Today I hiked to the WW2 era-plane wreckage site on Blodgett Peak. There are two ways to get to the wreckage, through Rampart Range Reservoir or from the Air Force Academy. We took the Air Force Academy route. You need to find a friend with a military ID to enter the academy grounds. Enter the South Academy Gate (exit 150). Turn left onto Pine Dr. In about 2.4 miles, there is a fire station on the left; turn left here to W Monument Creek Rd. In approximately 1.1 miles, there will be an old road and small area for parking on the right. If you reach a gate, you have gone too far. Walk on the 713 trail. There is great signage for most of this hike. The 713 trails veers left at times but just keep following the signs. the trail turns into a dirt road following a power plant, it turns back into 713. At one point you cross another road that says "no trespassing", stay on 713. 713 does fork at one point. Stay on the trail more traveled and that has a giant stone arrow pointing in the direction you are supposed to walk. 713 eventually dumps you onto that road that you passed earlier, which said "no trespassing." I guess at this point the road is ok to trespass upon:)? Go right on the road until you reach the former site of a water tank at the base of Blodgett's Peak north ridge. It looks like a damn of sorts. Right there, we turn South. We crossed a small footbridge next to the water tank site and hike up the steep ridge about 1/2 mile, taking care to stay on the spine of the ridge. The wreckage is visible on the east side of the ridge about 25 meters below.
The Good: The hike has an interesting history behind it. On Feb 23, 1943, a USAAF c-49 transport aircraft crashed on the north slope of Blodgett Peak while in route from pueblo to Denver with no survivors. The C-49 was the designation given to civilian DC-3 aircraft which were pressed into wartime service after the US entered WW2. The wreckage site is still accessible nearly 75 years later.
The Bad: Oh, Blodgett Peak, you never cease to amaze me with your copious amounts of scree. While you are not actually summiting Blodgett for the hike, you still have to deal with the precarious loose rock that no other mountain does quite like Blodgett. Be prepared to fall on your bum at least once or twice during the last steep 1/2 miles of the hike.
The Bad: Oh, Blodgett Peak, you never cease to amaze me with your copious amounts of scree. While you are not actually summiting Blodgett for the hike, you still have to deal with the precarious loose rock that no other mountain does quite like Blodgett. Be prepared to fall on your bum at least once or twice during the last steep 1/2 miles of the hike.
The Beautiful: The rolling hills of the Air Force Academy are always a beautiful sight to see. There is also a dark but fascinating juxtaposition between the wreckage site and the beautiful rugged nature that surrounds it. The plane looks almost like a tin can pressed by the jagged edges of Blodgett. It is a reminder that nature is beautiful but unforgiving.
#blodgettpeak #blodgett #coloradosprings #airforce #localhike #dayhike#airplanewreckage #meetup
#blodgettpeak #blodgett #coloradosprings #airforce #localhike #dayhike#airplanewreckage #meetup
Blodgett Peak Plane Wreckage Hike---6 miles, 1600 feet elev gain, 3.5 hours
Today I hiked to the WW2 era-plane wreckage site on Blodgett Peak. There are two ways to get to the wreckage, through Rampart Range Reservoir or from the Air Force Academy. We took the Air Force Academy route. You need to find a friend with a military ID to enter the academy grounds. Enter the South Academy Gate (exit 150). Turn left onto Pine Dr. In about 2.4 miles, there is a fire station on the left; turn left here to W Monument Creek Rd. In approximately 1.1 miles, there will be an old road and small area for parking on the right. If you reach a gate, you have gone too far. Walk on the 713 trail. There is great signage for most of this hike. The 713 trails veers left at times but just keep following the signs. the trail turns into a dirt road following a power plant, it turns back into 713. At one point you cross another road that says "no trespassing", stay on 713. 713 does fork at one point. Stay on the trail more traveled and that has a giant stone arrow pointing in the direction you are supposed to walk. 713 eventually dumps you onto that road that you passed earlier, which said "no trespassing." I guess at this point the road is ok to trespass upon:)? Go right on the road until you reach the former site of a water tank at the base of Blodgett's Peak north ridge. It looks like a damn of sorts. Right there, we turn South. We crossed a small footbridge next to the water tank site and hike up the steep ridge about 1/2 mile, taking care to stay on the spine of the ridge. The wreckage is visible on the east side of the ridge about 25 meters below.
Today I hiked to the WW2 era-plane wreckage site on Blodgett Peak. There are two ways to get to the wreckage, through Rampart Range Reservoir or from the Air Force Academy. We took the Air Force Academy route. You need to find a friend with a military ID to enter the academy grounds. Enter the South Academy Gate (exit 150). Turn left onto Pine Dr. In about 2.4 miles, there is a fire station on the left; turn left here to W Monument Creek Rd. In approximately 1.1 miles, there will be an old road and small area for parking on the right. If you reach a gate, you have gone too far. Walk on the 713 trail. There is great signage for most of this hike. The 713 trails veers left at times but just keep following the signs. the trail turns into a dirt road following a power plant, it turns back into 713. At one point you cross another road that says "no trespassing", stay on 713. 713 does fork at one point. Stay on the trail more traveled and that has a giant stone arrow pointing in the direction you are supposed to walk. 713 eventually dumps you onto that road that you passed earlier, which said "no trespassing." I guess at this point the road is ok to trespass upon:)? Go right on the road until you reach the former site of a water tank at the base of Blodgett's Peak north ridge. It looks like a damn of sorts. Right there, we turn South. We crossed a small footbridge next to the water tank site and hike up the steep ridge about 1/2 mile, taking care to stay on the spine of the ridge. The wreckage is visible on the east side of the ridge about 25 meters below.
The Good: The hike has an interesting history behind it. On Feb 23, 1943, a USAAF c-49 transport aircraft crashed on the north slope of Blodgett Peak while in route from pueblo to Denver with no survivors. The C-49 was the designation given to civilian DC-3 aircraft which were pressed into wartime service after the US entered WW2. The wreckage site is still accessible nearly 75 years later.
The Bad: Oh, Blodgett Peak, you never cease to amaze me with your copious amounts of scree. While you are not actually summiting Blodgett for the hike, you still have to deal with the precarious loose rock that no other mountain does quite like Blodgett. Be prepared to fall on your bum at least once or twice during the last steep 1/2 miles of the hike.
The Bad: Oh, Blodgett Peak, you never cease to amaze me with your copious amounts of scree. While you are not actually summiting Blodgett for the hike, you still have to deal with the precarious loose rock that no other mountain does quite like Blodgett. Be prepared to fall on your bum at least once or twice during the last steep 1/2 miles of the hike.
The Beautiful: The rolling hills of the Air Force Academy are always a beautiful sight to see. There is also a dark but fascinating juxtaposition between the wreckage site and the beautiful rugged nature that surrounds it. The plane looks almost like a tin can pressed by the jagged edges of Blodgett. It is a reminder that nature is beautiful but unforgiving.
#blodgettpeak #blodgett #coloradosprings #airforce #localhike #dayhike#airplanewreckage #meetup
#blodgettpeak #blodgett #coloradosprings #airforce #localhike #dayhike#airplanewreckage #meetup
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