GCXVN1 Mountain Tragedy #1
Type: Traditional | Size: Regular | Difficulty: | Terrain:
By: TreasureT @ | Hide Date: 08/19/2006 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N40° 18.757 W105° 24.227 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 15

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This is the 1st in a developing series of caches about the history of tragedies and other events that have occured in and around Estes Park, Co.

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In April of 2002, while fighting the Big Elk forest fire, a firefighting aircraft crashed at the site of this cache. Both pilots were killed and debris was scattered across the mountainside. A small fire started after the crash but was quickly contained by firefighters in the area that watched the plane go down and rushed to the scene. Inside the cache, you'll find pictures from an eyewitness that show the plane break up, and descend on fire, a memorial to the pilots, the NTSB summary report of the crash and a news account from the day of the crash as well as (!) an actual page from one of the pilots checklists, recovered a few days after the crash, which has been laminated and placed inside this cache for geo cachers to see. (The orange color on the checklist page is the slurry chemical that was dropped by these planes to retard the spread of fire- which covered most of the site in the weeks and months after the accident).

Video and music tribute to the aircraft & crew: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a3f_1394451080

There are many small pieces of metal from the crash that still remain at the crash site.

From the parking lot, it is possible to follow the GPS 'as the crow flies' to the cache, which overlooks the site. On the way in, look for 4-6 large trees burned at their bases, at the bottom of the gulley which mark where the wing/engine landed, that separated from the aircraft as it descended.

We will add other caches to this series as time allows that offer a glimpse inside the unwritten history of this beautiful area of Colorado.

PLEASE! Leave the laminated items in the cache for others to see (there's only one checklist artifact!). Please let us know if anything is missing when you visit.

10/13/2018 By GotYour6
Kind of sobering to know two men lost their lives here protecting others. Thank you for placing this cache to memorialize them and the history of this area. Favorite point awarded.

07/20/2018 By Yoda'sTreasure
Whew! Its hot and dry out here. I thought it would be cooler up here. I am out from Aurora, CO.
Thank you for the fun hide. TNLN.

06/04/2018 By erush
Did not find. Lost cell service and several paths were closed. We tried finding other ways to get there but just could not get close enough

05/27/2018 By honicamonica
Thank you to the creator of this cache. Took our 7 year old and 11 year old off the path to find this one and to give them a history lesson on the brave men who lost their lives. Prayers to those men and their families ???

05/13/2018 By WillemvOranje
Onderweg naar Estes Park kon ik deze niet laten liggen. Mooi gebied. Ter herinnering.

11/04/2017 By Team MacGruber
We parked at the Lions Gulch trailhead. BONUS:bathroom! We enjoyed the short hike and had no trouble crossing the river, which was really low. The owner has done a really good job documenting the history. So we give a fav pt!! This is the first cache we have been to, where someone has sadly lost their life. Thank you for honoring this place.

10/02/2017 By Team Henger
Found it while it was snowing. Nice hike without a path.

TFTC
Greetings from The Netherlands.
Found it.

07/30/2017 By Barngineer
It's sad to think about the lives lost here. Evidence of the crash is all around this site: twisted metal, scorched trees, and an unnatural cleared area in the midst of tall pines. The encouraging news is that the forest is recovering and the clearing is full of ripe raspberries. Thanks for bringing me to this place of both tragedy and hope.

07/19/2017 By robuster91
all is well found right were the last cacher saiad it would be tftc robuster tnln

01/23/2016 By Path Pacer
Being a licensed pilot myself, the cache documentation made for an interesting read. I imagine the explosion came from the ruptured fuel tank when the wing separated. They never stood a chance. There's a reason we venerate firefighters in mountain communities.

The cache was just lying there out in the open, so I slipped it under a nearby fallen tree. You might want to check on it so make sure it's where you want it. Otherwise the cache is in good shape. Thanks!
Near the cache site

09/06/2014 By likestocanoe
We made the climb for this cache because of the history involved. We really enjoyed reading all the info included in the cache container. We are just sad that we have not found any other of your historic caches following this one. Thanks LOADS for the FUN! Giving this one a "Favorite Point".