Storm King Mountain

Working on a wildland fire crew has some obvious hazards and danger. The weather controls much of what happens with the fire and conditions can change in an instant. During my training in early '04 I learned about the South Canyon Fire that claimed 14 fire fighters lives on July 6th, 1994. I had never really thought about the dangers that came along with being a fire fighter until I learned about that fire and what those fire fighters had gone through on that fateful day. Several of the guys in my class talked about going and hiking the trail after the fire season since it was only in Glenwood Springs, CO which is about a 4.5 hr. drive from Provo. I wasn't able to go on the trip at the end of the fire season and 2 more fire seasons came and went without me making the trip.

This Christmas Shane and I hiked the memorial trail. It was great to finally fulfill that goal and pay respects to those that lost their lives.

The register was filled with wildland fire gear, crew stickers, line handbooks, shirts, etc.
There were crew stickers from each of the three crews I worked on. UFRA, SLC, and Provo Helitack/Helirappellers

To get the whole story go here. This is paraphrased for brevity.

The fire started on July 3rd, 1994 after a lighting strike caused incredibly dry vegetation to ignite. It was reported to the BLM but due to the fact that there were dozens of other fires burning across the state and western region, the fire was placed low on the priority list since it didn't meet the criteria to be placed on high priority. (Highest priority is assigned to fires threatening lives, residences, structures, utilities, and to fires with the greatest potential for spread.) Residences of Glenwood were nervous about the fire's proximity to some homes so resources were assigned to the fire on the evening of July 4th.
On July 5th, a helitack crew began to work on the fire after hiking 2.5 hours to get to it. They built a helipad (used as a landing spot for the helicopter) and began to build line to try and control the fire. The crew couldn't use the helicopter to do bucket drops since the helicopter would have to cross over I-70 to dip into the Colorado River and flying a full bucket over a major roadway was prohibited.

Smokejumpers parachuted into the fire that afternoon to join in the fight. The fire had crossed over the first fire line the crew had built so they began to build a line from a different location and continued to work until midnight.
The following morning more smokejumpers were dispatched and 10 firefighters from the Prineville Hotshots were assigned to the fire. (These firefighters had just finished fighting another fire and were reassigned to the South Canyon Fire.) Throughout the day the fire fighters worked to build the line. Increasing winds and fire activity along with 100 ft. flame lengths caused concern for the fire fighters. Around 4pm the fire spotted across the line and began to make a run up the face of the mountain. The fire spotted near the bottom of the mountain and the crew was working about half way down the face. Crews were concerned and began to seek shelter from the fire. 12 fire fighters were unable to outrun the fire and perished between 200-280 ft. from the peak of the ridge. 2 helitack members died when they were cut off from their crew and were unable to deploy their fire shelters.

The 35 surviving fire fighters found shelter in the east canyon or were able to deploy their fire shelters in a safety area.

The overlook facing the western slope. The fire fighters died near the top of the mountain. The "trail" you see on the face of the mountain is the fireline the crew was digging to prevent the fire from spreading further.

The trail goes up to an observation point but beyond that, you can hike to each of the sites where the fire fighters were overtaken by the fire. We only hiked to the observation point but we plan to go back someday and stand where each of the fire fighters fell.

Those that lost their lives include:
Prineville Hotshots: Kathi Beck, Tamera Bickett, Scott Blecha, Levi Brinkley, Douglas Dunbar, Terri Hagen, Bonnie Holtby, Rob Johnson, Jon Kelso.
Missoula Smokejumper: Don Mackey
McCall Smokejumpers: Roger Roth, Jim Thrash.
Helitack: Robert Browning, Jr., Richard Tyler

I'm so grateful I never had any cause to deploy my fire shelter and that I really only had one experience where I felt a little uncomfortable with the situation. I was able to work safely with my crew and learn so much about what it means to work to exhaustion while loving every minute, enhance my skills under pressure, and develop life long relationships with the people I worked alongside.

I don't talk about my fire fighting days much anymore. I'm grateful for the times where I can talk about experiences and explain the world I spent three summers in. Shane was awesome to listen to me reminisce as well as ask questions about wildland fire. It was during my time on the fire line that I solidified much of who I am today and I'm so incredibly grateful for it.