Palm Springs has a tram that climbs from desert heat to pine air

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway has a very simple beginning: someone was hot and looked up at the cool mountain. In 1935, engineer Francis Crocker imagined a way to reach the high country above the desert floor.

Turning that idea into a real tram took years of planning, politics, money, and hard construction. Crews used helicopters for thousands of trips to help build towers in steep Chino Canyon. The first ride happened in 1963.

The ride is still a good California contrast. In about 2.5 miles, it climbs from the desert at Valley Station to the Mountain Station at more than 8,500 feet. Since 2000, passengers have ridden in rotating tramcars, so the view slowly changes as the car rises.

The tram feels more like a place-changing machine than a simple attraction. In one short trip, you move from palms and heat toward cooler forest air, trailheads, snow in some seasons, and wide Coachella Valley views.