Jolly ‘Green’ Giants

In the early 1980s, the thousands of windmills along Interstate 10 at the mouth of the San Gorgonio Pass were said to provide more tax benefits than power. But lately, with the phrase “rolling blackout” becoming a part of every Californian’s lexicon, the windmills play an increasingly important role in meeting the state’s energy needs. Total output from the 3,800 windmills in the pass this year is expected to top a billion kilowatt-hours.

For an up-close look at these massive generators, Windmill Tours Inc. offers 90-minute tours Monday through Saturday at one of the area’s working wind farms. Visitors ride through the desert on electric carts or buses while a guide presents a history of wind power from the ancient Egyptians to the present. In the shadow of the 120-foot towers, the guide offers enough facts to satisfy even the most statistic-hungry visitor:

Each of the three blades of the windmill is 90 feet long and weighs 2,125 pounds.

The concrete footings that support the tower are sunk 30 feet into the ground.

The average wind speed through the pass is 18.7 miles per hour.

The technically minded will appreciate the discussions of the Bernoulli principle (which is why the blades of the windmill are shaped much like the wings of an airplane) and the venturi created by the gap between Mt. San Gorgonio and Mt. San Jacinto (which explains why the wind blows so much here.) For everyone else, it’s just cool to see those huge blades turn, and to feel the power of the wind.

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Windmill Tours is located in North Palm Springs off the Interstate 10 at the Indian Avenue exit. Tour times are 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Call (760) 251-1997.