The Plane Crash on Mount Charleston

Sixty-four years ago today, a plane crashed at Mt. Charleston.

If you were outside in today’s beautiful sunshine, it’s hard to picture the snow storm that was raging around Mt. Charleston on this date decades ago.

On November 17, 1955, a C-54 military cargo plane traveling from Burbank to Area 51 went off course, hit that terrible storm, and ultimately crashed into Mt. Charleston about a half a mile from the peak. All 14 men aboard were killed.

No one, not even the families of the deceased, knew the details of the flight or why the men were on the plane until after the details were declassified in 1998 – although if one persistent man hadn’t been tenaciously pursuing information about the crash, those details still might have been lost, ignored as insignificant and forgotten again.

For decades the remnants of the plane littered the area around the trail to the peak of Mt. Charleston. One of the most distinctive pieces left was a propeller, twisted and gnarled. I saw it when my hubby and I made the peak in 1996, and we, like everyone else, simply knew a plane had crashed there.

Today the propeller is part of a memorial to the men of USAF Flight 9068, which is next to the Silent Heroes of the Cold War memorial for those who served during those years. According the Forest Service’s fact sheet, it’s the only national memorial to the Cold War era of its kind.

Not until I visited the memorial with my husband, who is himself a Cold War veteran, did I learn the whole story of the crash. I picked up a copy of “Silent Heroes of the Cold War Declassified” by Kyril D. Plaskon in the gift shop and learned the true story behind the flight. 

The book starts out with a thorough background of the Nevada Test Site, where the infamous Area 51 is located, and its role in atomic testing as well as the development of the U2 spy plane. The flight from Burbank to Area 51 was a regular flight taking people who were working on the U2 back and forth on a daily basis.

On the day USAF Flight 9068 took off from Burbank, the flight was a little late taking off because the pilot waited to see if one of the regular passengers would show up (he had overslept, which was a lucky thing for him). At a little after 7 a.m., the very secret flight departed for Area 51. The flight took a route through the mountains and according to the book, near Goodsprings it went radio silent, flying without contact with the flight tower as it made its way toward the Test Site.

Unfortunately, a storm was approaching and they were blown off course to the east. The pilot was flying by sight, but the storm clouds made that difficult. The disoriented crew soon realized they were in trouble. In the book, Plaskon describes the crew “...dodging peaks just above the trees and snow covered mountain range when their normal flight path should have taken them over flat desert.”

At 8:19 a.m., the plane slammed into the side of Mount Charleston, killing everyone aboard.

Plaskon’s book describes the harrowing recovery mission undertaken, which ultimately involved the Sheriff’s Mounted Posse, which was the Search and Rescue of its day. A team that included Sheriff Butch Leypoldt led 17 horses to the crash site to bring the bodies back down, a gruesome chore carried out in the midst of terrible storm conditions.

The entire incident might have gone unremembered had it not been for Steve Ririe.

Ririe had seen the crash site and became interested in knowing more about it... then the crash site seems to have become interested in him, so to speak. The book recounts Ririe’s slightly paranormal experiences, all of which led him – some might say compelled him – to pursue the story of the crash. The story he uncovered is the reason there’s a memorial now to commemorate the men who lost their lives.

The Cold War had no battles to feature on the nightly news. It was, however, a pivotal time in world history when the entire world was holding its breath in the hopes of averting a disaster, a time of secrets and spies that still holds mysteries like Flight 9068.

The U2 spy plane was considered vital to our country’s efforts to prevail in the quiet fight that was happening, and the men who died that morning on Mt. Charleston were instrumental in its development.

The next time you’re at Mt. Charleston, take a moment to stop at the memorial. Ponder the propeller, preserved as it was found at a little over 11,000 feet. We almost didn’t get to hear the whole story of that flight and the men aboard it. 

They deserve remembering.

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All photos by Terrisa Meeks

Hiking the Bristlecone Trail

Earlier this month, my son and I headed to Mt. Charleston to hike the Bristlecone Trail. The cooler temps were a relief, but 80°F in full sun is still hot when you’re hiking.

When my son and I got out of the car in Lee Canyon, we were thrilled to feel the cool mountain air. At 9:30am, it was 74°F.

We began our hike at the upper portion of the Bristlecone Trail (also called the Bristlecone Loop Trail), which is at the very end of Lee Canyon, right next to the helicopter pad. The trailhead is clearly marked and has signage about the trail and information on how to identify a bristlecone pine: the tree’s needles look like a bottle brush. A very large, green bottle brush.

My original plan that day was to hike the Upper Bristlecone trail to the Bonanza Peak cut-off, and then turn around and hike back. This was about four miles, I guesstimated, versus doing the whole six mile loop, which would include walking up the road to get back to the car. When I told my son my plans, he said, “Can’t we do the whole trail? Six miles? I can do six miles.”

“I can do six miles too,” I said. And we were off.

I was excited about hiking this trail because years ago, my husband and I accidentally discovered the Bristlecone Loop Trail. We thought we were on a quarter mile loop, and instead of turning around when we realized our error, we kept walking… and walking and walking, until we had walked all six miles. Our long hike sparked a deep interest in hiking. (Mostly so that we’d never go on another accidental six-mile trek with no water.)

My son enjoyed this story immensely, especially when he heard that his dad had hiked the entire six miles in sandals.

The trail has great views, especially from the high point (9,400 feet elevation), which is close to the Bonanza Peak trail.

Spotting the bristlecones is easy because of their distinctive needles. They’re fascinating trees that grow in harsh climates at high altitudes, sometimes living to be thousands of years old.

See the bristlecone on the left?

The Carpenter Fire didn’t damage any areas visible from the Bristlecone Trail, but there seemed to be more deadwood than I remembered. Pests and diseases have taken a toll on forests throughout the West, and the Spring Mountain are no exception.

We saw wild horses and a Palmer’s chipmunk, but the most impressive things we saw were two mountain bikers, who passed us twice. We said to each other, almost in unison, “Twice?? They’re doing the trail twice?”

The Upper Bristlecone Trail turns into the Lower Trail when it joins the remnants of an unfinished Civilian Conservation Corps road. The wide, gravely road is in full sun. It was hot, but still pleasant compared to any July day down in the Las Vegas Valley.

We encountered a steady stream of people walking or biking, which is no issue at all on the wide Lower Trail. Passing can be tight on portions of the Upper Trail.

Walking back up the road to the car, we made a note that the trail would be easier if done in reverse, so that you’re walking downhill at the end. We also should have prepared better for the sun, but the sweat and sun burn was worth it.

Once we made it to the car, my teenager inhaled the sandwich we brought, and we drove down the mountain, back into the heat of the Las Vegas summer.

Have you been hiking at Mt. Charleston recently? 

See all the pictures from the day on my flickr page.

A Sunday Drive to Mount Charleston

If you want to feel crisp fall air, take a drive to Mount Charleston.

I didn't see a lot of fall color on my drive up to Mt. Charleston last weekend, but the temperature was cool and the views were beautiful.

Mt. Charleston Peak (the bald peak) is on the far left and part of Mummy Mountain is on the right.

Mt. Charleston Lodge is at the top of the road in Kyle Canyon.

Mummy Mountain

View from near the visitor center that's under construction (thankfully taking the place of a failed golf course).

Have you been up to Mt. Charleston recently? Any more color over in Lee Canyon?

If you're looking for fall color, Utah and Arizona have beautiful mountain drives this time of year.

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Pictures by me, Terrisa Meeks

Riding the Scenic Chairlift Ride in Lee Canyon

Earlier this month, my son and I rode the scenic chairlift ride in Lee Canyon.  Surprisingly, it was kinda scary.

When we arrived on a Saturday afternoon at the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort, we marched directly to the ticket office, got our tickets ($10 each), and got on the ski lift. No stopping for food or a bathroom break. 

That’s how we ended up about fifty feet in the air on a swingy little seat (with no seat belt) before we really considered everything involved in a scenic chairlift ride.  

“What were we thinking?” my son asked as we moved herky-jerky up the mountain, stopping occasionally, our chair swaying back and forth unpleasantly.

We both had death grips on the metal frame around the seat. “There’s no reason for us to be scared,” we both said (repeatedly), which did absolutely no good.

The unexpected stops were very uncool. (Son: “Don’t look down.” Me: “Too late.”)

Happy people passing us on the other side were swinging their legs and moving around freely, like they were totally unafraid of falling to their deaths.

Over on our side, we were desperately attempting to find the ends of the flimsy nylon rope we had discovered tied to each side of the seat—one side ended with a carabiner, and the other side had a loop. It appeared to be for cosmetic purposes only.

“I’d prefer a five-point harness,” my son said, after we hooked the useless rope together.

We agreed that our mutual fear was totally unfounded. Everyone else seemed to enjoy the gentle ride. It was like being scared of a Ferris Wheel. We laughed as we discussed the fact that our fingers were probably embedded into the metal frame around us.

At the top of the lift, we got off and walked around the rocky hillside.

“It’ll be better going down,” we agreed.

Not really.

The drop-off as you start downhill is pretty steep, but we agreed that it wasn’t the height that was scary: it was gentle, tummy-tickling rocking back and forth of the chair that got us.

About two-thirds of the way down, we started to relax. Slightly. The view is incredible, and although I could use only one hand (the other was immovably attached to the metal frame), I got some good pictures of the canyon and the resort before gratefully stepping off the swing at the bottom.

Next time, it’ll be better, I’m sure.

How do you feel about chairlift rides?

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All photos by Terrisa Meeks.

Is There a Forest at Mt. Charleston?

Since the fire broke out at Mt. Charleston, I've had three people ask me, "What's burning? Is there a forest up there?" 

It's shocking to watch the smoke pouring into the sky as the Carpenter Fire continues to burn at Mt. Charleston.

For those who don't know, there is indeed a forest at Mt. Charleston, and it includes large stands of Bristlecone Pines (which can live to be thousands of years old and are considered to be the oldest living single organisms), along with a variety of other trees and plants (and animals, including a herd of elk.)

It's sobering to contemplate what damage the fire has done, but I am thankful we've not lost any lives. Other communities in the Southwest have not been so lucky this year. 

Mt. Charleston is part of the Humbolt-Toiyabe National Forest and is in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. It encompasses the Mt. Charleston Wilderness Area, including the Mount Charleston Peak (11,908 feet).
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I took these photos of the smoke filling the northwestern part of the valley while I was out for a walk this evening. On the 4th of July, we could see the fire's flames from our front yard. Some people I know in the northwest part of town told me it rained ash at their house this weekend. 

Have you ever witnessed a forest fire?

The Search For Cool

I’m not talking about smooth-talking, Jager-drinking, John Travolta cool… I’m talking about mountains, greenery, and bunny rabbits cool. Sitting outside and drinking lemonade cool. Not feeling faint when you leave air conditioning cool. This time of year, everyone is searching for a break from the heat. My favorite escape is the beach, but the mountains are nice, too. Finding any cooler temps around Las Vegas requires a long drive, but about an hour will take you to Mt. Charleston. (Keep in mind that about half of Las Vegas’ 2 million residents get the idea to head to Mt. Charleston on most summer weekend mornings, so you might want to try a weekday instead.)

Last year about this time, my son and I hiked the Cathedral Rock Trail in Kyle Canyon. The trail cuts across an avalanche field as it climbs to the top of Cathedral Rock, and last year the trail bore fresh evidence of an avalanche. Splintered trees had been flung down the mountain like pick-up sticks. A creative chain-sawer carved a bench from a downed log (picture above).

Mt. Charleston offers camping and picnic areas in both Kyle and Lee Canyons. Trails can be found throughout both canyons, and more intrepid hikers will want to make an assault on the Mt. Charleston summit, which is just under 12,000 feet. I’ve been there, and I’ll tell you two things: the view is stunning, and the trail’s rating of “strenuous” is putting it mildly. For those who would rather wear their hiking boots as a fashion statement instead of a necessity, Kyle Canyon is also home to two lodges: The Hotel on Mt. Charleston and the Mt. Charleston Lodge . Both facilities come complete with bars and restaurants—no hiking required.

If you don’t mind a longer drive (three to four hours), you can explore plenty of high altitudes in Utah, Arizona, and California. Check out Cedar Breaks and Brian Head in Utah, Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead in California, and the city of Flagstaff, Arizona. A six-hour drive will take you to Sequoia National Park in California, where the trees are so large they defy description. ____________________

Photo information: My pictures of Cathedral Rock Trail, August 2007