How to Locate and Visit a 1952 CIA Plane Crash | Panamint Mountains | Death Valley, CA

Описание: How to Locate and Visit a 1952 CIA Plane Crash | Panamint Mountains | Death Valley, CA | Visit https://lasvegasareatrails.com/cia-pl... | An SA-16 Albatross plane involved in a joint CIA/USAF cold war mission crashed in 1952 and is now perched on the edge of a cliff in the Panamint Mountains on the West side of Death Valley, California. This video will provide vital historic facts along with how to visit the crash site and what’s involved in such an adventure.

The route begins at Towne Pass on Highway 190. From there ascend a steep 900ft slope, navigating huge volcanic boulders. Circle the ridgetop above Panamint Valley’s Dolomite Canyon, summiting a number of peaks along the way to the highest point: Towne Peak - 7,287ft. Descend to the crash site at 6,500ft. Return by the same route. Plan on 10-12 hours hiking over steep rocky slopes. The final slope to the crash site is radically steep with a large, exposed drop-off. Have good experience hiking terrain similar to Mummy Mountain’s Eastern approaches. On January 24th, 1952, one of the plane’s 2 engines failed somewhere near the Grapevine Range on the East Side of Death Valley. The crew of 6 bailed out at 9pm in the darkness over Death Valley. All survived. 4 hiked about 14 miles South to Furnace Creek. The plane continued, finally crashing on a ridge near Towne Pass where it remains today.

The Adventure Route

As you ascend the steep 900ft slope on the North side of Highway 190 at Towne Pass, you’ll find yourself weaving through a field of huge (6-15ft) volcanic boulders. There is no path, but it’s not too hard to carefully, step-by-step, find a way through the boulders.

At the summit of the ridge, take a moment to get your bearings. Directly to the North is the huge gaping Dolomite Canyon. The upper terrain above the canyon forms a huge crescent-shaped ridgeline circling around to the opposite side of the canyon. Sheer cliffs form the drop-off below the ridgeline. The ridgeline itself ascends about 5 high points to its highest point, the 7,287ft Towne Peak (“Towne Benchmark” on some maps).

Look carefully to the opposite side of the canyon where you will be able to make out the crash site. Surprisingly, there is a trail –very distinct in places—that will take you all the way to the crash site! Watch for the trail, but don’t depend entirely on it. Be guided primarily by the ridgeline. As a rule, navigate along the upper edge of the ridgeline where you will find the best route.

Here are the stats from my hike:

Overall Elevation Gain: 7,200 ft
Highest Point: Towne Peak (Towne Benchmark) – 7,287ft
Round Trip Distance: 11.97 Miles
My Travel Time: Around 8 hours, but plan for up to 12 hours of daylight.

The terrain all the way to the summit of Towne Peak is no more difficult than hiking the Charleston Peak trail, which in itself is a long challenging hike: https://lasvegasareatrails.com/griffi... This entire adventure will take about the same amount of time as the Charleston Loop. Plan for some significant ascents and descents along the way. This is where the real time expenditure and energy drain comes in. The entire adventure is wide open with expansive non-stop spectacular views.

The 1,000ft descent from Towne Peak to the crash site is steeper than the angle of incline you experienced on the way to Towne Peak. Now you’re getting into territory more similar to ascending Mummy Mountain: https://lasvegasareatrails.com/mummy-...

Begin by heading along the ridgeline below Towne Peak. Then, there’s the steep descent to the small saddle above the crash site. Just switchback your way down to the lower saddle.

Now begins the final descent to the crash site. It’s less than a quarter-mile, but very steep and exposed. The surface is firm dirt and there are foot placements all the way down except for a few slick exposed spots. Take it carefully, step-by-step. For me, ascending this stretch on the way back was far easier than the descent. This steep terrain is more like the final approach up East side of Mummy Mountain, but is much shorter: https://lasvegasareatrails.com/mummy-...

You’ll soon round a corner and there you are at the crash site! For the return trip back to Highway 190 and Towne Pass, just reverse the same route. The 1,000ft re-ascent to Towne Peak is the most difficult stretch, coming when you are already pretty tired. From Towne Peak to Highway 190 it’s fairly easy, and overall downhill. The high points along the way down are easier than they were during the ascent. The final descent to Highway 190 down the pathless, 900ft huge volcanic boulder-strewn ridge is the most difficult stretch of the return trip. But you can see your vehicle below as you’re weaving through the boulders.