Just another nice day over the Mojave

On Mon, 11 Oct 2004 16:01:43 GMT, "Casey Wilson"
wrote in H7yad.4076$ua2.695@trnddc09::


"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 11 Oct 2004 06:40:14 GMT, "Eric Fletcher S.O.C."
wrote in ::

On 10/9/04 6:39 PM, in article
,
"Larry Dighera" wrote:

Have you ever explored the remains of General Patton's WW-II Desert
Training Center in the Mojave?


Where might that be and what is their to see there?


The DTC was created in April 1942 shortly after the seven simultaneous
Japanese attacks against Pearl Harbor, Malaya, Hong Kong, Guam,
Philippines, Wake Island, and Midway Island. This is where the first
US troops to fight in WW-II were trained to invade North Africa to
prevent Rommel from reaching the oilfields of Arabia. It covered the
western desert from Yuma to Searchlight and Pomona to Prescott, 12
million acres in all. In the desert climate the evidence of the
divisional campsites still remains today.

Here's a link with pictures of the DTC today, and a Sky Trail (similar
to a nature trail) that the Bureau of Land Management is creating for
GA pilots:
http://home.worldnet.att.net/~SkyTra...disclaimer.htm
. The username is: dtc, and the password is: blm. Click 'Pilots
Guide' on the right of the banner to see the sky trail. There is also
information he http://www.pilotgetaways.com/skytours/index.html


Holy Cow, Larry!! I've landed at Chiriaco Summit (L77) a few times and
flown over some of the DTC. I knew it was extensive, but I didn't know
anything about the Sky Trail scheme. I'll have to plan the whole shebang
next time I head for Bullhead City.

I think you'll find the DTC Sky Trail interesting. Camp Ibis (near
Bullhead) is particularly unique, and Rice has both a divisional camp
and aerodrome. That is an ideal venue for a surface based visitor
center, especially if we could open one of the runways. The BLM used
to own Rice, but they traded it for Essex a while back, so that might
now be a candidate site for a visitors' center also.

Some words of caution worth reiterating for those who haven't flown over
the desert. The first two are Density Altitude. Don't expect typical
performance on a warm day. Like the narrative said, it does get bumpy. I've
never experienced moderate turbulence along that route, but sometimes
passengers react poorly to constant light bumps. When that happens, I
usually climb up a couple thousand feet and it is generally much smoother.

On a clear day (which is the rule in the desert) you can get a good
comprehensive view of an entire campsite all at once from an altitude
of ~9,000', but to see the details on the ground (such as the relief
maps and reservoirs) you need to be down low. Be sure to check with
FSS for MTR activity; we wouldn't want anyone to end up splattered all
over the landscape by a military jet like poor Jacques Olivier.*

On the ground, you'll find many mosaic insignias and other interesting
details. I have been successful in getting permission from the
Metropolitan Water District to use Iron Mountain airport to walk the
remains of both camps in that area. Camp Iron Mountain is probably
the best preserved of them all, as its perimeter is armored against
OHVs with chain link fencing.

And drink lots of water, the air out here is very dry all year long. Well,
except near the river where the humidity can stay over the 90% mark at
midnight.
Great information, Larry. What can the GA community do to help push the
Sky Trail scheme along?

Anyone who wishes to propose the creation of a sky trail should
contact the local US Department of Interior Federal Bureau of Land
Management specialist for the location:
http://www.blm.gov/nhp/index.htm .

AOPA has also been receptive to the sky trail idea, and is willing to
provide a letter of support for their creation. The California
Pilot's Association is also supportive of the idea, so I would expect
pilot's associations in other areas would be also.

Draft a proposed sky trail route and supporting documentation; submit
it along with endorsements from other interested parties; work with
the BLM in drafting a grant proposal, and wait....

Seems I remember someone plotting the Chisolm and
Oregon Trails not long ago.

Those sound like worthy projects.

Here's a link to the original sky trail that gave me the idea:
http://www.avweb.com/news/places/182379-1.html

How about starting a new thread on that subject line.

I'll leave that to others who are motivated enough to actually do
something about it. Thanks for your interest.



*
http://www.ntsb.gov/NTSB/brief.asp?e...12X22313&key=1