High Sierra Topix

While exiting the first section of the SHR last week I came across some plane crash remains at the bottom of the ice field below Echo Col. I've seen several photos of how this snow/ice field has been melting over the past 10 - 20 years but I wasn't aware of this wreck.

The AFRCC website has it is listed as a Mooney that crashed on Feb., 16th, 1980. I found the obit for the pilot and it looks like he was a prominent physicist named Robert V. Pole. There must have been a bad storm at that time because another small plane went down nearby in the Sierras on the same day.

The ice is almost completely melted away after such a mild winter and almost the entire summer to thaw. The plane looked to be in very good condition considering it's been there for 32 years.

I'll post a TR from the SHR trip, but in the meantime here are a few photos of the wreck.

Wow, that's amazing and kind of eerie. Looks fairly well preserved from being under all that ice for over 30 years. Being a pilot I'm always interested in this kind of stuff. Thanks for sharing.


Ladd

DriveFly44 wrote:Wow, that's amazing and kind of eerie. Looks fairly well preserved from being under all that ice for over 30 years. Being a pilot I'm always interested in this kind of stuff. Thanks for sharing.


Ladd

Thanks Ladd. It was definitely a somber scene. I always wonder why people fly over the Sierras during stormy conditions. As a pilot do you think it is safer to fly these days?

Bluewater,
How apropos. I felt as if I'd survived a plane crash on my only transit of Echo col. Those remnants would not do my confidence any good, but Echo is way off my radar!
cg

cgundersen wrote:Bluewater,
How apropos. I felt as if I'd survived a plane crash on my only transit of Echo col. Those remnants would not do my confidence any good, but Echo is way off my radar!
cg

I couldn't agree more cgundersen. The hike/down climb on the north side of Echo Col is a little sketchy at times. I was coming from the south/JMT side and the climb up the opposite way would be tough! Were you going towards Lake Sabrina?

Bluewater wrote:

DriveFly44 wrote:Wow, that's amazing and kind of eerie. Looks fairly well preserved from being under all that ice for over 30 years. Being a pilot I'm always interested in this kind of stuff. Thanks for sharing.


Ladd

Thanks Ladd. It was definitely a somber scene. I always wonder why people fly over the Sierras during stormy conditions. As a pilot do you think it is safer to fly these days?

I think overall it is but so much of flying safety is not getting into those situations. I've always lived by the old saying.....there are old pilots, and bold pilots. There are no old bold pilots.


Ladd

DriveFly44 wrote:

Bluewater wrote:

DriveFly44 wrote:Wow, that's amazing and kind of eerie. Looks fairly well preserved from being under all that ice for over 30 years. Being a pilot I'm always interested in this kind of stuff. Thanks for sharing.


Ladd

Thanks Ladd. It was definitely a somber scene. I always wonder why people fly over the Sierras during stormy conditions. As a pilot do you think it is safer to fly these days?

I think overall it is but so much of flying safety is not getting into those situations. I've always lived by the old saying.....there are old pilots, and bold pilots. There are no old bold pilots.


Ladd

That is great. I almost woke up my wife from laughing. I'm hoping to eventually be an old bold backpacker.

Andy.