JOSHUA TREE & PALM SPRINGS AERIAL TRAMWAY FIELD TRIP
Rising before dawn was not a favorite for many of us. Still, the excitement to see the world’s largest rotating aerial tramway, the surreal geologic features of Joshua Tree National Park, and the spiky oddity of Joshua trees prevailed.
The trip to the aerial tramway in Palm Springs has been a long-standing plan since the Covid restrictions were lifted. Finally, on May 21, 2023, a group of SUAFERs made it happen! Thanks to Erna and Paul Selzer, who took charge of renting a 15-seater van and Paul volunteering to drive it. Added to the itinerary was a “side trip” to Joshua Tree National Park- thanks to the suggestion of our Vice Prez, Prescy Garrido.
Those from San Diego carpooled, like those from Oceanside, to Mission Viejo, where Erna and Paul live. Full of excitement, the group of eight (Laarni, Frank, Erna, Paul, Prescy M., Efren, Alma & Louella) took off at 7:30 A.M. The two-hour ride seemed brief as the women chatted, bonded, and enjoyed the early morning scenery as the warm sun hugged the rolling mountains carpeted by yellow blooms. Ah, beautiful California!
We decided to first go to the Joshua Tree National Park while it was still cooler. On our way in, we stopped by the Visitor Center to get the map and a general idea of which features to prioritize, as our time was limited. We did not pay the entrance fee, thanks to Frank’s Veteran’s Card! We followed Park Blvd, a 35-mile road that loops through the Park.
Our first stop was the Quail Springs trail and picnic area, where we looked around the amazing rock formations, posed, took photos, and had our potluck picnic lunch (of deviled eggs, crab cake burger with tomatoes, lettuce, and green papaya achara, tuna sandwich, chips, fruit).
Other places we stopped by were Hidden Valley, Elephant Rock, and our favorite, Skull Rock. We attempted to see Heart Rock and Arch Rock, but they were about 45-minute walk from the road, and we did not have the time or energy to do so. We reserve them for our next visit.
The landscape and rock formations sculpted by strong winds and occasional torrents of rain were simply spectacular. Bonus sights were the desert blooms peppered throughout the Park.
So what are Joshua trees, and why are they given that name? Joshua tree, or Yucca brevifolia is a member of the Agave Family and is only found in the Mojave Desert (Joshua Tree National Park is where the two deserts, Mojave and Colorado, meet). The tree has twisted branches that sometimes look eerie and spiky leaves that the native people wove into baskets.
Legend has it that the pioneer Mormon immigrants who came to the area in the mid-19th century named these trees “Joshua” because the branches look like limbs outstretched to the Heavens “in supplication.” Others say the name is from the sharp leaves resembling the biblical Joshua’s army.
As we left the Joshua Tree National Park, it started to rain(!) This was so welcomed as the heat was beginning to intensify. However, we were worried that it might be too hazy at the Tramway and we would not see anything. But when we arrived there, the rain had stopped, and the sun was out again (thanks, Alma, for your prayers). The wait was not long at all, and with our snacks in hand, we went off and boarded the Tram.
The 10-minute ride up, in the two-and-a-half mile cable over the cliffs of Chino Canyon, was quite exhilarating, and the scenery was breathtaking! Since the Tram rotated, we could see the view below and above us. We noticed snow patches in some parts of the mountain, but the engineering involved was what really amazed us. Jacinto Mountain is steep and high (8,516 m), yet we could ascend there in 10 minutes flat, “soaring through four temperature zones, like traveling from Africa to Alaska.”
There are two restaurants at the upper landing, an observation deck, and telescopes where you can look far into the desert and see the Salton Sea. After finding a table at the restaurant, we all shared Erna’s delicious snack – the Nothing Bundt Cup Cakes from L.A. and paired it with freshly brewed coffee. The spectacular view, the quiet peace, and the cool air were invigorating.
We headed back to Mission Viejo at about 5:30 p.m. – all feeling content that the trip was what we expected it to be and more.
~ By Louella Dolar
