Eager hikers take first ride up the mountain as tram reopens

Bright and early at 8:00 a.m., a packed-full tram glided up the mountain.

“I’m so happy to be back here. I love this mountain and I named the club after this mountain,” hiker Kathryn Burrows said.

Burrows started the San Jacinto Hike Club three years ago. Her group rides up in the tram and hikes every weekend, but this summer has been different.

“We have all been really sad about the fires and tram being closed so this is such a great day to come back up here,” hiker Ellen Coleman said.

Earlier this month, the tram, and hiking trails, closed for five days because of the Mountain Fire. Shortly after that, it closed for three weeks for routine maintenance. Burrows hasn’t hiked there all summer – so she and other hikers jumped at the chance to get back at it when the tram and its trails opened Saturday, August 31st.

“I think the combination of the fact that it’s Labor Day weekend and we’re opening three weeks after its been closed and the State Park opened a lot of the trails has brought a lot of people up,” Lena Smith of the Palm Springs Tramway said.

A lot of excited people were up early to use every minute of the day.

“When you go to the back peak like I do you better start off early, it’s cooler. When you’re hiking extreme you should always start as early as you can,” hiker Doreen Sabia said.

“This is great because we will be in pine trees and be in one of the most beautiful places on earth,” Coleman said.

True statement, making it difficult to head back down the tram.

Summer pass holders who lost a few days when the tram was closed during the mountain fire can still use their pass through September 5th.