What's New in the West: January 2010
▪ The 1901 Angels Flight funicular in Los Angeles—just 298 feet long—is back on track with its original cars, named Olivet and Sinai, after an eight-year, $2.6 million restoration. angelsflight.com.
▪ Kids can ride a virtual zip line in a rain forest or balloon over Africa to earn rewards at Wonder Rotunda, an online theme park designed to educate and inspire. Yearly pass $45. wonderrotunda.com.
▪ Snap a preexisting stain on your hotel carpet or dents in a rental car and get deposits back using the iPhone app Shoot&Proof, which certifies select photos as evidence. $2. shootandproof.com/?langue-en.
▪ Pink Jeep Tours offers offroad access to Death Valley National Park's most remote spots, including Racetrack Playa and Wildrose Charcoal Kilns. $65–$165. pinkjeep.com.
▪ The revised Tourist Trains Guidebook has 336 pages of color photos and listings, including 175 reviews of locomotive museums and excursion trains. $20. amazon.com.
▪ Find loads of fresh features at Utah Office of Tourism's just relaunched utah.travel.
▪ Pendleton Round-Up at 100 celebrates Oregon's legendary rodeo—always open to local American Indian participants—with tales of past stars, cowgirl history, and 900 stunning photos. Paper-back $23. amazon.com.
▪ Explore Portland's scenic west side on the 4T Trail, an eight-mile loop that links hiking routes with rides on the trolley, MAX train, and aerial tram. $7.50. thayers.org.
▪ Some 600 color maps fill the new Historical Atlas of the American West. Author Derek Hayes shows knowledge expanding map by map: Native pueblos, early trails, railways, highways, parks, and cities. $40. ucpress.edu
This article was first published in January 2010. Some facts may have aged gracelessly. Please call ahead to verify information.
