Get out mittens out and your wool hat. It’s time for a holiday tram adventure. While the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway draws visitors in all seasons, winter is a great time to plan a trip up the mountain. Bring your saucers, because you’re sure to find snow at some point from December through March. Make an angel or engage friends in a snowball fight. Whisk your way to the white stuff in 15 minutes or less as tram cars take you from the warm desert floor through rugged Chino Canyon to the refreshing winter climes of a pine-studded forest. Begin your ride at the Valley Station (elevation 2,643 feet) and end at the Mountain Station (elevation 8,516 feet).
Explore 54 miles of cool wilderness within the 14,000-acre Mount San Jacinto State Park. Strap on snowshoes or cross-country skis and head into the stillness of the winter forest at the top. Bring your own equipment or rent it at the Adventure Center, located a short distance from the bottom of the cement path.
This season, promise yourself to take at least one trip to the top. December activities include the tram’s annual tree-lighting ceremony on Dec. 2. Choirs perform Dec. 7-9 and Dec. 14-16. On Dec. 15, bring your family (or just yourself) for a visit with Santa. And, above all, remember to enjoy the thrill of the ride itself. 888-515-8726, 760-325-1391; www.pstramway.com
