mtn-man's Web Site

"Warthog Down"

In early May of 2004 we went to Las Vegas. Several of the folks we knew had been talking about meeting and going caching. As a joke I posted the Warthog Down geocache as a great target. Well, several people thought it was a great idea! Over time a quest was born and we began to pull together the "high mountain adventure cache" trip. I called it the "high mountain insanity cache"!

Just before 9-11-2001, an A-10 Warthog Jet went down here in the mountains. A friend of a cacher witnessed the crash and called his geocaching friend. The military began to remove the plane parts, but after 9-11 they pulled out. The pilot ejected and was safe. Much of the plane was left on the mountain.

The trip was spectacular! This was my favorite virtual cache ever.
The photo above is the view from the cache location. Click on any photo to see a larger image.

Leprechaun eases down the hill.	Making the turn, the road ahead.	Danger Lep! Can't you read? Too bad the gov't can't spell!
The group heads up the lower gully area.	Starting up the first big hill, looking back at the group below.	Looking back about halfway up the first steep hill climb. WOW!
The view from the top of the first steep hill climb.	Panning right, the geology in the area is absolutely amazing.	Desert cactus in bloom, cool!
Making our way down the first hill.	The first piece of wreckage! In the upper center part of the pic.	A more close up version. It looks like a wing section.
Me at the cache target!	Burned shrubs from 9-2001.	Cach-U-Nuts with plane parts.
TIGER SHARKS!	Leprechauns with the cache!	Snapping pics -- note how steep.
And MORE pictures!	Posing for the money shot.	Closer in on the first found part.
Engine cowling way down below.	Chris checks out the engine part.	The river crossing felt good!