SNOW IS FALLING... around some areas of the West as the final week of October opens, while other spots continue to experience warm temperatures and even warmer winds. It's a time of year that seems, to our weather-watching sensibilities, quite unpredictable, with a succession of toasty and chilly days. But here's something mavens of colder days can count on: Mt. San Jacinto, the sky-high home of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, will see snow at some point in the weeks ahead.
WHEN THAT POINT WILL BE... is the alluring question mark, at least among people who like to make good guesses about snowfall, accumulation, and all matters of meteorology. But to give those guessers a bit of a thrill, and make it a cold-minded (but warm-hearted) competition, the team behind the tram hosts a contest each year. And while 2020 is certainly a different year due to the pandemic, you can still depend upon the Snow Guessing Contest to take place. The contest involves this question: When will the "first measurable inch of snow" fall at Mountain Station, which sits at over 8,500 feet? Good news: The contest just opened, on Oct. 23, and you can send your entry in at any time.
HOW IT WORKS? "To submit an entry, simply write down your best-guess date on a postcard and mail it to: Snow Guessing Contest, 1 Tram Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262. Participants may enter as many times as they would like, but only one date per postcard," so keep that in mind before you pull out your stamps and postcards. As for the winners? The first ten entries that get it right will win a four-pack of admissions to the world-famous rotating wonder, which opened in 1963, as well as a Tram-inspired gift. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway reopened earlier in the fall, following a multi-month closure, with a number of new safety guidelines in place. Read more now about what visitors can expect.
