Comments on: The Cliff House Sky Tram

By: Administrator

Administrator — Tue, 24 May 2011 01:21:13 +0000

@Morgan – As linked in the article, the 1961 date comes from another historical resource in the neighborhood, The Western Neighborhoods Project:

http://www.outsidelands.org/skytram.php

So we have some conflicting dates…

By: Morgan Paris

Morgan Paris — Tue, 24 May 2011 01:14:14 +0000

According to the Website “The Cliff House Project” the Sky Tram was in service for exactly 11 years, from May 1955 to May 1966. I do not no where you got the idea that it closed sometime in 1961, but it is definitely wrong and should be corrected.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 18:03:41 +0000

I remember living in the area in the late 50′s and since it was safe for a kid to wander about town I used to go there and play going up and the down the stairs and climbing over the rocks.
Later there was an amusement park down the hill from the Cliff House where I would take my allowance and the money I got on the docks from the fishermen when I helped unload and clean out the boats.
First time I had sushi then although it was just Japanese fisherman food then.
Oddly I don’t lament the good old days but wonder what the hell happened that made them go away since I haven’t seen things get a lot better although it costs more.

By: Administrator

Administrator — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 23:18:51 +0000

Hi John –

Thanks for the additinal information. I encourage you to contact outsidelands.org http://www.outsidelands.org/about.php#contact and help them update some of their history on the Sky Tram (which you can read here: http://www.outsidelands.org/skytram.php). It takes a village!

Sarah B.

By: John Martini

John Martini — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:21:46 +0000

Hmm. Got to quibble with a couple of details in the posting. First, the Sky Tram operated much later than 1961. I remember taking it in 1965. It was pretty depressing by then but it still operated.

Second, you rode both ways, no walking involved. That actually was part of the ride’s downfall. The Sky Tram only charged for a round trip to nowhere, and made half the revenue it could have if only it carried paying passengers in both directions.

By: Marvin Gold

Marvin Gold — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 06:26:33 +0000

This is a great photo and video. I went on the Sky Tram in the late 50′s when I was 6 or 7 years old. Many years later, I would mention this attraction and people would challenge me like I was making it up. It was is service for such a short time and was so well hidden that many people do not know this existed. Thanks for posting this

By: Wolfgang Schubert

Wolfgang Schubert — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 00:25:21 +0000

We did the last shift of 1999 in the NPS Visitor Center! The waterfall in the picture, over which the Skytram ended, was one billed as the “largest saltwater waterfall in the world!”

By: Adam

Adam — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:31:58 +0000

I soooooo wish they still had this up and running.

By: David Gallagher

David Gallagher — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:24:02 +0000

Thanks for the great post, Sarah