This trail is a memorial to those who did not. Amazingly, more than two dozen firefighters managed to get to safety. You've been working in the heat when suddenly you're running up this steep slope for your life. Among the mementos left at Brinkley's cross was a pair of skis.Īt the very bottom of these memorials is a moving poem on a plaque (read it below).Īs you hike back up with tears in your eyes, again try to put yourself in their boots. A few more steps this way and you'll find six more crosses honoring Tami Bickett, Levi Brinkley, Jon Kelso, Rob Johnson, Bonnie Holtby and Don Mackey. Some were right next to each other when the fire swept over them, taking their lives. Friends, family and even strangers have left binoculars, necklaces, a signal mirror, hats and other items.Ĭontinue hiking down the steep trail to the place where five more lost their lives: Jim Thrash, Kathi Beck, Terri Hagan, Doug Dunbar and Roger Roth. The high trail goes to an overlook, the low trail drops to the spots where the 12 smoke jumpers and hot shot firefighters were killed.įirst, you'll come to the memorial of Scott Blecha, 27. There are also other items like caps, sunglasses, baseballs, gloves and scarves.
At an unmarked trail split, you'll see trees covered in T-shirts, many from firefighters who've made the hike here to remember the fallen. However, Imagine this climb with no stairs, 30 to 60 pounds of gear and July temperatures.Īt the top of the rise, turn right. There are stairs to assist visitors in making the climb. The trail is still as rugged and steep today as it was for the firefighters that day. The trail drops into a valley below the observation point, then it begins a 500 foot vertical climb over the next half mile. You can stop here, but the trail continues on. Now imagine trying to run for your life up that slope. The firefighters carried 30 to 60 pounds of equipment each.
In 1994, the slope was covered with 15-foot oakbrush so thick it was almost impossible to walk through. Along the way, there are signs about other fires in the area and a sign that explains what the area looked like in 1994 and how the winds blow in this valley.Īt the observation point, look across the valley at the place where the firefighters were building the fire line for the South Canyon Fire. The trail is quite steep at times, climbing about 700 vertical feet in one mile. The hike starts with a 1-mile trek to the observation point. At the trailhead, hikers will find several signs explaining what went wrong on Jand the stories of the people who lost their lives that day.
The trail starts near Interstate 70 about 5 miles west of Glenwood Springs. They also tried to outrun the fire and were overcome.Ī trail has been built on Storm King Mountain as a tribute to these 14 men and women. Two more firefighters were 0.3 miles away working at a helispot. Two minutes later the fire reached the ridgeline and overtook 12 firefighters. the fire was below a crew of firefighters walking out to the west flank of the fire. The trail guide at Storm King says between 4:14 p.m. On July 6, 1994, some 50 firefighters were fighting the South Canyon Fire on Storm King Mountain near Glenwood Springs when suddenly the winds shifted and increased and the fire blew up. In 1994, a group of wildland firefighters from Oregon left their homes, their families and their friends to come to Colorado and save lives and property from an out-of-control wildfire. As hundreds of firefighters from Colorado and other states fight multiple wildfires in Colorado, Friday will mark the terrible day that 14 firefighters lost their lives battling a Colorado wildfire.
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