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The $$$$$$$ from the plane primed the pump of the modern american climbing gear manufacturer. We would still be climbing in EB's, pounding in pins, using leather packs, scoring climbing clothes at the goodwill and driving around in old VW vans if this plane had not gone down when and where it did.

Ricknie...please tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. If it's about drug running and the old days lots of people will want one. Can I get one soaked in gasolene and dried out?

You already had one soaked in gasolene and dried out! Oh, that's right, you can never have enough.

Guyzo...you might be on to something. I can see a book that looks like its been tossed around and even a page or two with avgas/engine oil stains.

The purpose of this book is just that Guyzo, the truth.

"And the Truth will set ye free!"

LOL

Ricknie......give out a pack of rolling papers that have been soaked in H2o from the lake and 110 octaine AV gas....then some of the readers can experience the "AIRPLANE."

ShortTimer. "To much is just enuf"

All this talk about the "good old days" brings to mind
"The Oliver Moon Hotel"..........
and thoughts about Oliver...is he still around?

Guyzo..check your mail

Its been a while since I posted any update on this board.

So far I've interviewed almost two dozen people that were directly or indirectly involved in the crash. Climbers, SAR, Park employees, Rangers. They all have some great stories that for the most part will, at least I think they will, provide some enjoyable reading as well as some giggles about what went on back then.

And by the way, the story about the famous "Black Book"...well, some are true and some are pure bunk. The real story is more humorous than evil.

People are still contacting me by either email or via phone to tell of their stories.

Please, anyone out there that might want to tell some, let me know. If you know of anyone that was there then, pass my contact info on to them.

Thanks all

Alpinist mag did a fictional story spanning several issues that
is based on the facts of which you speak.

I've read both the article in Alpinist as well as Jeff Long's book, Lynn Hill's "Climbing Free", John Long's "Long on Adventure". I also found a three year old thread on ST.

Since Jeff's novel was just that, a novel, he took things to a level that although nicely written, it was not even close to what the real story was. I've talked to the auther of the Alpinist story, Kief Hlilsbery.

Thanks for the tips though.

Nevada Barr has a (fictionalized) murder mystery built around this incident -- she even uses the same lake. It's called (ahem) High Country.

i was living in the Valley at that time. Funny, i don't remember a thing. I guess its true what they say about POT .

Well its now been almost 2 1/2 years since I started my research on this subject. I honestly thought in April of 2005 that I 'd have the book finished and published for that up coming Christmas. As it turned out I am contacted at least three or four times each week with either more information, new information, or contradicting information.

An interesting example about the four guys that found the plane. Well the first four names that I received were never there. And, all four are still living, live and large as we speak. I've interviewed two of them within the past handful of months.

The plane was never what the Feds thought it was. Many would think that wouldn't matter, but in fact the plane was a highly modified WW II submarine hunter/killer. Its capabilities far out stretched a Lockheed Lodestar both in size and in performance.

I've managed to find the #2 guy in the drug group. He consented to a audio taped interview which lasted about four hours. He was responsible for staging the dope, acting as load master, and paying the pilot(s) (there were more than a dozen planes used). So he knew exactly how much dope was on board the plane when it crashed.

Right now I'm about 90% complete with my research. I'm still waiting for some paper work on the WW II history of the plane. I'm also going up to the lake and take some shots of the area as well as the trail where Jack Dorn fell from.

So stay tuned.....and if you have any thoughts, drop me an email.

would one be M. C.

Wallylongridge wrote:would one be M. C.

Wally you'll have to be a less crptic. Say....which paragraph are you referring to?

squishy wrote:Is all the information not coinciding because people don't want to talk about it, or because they talked to much and made most of it up?

First off its not all of the information. For the most part everyone has been very honest and forth coming, very helpful and down right friendly. However, and here comes the bomb, there have been a few that have told me stories that just don't add up. I'm not just talking about the climbers that made their way up to the lake. From the film industry to the drug organization to law enforcement, there have been stories that contradict each other and in some cases can't be supported by documented facts. So when I find this rather than discount it I ask myself, "Why is this so important to this person to tell the story the way they have"? It has now become part of the book. Whether it is misdirection on purpose or just due to +30 years of trying to remember what took place, it still is part of the story.

Well another year has passed and I am still compiling stories and data. The Feds have come forward with their sterile info as a result of my Freedom of Information Act Reqeust (FIOA). Yosemite was by far the best. They gave me just what I needed to get the time line of all the events into place.

More interviews are set up for next month.

I have found the guy that was responsible for determining if the plane was air worthy to fly to Texas for its modification from a WWII fighter/bomer to an executive aircraft. Since there were only 17 of these planes made, he remembers it. His brother was a pilot for one of the companies that owned it right after the war.

I also found the chief mechanic for the plane after it was modified and sold to the Republic Steel Company in Ohio in the 50s. After all these years, he too remembers the plane and its querks. I guess it was a real hot rod.

Since the cat is out of the bag regarding the plane type, if you are interested in seeing the only flying version of this plane, or older photos of it, do a Google on "Howard 500". Enjoy

And for those that knew Jack Dorn, he's figuring into this book as well. He had a colorful past before arriving in Yosemite. His family has a hell of a story to tell regarding the events following his death.