Places of Remembrance

In one of the worst tragedies in college sports history,
one of two planes carrying Wichita State football players, administrators, athletic staff members and team supporters crashed at approximately 3 p.m., Fri., Oct. 2, 1970, on
a mountainside not too far from Silver Plume, Colo.,
killing 31.

In honor of those who died that day, a wreath is placed during a brief ceremony starting at 9 a.m., every Oct. 2 
at the Memorial ’70 sculpture, a solemn yet uplifting site
of remembrance at the heart of WSU’s campus.

The “Gold” plane — a Martin 404 en route to Logan,
Utah, for a game with Utah State University — carried
36 passengers and a crew of four. Twenty-nine people
died at the scene. Trainer Tom Reeves and player John Taylor died later after receiving medical attention for their injuries. Survivors of the crash are players Mike Bruce, John Hoheisel, Randy Jackson, Glenn Kostal, Dave Lewis, Keith Morrison, Bob Renner, Rick Stephens and co-pilot Ronald Skipper.

The tragedy is the focus of a documentary, “Black & Gold: Remembering the WSU Plane Crash,” to be aired at
8 p.m., Oct. 8 on KPTS. Funding for the project was provided by the K.T. Wiedemann Foundation Inc., Delos V. Smith Senior Citizens Foundation & Center, Fidelity Bank and Fahnestock HV/AC Plumbing & Electric.

This summer, Wichita State alumna Carolyn (Howe) Harner ’65/68, who as a member of Wichita State’s marching band never missed a football game during her undergraduate years, hiked to the site of the plane crash on Mt. Trelease. In this open letter to Wichita State alumni and friends, she shares a description of the site 39 years after the crash — and makes a heartfelt offer to fellow Shockers touched by the tragedy.

— Connie Kachel White

A Hike in Memory of “My Football Team”

Let me tell you a little about a special trek of remembrance I made this summer in Colorado.

A music major, I graduated from WSU in 1965 and 1968. I was in the marching band for four years and never missed a football game during my time in undergraduate school. Today, I have a second home in Summit County, Colo., where I like to spend my summers.

There is a memorial along the side of I-70 in memory of the 31 people who lost their lives higher up on Mt. Trelease in the plane crash in 1970.  I always glance at it, summer or winter, as I drive by. All summer the water rushes down Dry Creek Gulch, and wild flowers grow around the marker.  In winter the snow covers most of the memorial, but I can tell how deep the snow is by how much of the cross I can see.

For years, I have been interested in hiking to the crash site. But I never met anyone who knew where it was. Then earlier this summer some friends of friends found it by accident. I made plans to go with my hiking friends on Aug. 10. We had sketchy directions, but we started off. We missed the trail to the crash site going up Dry Gulch, but as we came back down, we found it. The trail was very steep and difficult, but we kept going. It was a beautiful sunny blue-sky day when we saw the twisted metal shining ahead. I went first, and we had a moment of silence for those who lost their lives here.

There is still evidence of the fire that burned the plane. There are burnt trees in a circle around the charred metal. There are also young trees and beautiful wild flowers growing in the debris field. Visiting the site was a moving experience for me. I did not personally know anyone on the plane, but it was my university and I cared — it was my football team.

While hiking back down Mt. Trelease, I felt I needed to make an offer to my fellow alums. For those of you who have even more reason than I to visit the site, I am willing to serve as guide. It is a difficult hike, and you must be in shape and adjusted to the altitude to attempt it. It is the steepest hike I have ever done.

There is no trail marker, and not much of a trail. But if you are interested in trying it next summer, please contact me.

— Carolyn (Howe) Harner ’65/68