SANDIA MOUNTAINS AND TRAMWAY
Photos
March 2000
Tramway Cables and Tower in the distance
Directions to the tramway: From US Interstate 40, Exit 167 travel Tramway Blvd (NM Hwy 556) north, 8 miles from mile marker 15 to mile marker 7 at the first stop sign (Tramway Rd). From US Interstate 25, Exit 234, travel Tramway Blvd (NM Hwy 556) east 5 miles from mile marker 2 to mile marker 7 at the first stop sign (Tramway Rd). Travel east on Tramway Rd one mile to the base terminal of te Sandia Peak Tramway. Call 856-7325 for more information.
March 2000
The Cables from the top
The 2.7 miles of total horizontal length makes this the world's longest passenger tramway. The tramway was manufactured by Bell Engineering, Lucerne, Switzerland in 1964-66 at a cost of $2 million. It is a Double Reversible Jigback Aerial Tramway. For those who might be nervous, although there are several cables for each tramcar, any one of the cables can completely support a tramcar. The normal speed of the tramcars is 12 m.p.h., making 4 trips an hour. The distance between tower two and the top terminal is the third longest clear span in the world.
March 2000
A Passing Tramcar
March 2000
View from Tramcar
March 2000
View from Tramcar
March 2000
View from Tramcar
March 2000
View from Tramcar
March 2000
View from Tramcar
March 2000
View from Tramcar
March 2000
View from Tramcar
March 2000
View from Tramcar
March 2000
Viewing Tramcar from the 10,378 Foot Sandia Peak
March 2000
Sandia Crest sign as seen from NM Hwy 14 at intersection with NM Hwy 536
Vehicle Directions: From US Interstate 40, Exit 175, travel north on NM Hwy 14 to San Antonito (Mile Marker 5) and then travel northwest on NM Hwy 536 around 7 miles to the crest (north of Sandia Peak) from which you must walk along a path through the forest to the Peak.
March 2000
View of Southwestern area from Sandia Peak
March 2000
View of Southwestern area from Sandia Peak
March 2000
View of Southwestern area from Sandia Peak
March 2000
View of Southwestern area from Sandia Peak
March 2000
View of Northwestern area from Sandia Peak
The Sandia Mountains receive nearly half of their total annual precipitation from summer thunderstorms. During the summer, southeast winds bring moist air from the Gulf of Mexico into New Mexico and push the moisture up the mountains. As the air rises, it cools, and the moisture condenses into clouds, forming thunderstorms. Most of them form over the mountains during the afternoon before drifting out over valleys. While they are an important source of moisture, summer thunderstorms have negative effects. They can produce flash floods and dangerous lightning. New Mexico leads the nation in per capita deaths due to lightning.
March 2000
View of Northwestern area from Sandia Peak
March 2000
Ortiz Mountain is seen towards the Northeast (the Santa Fe Mountains are in the background).
Autumn is characterized by bright sunny days and crisp nights. As the days shorten, the ground and the air above it cool off, while the air at higher altitudes is still warm. Because normally the atmosphere is colder at higher elevations, this situation is called an inversion. They are very common during the fall and early winter months. Fall is a very stable condition; winds, if any, are light. This leads to perfect weather for ballooning or enjoying the autumn colors. Inversions also act like lids trapping pollutants near the ground, resulting in Albuquerque's "brown cloud".
March 2000
View of Northwestern area from Sandia Peak
Santa Fe and the Santa Fe mountains are on the right two thirds of the photo. Wheeler Peak, located on the left third of the photo between the two trees, is located in Taos and is the highest point in New Mexico at 13161 feet high.
March 2000
View of Southwestern area from Sandia Peak
Winter turns the Sandias white. Most winter storms affecting New Mexico come from the Pacific. Moisture from these storms is left on the mountains of California and Arizona. However, sufficient moisture remains so that New Mexico's mountains get snow, providing for a variety of winter recreation. Variation in elevation in the Sandias affects average snowfall amounts, which range from over 100 inches at Sandia Crest to 40 inches at Tijeras (southeast of the peak). Snow is an important resource for New Mexico. Aside from winter recreation, spring snowmelt provides a large part of the water used for irrigation and for growing the state's forests.
March 2000
View of Southern Ski Chairlifts on the Western side Sandia Peak
Spring is the windiest season in New Mexico. Hikers and picnickers coming to the Sandias to enjoy the spring wildflowers are well advised to bring windbreakers. The longer days in the spring warm the ground and the lower layers of the atmosphere, while higher layers retain the winter's chill. Since the warm air tends to rise and the cold air to sink, this situation contains a lot of potential energy.
March 2000
View of Southern Ski Chairlifts on the Western side Sandia Peak
March 2000
View of Northern Ski Chairlifts on the Western side Sandia Peak
March 2000
View of Northern Ski Chairlifts on the Western side Sandia Peak
March 2000
View of Northern Ski Chairlifts on the Western side Sandia Peak
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