The Tram to Sandia Peak: It's For the View!
Jan 01 '03 (Updated Jan 03 '03)
The Bottom Line The Sandia Peak Tramway defies gravity to provide passengers with access to some of the most spectacular views that only the Southwest can offer.
It may surprise many to learn that the world's longest aerial tramway is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. From its base on the desert floor at the foot of Sandia Peak to the mountain's 10,378-ft summit, the tram travels a 2.7-mi round trip above some of New Mexico's most magnificent terrain. Inside the large tram cars that appear to glide effortlessly up and down their slender cables, passengers enjoy a succession of extraordinary views encompassing roughly 11,000 square miles of mountains, deserts, and mesas--including vast expanses of the Cibola National Forest, the Rio Grande Valley, remnants of extinct and dormant volcanoes along the western horizon, and a series of spectacular canyons on the west face of the Sandias.
Once on the summit, visitors may choose from a number of activities, including hiking, biking, skiing in winter, a tour of the Four Seasons Visitor Center operated by the Forest Service, or dining at the High Finance Restaurant and Tavern. Gift shops and snack bars are located at tram facilities at both the base station and on the Peak. Chairlifts and surface lifts on the eastern face of the Peak offer scenic tours the year around and access to 25 miles of slopes during the ski season.
Tickets for the tram are purchased at the base station and are generally for a specified departure time. Once on the summit, visitors are free to explore the Peak's attractions at will, returning down the mountain on the first available tram car. The tram's Peak complex includes a series of buildings housing the restaurant, gift shop and nature center, all linked by railed platforms and walkways that take full advantage of the panoramic views.
Himself and I sampled the hiking trails and found them well kept, wide, and easy to follow--inviting even for aging lowlanders like ourselves. Nature offered not only wonderful views of both sides of this marvelous mountain range, but plenty of resting places for catching one's breath--no small requirement at an elevation of over 10,000 feet. At one off-path location, we sat and gazed in awe at a succession of ridges and outcrops extending west and south below us. We found it impossible to resist the lure of inching toward a glimpse over the edge of the world. And literally at our feet, we found the fossilized impressions of seashells. The same earth that now occupies this august position atop a geologically young mountain range was once part of a vast seabed.
Retuning from the trails, Himself and I ventured into the High Finance for refreshment of a more ordinary kind--nachos and beer at the top of the world. Evening diners can reserve their tables and take discounted fares on the tram to the Peak. Thus, dinner above the madding crowds of Albuquerque can include a special vantage point for one of those magnificent Southwestern sunsets or of the ever-expanding river of lights extending along both banks the Rio Grande.
A ride on the tram is, literally above all, a photographer's dream. Armed with my trusty digital, I took more than a 150 "keepers" within a space of about 4 hours. While on the tram car itself, the key challenges faced by photographers are (1) making sure they position themselves next to one of the car's large windows and (2) doing their best to compensate for the sun's glare through those windows. Once on the summit, the chief hazard involves curbing the photographer's mad urge to rush to the sharp edge of a long drop in order to capture a magnificent panorama. All these hazards can be managed to the safety and satisfaction of most photographers--even for less-than-sure footed grandmas.
Fees for the tram are as follows:
Adults - $15
Seniors (62 and up) - $12
Children (5-12) - $10 (under 5, free)
For more information about the Sandia Peak Tramway, write to 10 Tramway Loop N.E., Albuquerque, NM 87122. Call 505-856-7325, or check out the tram's web site at http://www.sandiapeak.com.
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