Sandia Peak Tramway
MARCH 28, 2019: We had been in Albuquerque for about 4 months when my (Betsy) parents came to visit, so we had a few things we had thought they might enjoy doing while in the area. We always like things that give us a “big picture” view of things - whether that is a bus tour or an aerial view. We have found that these things give you a better perspective of the lay of the land when visiting a new area. So we did just that and headed to the top of the largest mountain in Albuquerque, Sandia Crest. With its’ peak at a striking 10,678 feet, Sandia Crest sits on the eastern edge of the Albuquerque Basin and provides a stunning backdrop for the city. There are two easy ways to reach the top of the Sandias. The Sandia Peak Tramway ascends from the west side to a point on the crestline about 1.5 miles south of Sandia Crest, at the top of the Sandia Peak Ski Area, which is located on the east side of the mountains. A road from the east provides access to the bottom of the ski area and also to the Sandia Crest itself, where there is a gift shop, restaurant, scenic overlook, and a large electronic communication site with numerous towers and antennas. Back in January, we did a short hike in the Sandia foothills and then in February, we took a snowy trip to the top via the road, but today’s chosen path was the Sandia Peak Tramway, something we wanted to make sure to do before leaving Albuquerque.
We started the morning with a small side trip to the musical highway which was just about 5 miles from the Albuquerque Central KOA where we were staying. With the one in New Mexico being one of only 2 of these “musical highways” in the United States, we felt my parents needed to experience it. It is super unique and cool when you think about all that had to take place to make it work when traveling at exactly 45 mph. Click on the image below to play the video.
After enjoying the roadway’s rendition of America the Beautiful, we looped around to head back to the Sandia Peak Tramway. Signage was plentiful and before we knew it we were pulling into parking lot for the Tramway. We entered the visitor center at the base, where tickets were purchased by my Dad as well as a jacket for his forgetful daughter who would have been quite chilly at the top. Thanks Dad for not wanting to listen to me complain and for the great souvenir! We had to wait about 15 minutes for the next Tram departure. We boarded with about 20 other people and were transported above the canyons and beautiful terrain a diagonal distance of 2.7 miles.
The Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway is the longest tram in the United States as well as having the world’s third longest single span. The design of the tram is a type known as a “double reversible jigback” meaning when one tram car is ascending the other is descending. Not only does this describe the type of engineering, but also creates some unique experiences. Being that in order for a tram car to ascend for the first ride in the morning, it also means one has to descend. Therefore, the tram car “pilot” who makes the last ascent of the day stays on top of Sandia Peak overnight to be ready to make the first descent in the morning possible. The other cool aspect this type of engineering creates is passing a tram car during each ride. As you fly high on the Tram you lose perspective of the size of the mountains surrounding you and it seems like you are barely moving, that is, until a Tram going the other way passes by traveling at 13 mph. While many cyclists ride bikes faster than that, in comparison to the scenery going by, the opposing tram car seemed to fly by. It was then we realized the vastness and true size of our surroundings. At this point we were nearly 1000 feet above the ground and it made it a bit easier to understand how this span from the second tower to the top terminal makes the record book at a length of 7,720 feet.
Within 15 minutes, we were at the top terminal which stands at 10,378 feet just shy of the actual crest of the Sandia Mountain which tops out at 10,679 feet. From this upper station, you have a panoramic view of the Rio Grande Valley, the Cibola National Forest and many neighboring mountain ranges. It was a beautiful day, but the winds were brisk and chilly. I was beyond grateful to have been able to wrap up in my newly acquired Sandia Peak Tramway jacket. Thanks again, Dad!
We enjoyed the displays and information about the views, wildlife and the Tramway contained in the building atop the station. The restaurant was still under renovation during our visit, but Ten 3 (named for its elevation of 10,300 ft) which offers a elevated dining experience has since then opened. Consider it added to our dining menu for our next trip up Sandia Mountain, I would like to put in an early request for a sunset reservation please! As we continued around the peak, Russ and I found just enough snow for a snowball fight with views of the ski slopes which had just recently finished for the season, so I guess that means Spring had Spring in ABQ.
After snapping several photos, we shivered a bit while we waited for the Tram. The descent down seemed much quicker (even without the fun effects of a time-lapse video, see below) and before we knew it we were back at base.
While we spent only a couple minutes poking around, the NM Ski Museum and Hall of Fame is located at the base of the Tram. One of those museums you likely don’t know even exists until you come across it. Check it out at www.nmskihall.org.
I would definitely recommend adding the Sandia Peak Tramway to your to-do list if you visit Albuquerque. Sometimes it gets a bad rap, but we really enjoyed our winter/spring there and all the city had to offer. A round trip tram ticket will set you back $25/person, which seems a bit steep, but then again so is the hiking trail. There are discounted rates for children, students, senior and military so bring your proper IDs along to receive those rates. So before we finish off this post, hold on tight and take a time-lapse trip down from the top of Sandia Peak with us!
WEEEEEE . . . that was fun!
