You don’t hear of planes landing on Colorado fourteeners, except the time a Cessna landed on Mount Sherman near Leadville, in January 1967. The charter flight on its way to Aspen ran into a winter storm. Extreme downdrafts forced it into an emergency landing. Mount Sherman’s summit is always windy and so rocky that a landing is not normally possible. But that day, it was deep in snow. The pilot brought the plane down with only minor injuries to all five on board. They did, however, suffer fierce winds and sub-zero temperatures for a day, before the weather cleared and a helicopter came to the rescue. At the time the FAA called it “…the most daring and spectacular mountain-top 'save' in aviation history.” A calmer way to experience Mount Sherman is on foot, as it’s one of the easiest fourteeners to climb - in good weather.
About Colorado Postcards
Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado.
