From Deseret News archives:
Sandia Mountain tram offers spectacular views
But Albuquerque has charms of its own, and even a tourist in a hurry has a way to get a quick — and literal — overview of the place.
The Sandia Peak Tramway, which crawls up Sandia Mountain on the eastern edge of the city, takes passengers skyward for 2.7 miles. From 10,378 feet up, visitors take in 360-degree views — including breathtaking vistas of the sprawling city below.
"The sunsets here are the prettiest in New Mexico. You get an entirely different perspective of the sunset up here than from below," said Liz Frances, of Valparaiso, Ind., who was visiting recently with her sister.
The pair actually had wanted to hike up the mountain — but found the trails closed because of extreme fire danger. The tram offered a nice, less-tiring alternative, and let them take in the late afternoon sun from the top.
Sunsets aren't the only reason to make the 15-minute trip up. From the summit, visitors can hike or mountain bike, or eat at the High Finance Restaurant. There's also a visitors' center to help tourists orient themselves and learn about the mountain's history and wildlife. And if it's too hot in Albuquerque — where temperatures can push 100 degrees during the summer — the top of Sandia is a pleasant respite (temperatures are 15 to 20 degrees lower at the top).
In September and October, the tram also provides scenic view's of the area's fall foliage — the orange, yellow, gold and rust colors of the aspen trees.
Tram riders also get an up-close look at the mountain itself. Peering out from the tram, visitors can see the 300 million-year-old lime and 1.4 billion-year-old granite in the strata of the mountain, the ingredients that make the mountain turn a pinkish watermelon color in the late afternoon.
Every now and then, passengers can see mule deer, bobcats, raccoons, black bears or porcupines among the streaked white-and-pale-pink boulders.
Also sometimes visible are the remains of a TWA passenger plane that crashed into the mountain in the 1950s, before the tram was built. The wreckage is covered with vegetation during the summer but often can be seen during winter months before snow falls.
Since the tram opened in 1966, more than 9 million passengers have taken the ride.
Elaine Monaghan of Albuquerque has done her part to boost that number: The tramway is on the "to do" list for all of her house guests. Recently, she took her grandchildren, 9-year-old Kier and 2-year-old Liam Strader-Monaghan, for Liam's first ride to the top.
