Sandia Tram

The numbers:

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, the aerial tramway to the top of Sandia Peak is the world's longest. It reaches 10, 378 feet above sea level (over 3,100 meters).

Passengers are airborne for 2.7 miles (about 4.3 kilometers).

Carloads of up to 50 people are actually called flights.

The two cabins make each transit in about 15 minutes, averaging about 12mph (19kmph).

From the summit, one can allegedly take in about 11,000 square miles (more than 28,000 square kilometers, more than the size of the state of Massachusetts.)

The tram is nearly 40 years old, built with Swiss technology.

The feeling:

Whoosh, then wow, then more wow, then much, much more wow.

It sways. Your heart will sway, too.

Above: there are only two towers, surprisingly. This picture is from the departure terminal, and shows the lower pylon. (Click the picture above for a full-sized version.)

Below: Link to view from inside the car going down. There is much gasping from passengers...

The back side of Sandia Peak is a ski slope in season. The thumbnail picture of the chair lift above links to a full-sized version. The tram's original, primary purpose was to provide transportation to the summit for skiers. Now it has become an attraction in itself. There is a restaurant at the top, appropriately named "High Finance."