Land of Enchantment

Santa Fe ~ Sandia Peak ~ Albuquerque


After lunch in Santa Fe, I drove back toward Albuquerque stopping at Sandia Peak. It has the longest passenger tramway in the world (2.7 miles; 4.46 km). The elevation at the lower terminal is 6559 feet; at the top is 10,378 feet (or a rise of 3819 feet; 1,163 meters). To the right and below are five pictures from the top. First is toward Albuquerque; the second and third toward the south; the fourth toward the east and the fifth toward the north.

Sandia Peak toward Albuquerque
Sandia Peak toward south
Sandia Peak toward south (2)
Sandia Peak toward east
Sandia Peak toward north
Tram coming up

Here's a photo of the tram coming into the upper terminal. If you follow the cables back to the rim in the distance, that is where the second tower is located. The distance from tower two to the upper terminal is 7,720 feet (2,353 meters) -- that's the third longest clear span in the world.

Going back down, we are almost to the second tower -- you can barely see the upper terminal at the top of the photo (between two of the three cables on the left). Where the two tram cars pass each other is the half way point.

On the way down from Sandia Peak
Tram coming up

As we travelled back down the mountain, I got this photo of the shadow of our tram car on the floor of the canyon below -- probably 300 to 400 feet down.

To finish off the day, I stopped at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. They have many displays there and an IMAX theater. I saw "Dolphins."