and San Francisco will be neighbors. I retreated to the restaurant just in case their calculations were wrong, and once there, I was rewarded by a number of big-horn sheep straddling the mountainside right outside the window beside our table.

The movie in one theater describes how to negotiate the mountain to best interact with the habitat, animal life and rangers in the San Jacinto wilderness. Some 200 species of wildlife, including coyotes, mountain lions, deer and bobcats roam the park. The other film tells the inspiring story of the creation of this monumental architectural "building of a dream" 37 years ago.

And then there's the nature museum that features all the plants and animals in the park, which is the largest wilderness area in southern California. I would like to have taken them all home, but the ranger did not take kindly to that idea. I left empty-handed for my return trip to the bottom, which, once again, took my breath away in all the best possible ways.

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WHEN YOU GO

For more information: visitgreaterpalmsprings.com/things-to-do/attractions-and-activities/palm-springs-aerial-tramway

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Fyllis Hockman is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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