summit flyby stories

[climbinfool]

I spent a couple of summers building trail in the South San Juan Wilderness and then on private land outside of Telluride in the late '90s. The night after our last day of work for the first season (on the Fish Lake Trail in the SSJWA), I was out cold. We were camped at ~ 11,500', and (with the work done for the year) I got one of the best nights of sleep of my life.

The next morning, my trail boss and a buddy I was working with were talking about "how close that plane came last night." They went on and on about how they were convinced that a full-size passenger jet sounded like it was going to crash into the hillside where we were set up on a shallow bench. I never heard a thing - apparently I slept right through it.

[pancake]

I was in a conga line summiting Mt Democrat on 8/16 and some wingnut in a silver and red low wing single engine plane did a barrell roll over the summit. It was pretty bad ass.

[jmanner]

I also had a Sneffels encounter: a older C-182 did turns around a point(Sneffels) while we were on the summit. It was surprising because the weather was kind of miserable: rainy. I guess the weather up north was better and he saw a window and flew down.

I don't know who remembers this, but a few years ago a blackhawk training for Afghanistan crashed on "South Massive" above 14K around 2010/11... Well anyway, my wife and I were hiking Elbert's NE ridge the week after and we say the Chinooks come in and carry out the wrecked. Sobering experience.

edit: Sneffels photo

[peter303]

Any drones yet? I heard they are in several national parks and have been banned.

[myfeetrock]

A few years ago on Maroon peak a helicopter flew over low enough you could see the guys inside. They looked like they were taking pictures of us. They slowed down as they came over the summit then flew off. Last winter while snowmobiling in the flat tops I came across a Blackhawk from the haats unit in Eagle. This was as they were leaving. They did 3 touch and go passes. I was about 30 yards away when they landed the first time. This was on Baxter peak in the flat tops.

[Theodore]

Years ago I was climbing Huntington Ravine on Mt. Washington in NH. It gets a little steep towards the top as the valley walls on either side come together limiting your view of the surrounding airspace. Next thing I know, 2 A-10's buzz the summit house and holy hell did that catch me off guard...

Coolest buzzing I've ever had was driving to Sante Fe for xmas. 2 B-1's were playing cat and mouse and spent about 5 min coming back around and making low passes over our car. I eventually just pulled over and watched.

[CAF]

2008 on Rainier with a group from Camp Patriot.org

[MountainHiker]

Nice shot!

[CaptPenner]

Rule #1 of buzzing, never come back for a second pass. The likelihood of someone getting your N# and a good description (or a picture) and loosing your license increases infinitely. (free advise from a 14,000 hour pilot)