topic Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque in Community Chat

Wild Ride in Albuquerque

Kachina624 — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 23:22:03 GMT

You've heard about our balloon fiesta but here's one local attraction that most people don't know about and it's one of my favorites. Right on the Eastern edge of town, we have the world's longest aerial tram. Its quite a spectacular ride, not only long, but very high over rugged terrain, cliffs bare of much vegetation of a pink granite. Visitors can hike around the forest at the top; there even a trail with workbooks for kids to complete.

People spot all sorts of things below; cougar, bears, deer and even the wreckage of a TWA airliner that crashed there years ago. On top is an observation deck that overlooks the whole Rio Grande Valley including Albuquerque and beyond. There is also a new, very nice restaurant with spectacular views called Ten-03, for the altitude.

It makes a lovely evening to ride up there on a summer's evening as its very cool at the top. Watch the sun set, eat a good dinner then ride down after dark to the view of the city lights. Very romantic.

Here are some views which don't nearly do it justice.

Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque

JaneMarple — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 23:27:34 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
You've heard about our balloon fiesta but here's one local attraction that most people don't know about and it's one of my favorites. Right on the Eastern edge of town, we have the world's longest aerial tram. Its quite a spectacular ride, not only long, but very high over rugged terrain, cliffs bare of much vegetation of a pink granite. Visitors can hike around the forest at the top; there even a trail with workbooks for kids to complete.

People spot all sorts of things below; cougar, bears, deer and even the wreckage of a TWA airliner that crashed there years ago. On top is an observation deck that overlooks the whole Rio Grande Valley including Albuquerque and beyond. There is also a new, very nice restaurant with spectacular views called Ten-03, for the altitude.

It makes a lovely evening to ride up there on a summer's evening as its very cool at the top. Watch the sun set, eat a good dinner then ride down after dark to the view of the city lights. Very romantic.

Here are some views which don't nearly do it justice.

Although very beautiful, it's a no from me. I'm afraid of heights.

Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque

Trailrun23 — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 23:31:50 GMT

When we lived there, I loved riding the tram up to the top to eat at High Finance...the restaurant where we had our rehearsal dinner. When did it close and the new one open?
We lived there many years ago.

Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque

Lucky Charm — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 23:30:34 GMT

I've ridden the one in Palm Springs many times when we have friends with us. Didn't know about the one in NM.

Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque

patbz — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 23:40:25 GMT

@Lucky Charm : I've been on both those trams and the one in Palm Springs seemed scary to me ( and my Son) while the one in Albuquerque didn't bother me.

Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque

Love my grandkids — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 23:41:03 GMT

@Kachina624 Wowser! That would be something I'd love.

Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque

Kachina624 — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 23:42:03 GMT

@JaneMarple There's nobody in the world more terrified of heights than me. I get sweaty palms just thinking about the Grand Canyon. Yet for some reason the tram doesn't bother me, much like an airplane. I don't get the feeling of being "on the edge" of a height.

There's one place where a sheer wall looms right in front of the path of the car and you'd swear it's going to crash into it, but of course it doesn't and sails right over it.

Most of the tram was built on huge pylons by a Swiss company necessitating something like 10,000 helicopter trips up the mountain to lay cable and put the pylons in place. They close one day a week for maintenance at which time employees ride up on top of the car to inspect the cable.

Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque

Kachina624 — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 23:45:18 GMT

@Trailrun23 wrote:
When we lived there, I loved riding the tram up to the top to eat at High Finance...the restaurant where we had our rehearsal dinner. When did it close and the new one open?
We lived there many years ago.

@Trailrun23 High Finance closed and was torn down several years ago and the new restaurant, built a bit to the North, opened about two years ago.

Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque

Kachina624 — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 23:47:06 GMT

@Love my grandkids wrote:
@Kachina624 Wowser! That would be something I'd love.

@Love my grandkids Come on, we'll go together.

Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque

Effie54 — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 23:49:02 GMT

Well this looks amazing! Though I'm not a fan of heights, I would absolutely do this. The view is spectacular! I'm sure I would love this most wonderful site in Albuquerque. Beautiful photos! Sooo nice!

Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque

just bee — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 00:01:00 GMT

Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque

just bee — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 00:04:27 GMT

Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque

MorningLover — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 00:17:26 GMT

Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque

Terrywu — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 00:18:34 GMT

We held our convention in Albuquerque and took that tram ride. It was breathtaking. Being from Chicago we don't get to see much open land. You have a lovely city.

Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque

tiny 2 — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 00:26:03 GMT

@MorningLover, LOL

@MorningLover wrote:

Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque

Travone — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 00:27:07 GMT

That was one of the many highlights of my first trip to New Mexico. I tell all that I know who will be visiting the area that it is not to be missed.

Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque

Trailrun23 — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 00:44:29 GMT

Gee, thanks for the update, we used to take many visitors from out of town up there; they had really good steaks. I remember seeing the plane wreckage for the first time and wasn't expecting to see something like that, even though it wasn't a lot visible.

Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque

LdyBugz — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 01:05:25 GMT

Nope. No thank you. 😬

Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque

OKPrincess — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 01:48:28 GMT

@Kachina624

DH and I are going on a bus tour to Albuquerque and Santa Fe in April and a ride on the Sandia Peak Tramway is on the itinerary.

We rode the tram four times across the Royal Gorge this past September and we weren't scared so maybe this one will be fine for us.

Thanks for the insight.

Re: Wild Ride in Albuquerque

MamaWick — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 02:00:10 GMT

We rode it in the mid 90s and had dinner at the High Finance. The view was spectacular.