Cheyenne Mountain - Crash Site

Distance: 10.6 miles
Ascent: 3,598 feet
Directions: Cheyenne Mountain State Park off of H115 across from Fort Carson.

Route: From the day use trailhead to the south eastern corner of the park using defined trails. Left the park on a trail heading west to the starting ridge of Cheyenne Mountain and started the climb. Hiked the south side of the mountain to the crash site and then returned the way we came.

Description: Easily spent over an hour aimlessly looking for a hike we could do with no ideas. Wanted something local, challenging, and preferably not anything we had previously done. When Gretchen suggested that we go look for the crash site on the side of Cheyenne Mountain I was somewhat shocked. Why hadn’t I thought of that? An adventure for sure, even if the trip didn’t result in locating the site it would take us into some unexplored territory (for us) that did not contain much in the way of published descriptions. The only thing that I know of that provides any detail beyond general topography is the Pikes Peak Atlas.

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We hit Cheyenne Mountain State Park about 8:30 thinking that it would be a relatively late start to the government property. Their website was down the day before, so we were not able to confirm. What we found is that the park does not actually close. There are signs posted saying that they shut down at ten, but you can enter the park at anytime regardless of whether anyone is posted at the gate. There is a pay box along the side with passes and payment envelopes hanging on the information sign.

Parked at the day use trailhead and headed out on the Talon trail. From here I am going to be a little vague. Let me just say that the trail leaving the park can be found with minimal effort, it’s after this that the work begins. Also on a side note, there are several “you are here” signs that are wrong and actually point to a different location. Not a real monkey wrench just thought it was funny.

Once we left the park we had to contend with the snow. About four to six inches answered the regular argument G and I have “gators or no gators”. This is also where the snow began to fall on us, blown in from the south as there was nothing but clear sky above us; it was so dry that I initially thought it might be ash. It fell sporadically all morning in this fashion. The path takes a sharp turn out of the draw heads straight up the side of the ridge. From here there appeared to be multiple forks, but we decided upon the flagged route as it seemed the most obvious. Gretchen also pointed out that the flagging used was not the cheap stuff, but what surveyors used.  Not long after that the trail turns south, but the flags continue along another route. We chose to follow the markers and the real scrambling had begun.

Reaching the ridgeline that runs up the south side of Cheyenne Mountain, there is yet another intersection with an intermittent trail. Luckily its fairly well defined along the way up, but still flagged, which certainly helped with sections hidden by the snow. The trail cuts a line north as shown on the PPA, but I became a bit nervous when it turned west and then started to switch back. Happy to avoid a straight steep ascent, but my projection of the crash site was based on the drawing of the trail and its topography.

As small single storm clouds had continued to blow past us to south, larger ones would build up behind them. We pulled off trail at one point to watch one and see if it was going to bring anything serious. This set was larger and you could feel the moisture in the snow, but again it did not take long for the clear sky behind it to appear and the cloud to break on the open eastern sky. I think we both expected needing to retreat on that one, but settled for lunch instead to regain energy and spirit.

It was not long after this that we crested a rise, walked into a small glen, and there it was, that lovely twisted metal. No noise, just arms in the air. This was a nice surprise as I had projected it to only be about a tenth of a mile farther, but on an outcropping that I did not necessarily want to scramble around on. Still a bit of snow in this area so I doubt we could see the entire wreckage, but based on the size of the reported plane, I’m surprised that we only saw one large piece. Not nearly the size of the site behind Blodgett, but more substantial than the one along the Palmer trail. Grabbed some photos, placed a geocache, and started the trek back down.

Still somewhat shocked that we were able to find the site so easily, but just like the Atlas shows, the wreckage is right along the trail. Wish I was able to find out more about this particular crash, but not much available online.  Found reference to it being a B-24 but also could apparently be a T-33?  I will post comments if anything turns up on it.  Now the next challenge is to see if we can hike up and over Cheyenne Mountain using either the Swisher or MacNeil trails.  Think more about that one over a victory pint.