2022-02-06, 06:12 PM
I also have a collection of the usual fighter jets (mostly F-18s) in the Death Valley region. Most are taken from Eureka Dunes. The most thrilling was several years ago. Julie and I were moving south on the spine. Two F-18s split apart, one on the west and one on the east. We were busy watching these two zoom past and well below us - we were looking down at them. We completely missed the third jet coming right up the spine just above us. The roar was incredible and we were both knocked off our feet and down into the sand.
The most amazing jet sighting was up near home here in the 1980's. The Royal Gorge of the North Fork of the American River is a not well known, but tremendous canyon. Snow Mountain at 8014 feet sits on the north edge of the canyon. The river is 4400 feet below. Julie and I spent many many trips backpacking in the canyon and this is where I first learned to flyfish. A much younger friend was extremely interested in abandoned mines. He enlisted our help in reaching a mine that was in a side canyon on the south side of the gorge. I located the old trail down. It was a hard, rough, descent, but the kid was thrilled with how intact everything was at the mine. It was like walking into a museum. The view down the "V" of the side canyon into the Royal Gorge was stunning; what wild rugged country. We were a thousand vertical above the American River. Relaxing at lunch, our feet dangling off the edge of the mine tailings, we were astounded by a growing roar of jet engines, not above us, but below. The ground began to shake. We stared down the "V" and watched a B-52 bomber fly down the Royal Gorge at least 500 feet below our elevation. I would have loved to have been in the Royal Gorge that day to have gotten a better view.
The most amazing jet sighting was up near home here in the 1980's. The Royal Gorge of the North Fork of the American River is a not well known, but tremendous canyon. Snow Mountain at 8014 feet sits on the north edge of the canyon. The river is 4400 feet below. Julie and I spent many many trips backpacking in the canyon and this is where I first learned to flyfish. A much younger friend was extremely interested in abandoned mines. He enlisted our help in reaching a mine that was in a side canyon on the south side of the gorge. I located the old trail down. It was a hard, rough, descent, but the kid was thrilled with how intact everything was at the mine. It was like walking into a museum. The view down the "V" of the side canyon into the Royal Gorge was stunning; what wild rugged country. We were a thousand vertical above the American River. Relaxing at lunch, our feet dangling off the edge of the mine tailings, we were astounded by a growing roar of jet engines, not above us, but below. The ground began to shake. We stared down the "V" and watched a B-52 bomber fly down the Royal Gorge at least 500 feet below our elevation. I would have loved to have been in the Royal Gorge that day to have gotten a better view.