On October 6, 1955, United Airlines Flight 409 crashed near the top of Medicine Bow Peak, killing all 66 people on board (63 passengers and 3 crew) - the worst crash in U.S. history at the time. Once the bodies were recovered, explosives and napalm were used to destroy the remains of the plane. But according to Wikipedia, there are still parts of the plane scattered near the summit, which I looked for as I climbed to the top on August 13, 2007.
In southern Wyoming, near the border of Colorado, are the Medicine Bow Mountains. The Snowy Range makes up the heart of them. It can be accessed by taking Highway 130 west from Laramie, or east from I-80, near Walcott. After coming through from Laramie and camping one night, we loved the area so much that we returned a week later to camp at Sugarloaf Campground, the highest campground in the area (perhaps one of the highest in the country?)
It was surprisingly warm considering that the campground is at almost 11,000 feet, and there were still large patches of snow visible all over the surrounding peaks. When I woke up at 5:45 Monday morning to climb the peak, I was able to start out in a t-shirt. Though I had a sweater and a jacket with me, I never used either, even at the windy summit.
I started early, thinking it would take several hours to reach the top. The summit did look close, but then mountain tops always look closer than they really are, so I assumed it was many miles away. My map didn't have a scale, so I really didn't know how far it would be. After hiking down the road to Lewis Lake, I picked up the trail just as the sun was just starting to come up.
Fifty minutes after I left the van, I was standing on the summit. This was the fastest I have ever gone up a mountain, but not because I was rushing. It was only a little over two miles, and the trail was easy. I looked around and took my usual photo of my bare feet hanging out from the top.
I didn't find any of the plane debris, but what I did see was a total of 26 beautiful alpine lakes, all counted as I stood on one rock looking down. Rocky slopes, alpine meadows, lakes and dark green forests were laid out in every direction I looked. I noted where we would backpack and camp on our next visit, and what peaks I might climb.
After 15 minutes or so I headed down, meeting three other hikers along the trail, all of whom pointed out the fact that my wife and I missed the meteor shower the previous night. It was so early that one person assumed I had spent the night on the summit of Medicine Bow Peak to watch the shooting stars. Hmm... maybe next year I will.
I might also find the pieces of that plane crash that eluded me. But in any case, we'll be back here. The Snowy Range around Medicine Bow Peak is one of the most beautiful places we have camped.
Copyright Steve Gillman. To get a ebook on Backpacking Secrets (And Wilderness Survival Tips), as well as photos, gear recommendations, and a new wilderness survival section, visit: http://www.The-Ultralight-Site.com
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