Hundreds view solar eclipse from the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

One of the best views overlooking the Coachella Valley is the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, over 8,500ft above the valley floor.

The tram opened early with the first tram car heading up the mountain at 8:00 a.m. The first 50 people who arrived early received NASA approved viewing glasses to shield their eyes from the harmful rays of the sun.

By noon more than 700 made the journey to the top of Mount San Jacinto.

Those in attendance were not just valley, but from all over the country. Nicole and Kevin Woodfill traveled down from Portland, Oregon, “We planned our vacation and forgot about the eclipse so we came up here to see it.”