Palm Springs Aerial Tramway now reopened

[bc_video video_id="6199218710001″ account_id="5728959025001″ player_id="rJpklujDf" embed="in-page" padding_top="56%" autoplay="" min_width="0px" playsinline="" picture_in_picture="" max_width="640px" mute="" width="100%" height="100%" ] The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway reopened Friday morning, the first car leaving for the 2 1/2 mile ascent from the base station at 8 a.m. The last car will come down from the peak at 6 p.m. The world’s largest rotating tram car will initially open Friday through Monday. The tramway has been closed since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Officials are requiring Tram-goers to adhere to a list of new policies aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19 in order to ride, including: — Reservations are required for all visitors; — Tram cars will now depart approximately every 20 minutes to allow staff time to sanitize cars between each trip; — Car capacities have been reduced to allow for social distancing; — A portion of each car will be set aside for annual passholders; — Face coverings must be worn inside the Valley and Mountain stations, and in the tram cars, but not in the state park; and — Guests must submit to temperature screenings. Officials warned potential visitors that only Long Valley will be open for outdoor recreation for the time being due to fire danger. All annual passholders will see their passes extended due to the shutdown. Since 1963, the tram has carried visitors 2 1/2 miles to the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, a trip that takes about 10 minutes. At an elevation of 8,516 feet, Mountain Station offers visitors two restaurants, observation decks, a natural history museum, two documentary theaters and an entry point to more than 50 miles of hiking trails. Additional information, including whether restaurants will reopen, was not immediately available.