Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Turns 50, Plans Upgrades

The California desert city of Palm Springs is known for many things: glamorous hotels, White Party and Dinah Shore Weekend, and mid-century modern architecture. But the city's half-century old aerial tramway is also a beloved feature of this vacation spot.

Officials celebrated the milestone on Thursday with a ribbon-cutting, luncheon, and announcement about a new handicapped-accessible route trail leading down the Long Valley. The $1.6 million project will allow elderly and disabled people to traverse the mountain. Upgrades are coming to the tramway's two stations, as well.

Decades in the making, the tramway opened in 1963, with the California governor Edmund Brown in attendance. In about 12 minutes, the tramway brings visitors 2.5 miles from the floor of the Coachella Valley to the top of San Jacinto peak. At the top of the peak are nature trails, restaurants, and gift shops. Click here for more information on the tramway, and check out a report on it below.