Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board September 11th - military jets overhead?

Two friends and I summitted on 9/11 in glorious conditions along with dozens of other people. It was a real party up on the summit!

We all noticed how many military jets were flying overhead. It seemed like there were a lot of them, every few minutes it seemed. Having been out in the wilderness since 9/8 without any contact with the outside world, we were concerned that some sort of terrorist activity had begun to commence the anniversary of September 11th and the jets were patrolling the Sierra areas (protecting our precious dams and water resources?).

Any ideas here?

Thanks,
mchiker

There are a lot of jets flying overhead maybe from the China Lake Naval Weapons Station near Ridgecrest.

Nah, probably just the usual US paranoia... pay no attention.
One can't go anywhere in the Sierra without hearing the drone of a jet or the whispers of the fear that lurks within us...

We were on top about 2:00 this past Monday a jet flew over us directly & a bit low. It was soooo loud at first we thought it was lightning practically blew one of our guys over as he was standing on the summit blocks looking over!!

Having spent 6 years in the Army during the 80's, I remember there were always joint exercises for all branches around the world during the month of September. Could be they still do this. Old habits die hard.
I was on the PCT trail from Horseshoe Meadows to Whitney last September and it was exactly the same scenario. Beautiful, peaceful surroundings and then......LOUD roaring jets for a few minutes.

Gary

This is normal for the Whitney area. They are usually F-18s from Lemoore Naval Air Station.

First time I was up there many years ago, two jets came roaring up the valley on the Sequoia side, rolled over on their sides, did a 180 right around the top of Whitney (where we were standing) and at just about the same altitude, and hauled-a** off in the opposite direction... Way cool.

When I worked at Chimney Peak Fire station (summer 1977, 78) we had a visit from a low flying jet one afternoon (6000' elevation). The plane was so low, I could clearly see the pilot with his helmet on (maybe 200 feet above the station).

Once over the station, he flew very low down (southbound) into a flat meadow area (as I recall). Eventually this flatland came to an end and the pilot quickly pulled up and out of there.

I thought for sure it was lightning (even though it was a clear day). Very cool, but very loud.

We see and hear military jets on every trip to the Sierras and Death Valley. The best time was when we were hiking Ubehebe Peak. A jet flew down the middle of the Racetrack Valley just a few feet above ground. We were looking down on him as he flew by.

better to see an F-18 flying overhead that a mirage -
gives me a security type feeling

wanna real treat - drive into Saline Valley on a weekday. see if your vehicle does not get a low fly-by - enroute to scoping life at the hot springs of course.

August '75 - On top of Franklin Pass having lunch. We had two fighters fly over the pass so incredibly low...maybe 50' off the deck...that our daypacks and hats were sent flying while we hugged the ground. Wow!

In the early 80's Ice Climbing in Grafton Notch Maine, we heard what we thought was the wind and hugged close to the ice. we then saw the fighter a few hundred feet away from the cliff and a few feet below us cutting through the notch.

At canoe camp in the early 70's on lakes in Northern Maine B-52s on practice bombing runs would swoop low over the lakes. If they came from behind you, a sudden shadow would overtake the canoe followed by a huge roar as they passed overhead!

WOW!

About 10 years ago, I was driving on a 2 lane road north of Lancaster when a B-2 came over a nearby hill, about 100' off the ground. Awesome sight.

It would have been an even bigger surirpse if we had not been driving to the Edwards AFB annual open house at the time.

Six years ago on this board, someone posted about having been in the Sierra in the Whitney area on 9/11. They were oblivious. I think they met some people the next day who clued them in as to what had happened in the "real world."

Whitney is below the R-2508 Military Operating Area (MOA) that extends from south of Edwards to near Bishop, and irregularly from near Vegas to around the Kern Trench. It is used for military tactical ir training. Probably the biggest MOA in the States. Main users are F/A-18's from Lemoore, F-16's from Fresno Air National Guard, and various types of aircraft from China Lake and Edwards.

Rules are that pilots have to maintain at least 3000 ft. above grond level over the parks. I just spent 16 days in the baccountry and observed a lot of jets - all of them adherring to the rules, but depending on atmospheric conditions - still loud.

I'm a retired 30 year Navy jet pilot with 9 years at Lemoore and 6 at China Lake. Admittedly, before standardized rules were implemented, it was quite common to fly low - really low - in the desert and wildnerness areas. One of those "not in my backyard" debates. Low level flying proficiency is a necessary but perishable skill for tactical aviators that must be maintained through actual get down in the weeds flying. However, it is disruptive for those on the ground. So where to you go to maintain those necessary skills?

Admittedly, I have a pro-aviation bias, but an F/A-18 or F-16 wizzing by at low level has always seemed kinda neat - even with the noise.

It's not only the military jets that impose a noise issue but also private planes. I was in the Convict Lake backcountry last weekend and until 9 pm at night, there were small planes buzzing around like mosquitos around Mt. Baldwin. It's noise pollution. Like many issues, planes need to stay in more travelled areas and allow those who seek solitude to do so. I'll be in the Grand Canyon in October and I know from experience that I'll face the same problem. Too many people trying to do what they like at the expense of others!

Ed

The noise was never a problem. Just seemed like a lot of traffic, was curious if the amount of air traffic overhead had anything to do with 9/11.

This goes back a few years, but I was on a ridge in Sequoia NF looking west down a canyon, when I saw dark streaming smoke dipping down below the ridge line. F4 - smokey things as they are, screamed by - the ground shook so much, the coffee in my Sierra cup sloshed out. I estimated about 50-100 feet above the tallest trees on the ridge. We collected ourselves and my hike mate said: "Now THAT"S the sound of freedom."