Looks like I have some work to do!
Historical aerial photos
- Thread starter Aerosled
- Start date
I'm going to guess they're some kind of weather station. I can't see anything that tips me off.
Nope, I thought for sure you would see something obvious there. maybe a 1/4 mile away. Think about the technology of the 1920s
From description of the one on Umtanuman ridge:
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1941 (JCS) 'STATION IS A STANDARD RED AND WHITE STRIPED... censored...WITH A CONTROL AND FUEL HOUSE AT ITS BASE. BEING LOCATED ON A PROMINENT HILL, IT MAKES AN EXCELLENT LANDMARK FOR 20 OR 30 MILES AWAY. SEE DESCRIPTION OF TRIANGULATION STATION WENAS. THIS IS AN INTERSECTION STATION.
Some kind of beacon? Still not sure what the hint is. Doubt it has anything to do with all the wind machines.
Correct! The one east of Ellensburg is located on Beacon Road.
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, MS Sans Serif]"In the early days of flight, there were no navigation aids to help pilots find their way. Pilots flew by looking out of their cockpit window for visual landmarks or by using automobile road maps. These visual landmarks or maps were fine for daytime, but airmail operated around the clock."
More here: http://www.centennialofflight.net/essay/Government_Role/navigation/POL13.htm
A clickable map with the US Airway beacons for the whole country. Zoom in then click on a dot to get the coordinates and other info. or click the satellite switch and zoom in.
http://surveymarks.planetzhanna.com/map-of-ngs-airway-beacons/ [/FONT]
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This one is between Chinook pass highway and White pass highway.
The cropped in photo shows a meadow in the lower right. There is an old Forest service cabin in the timber at the north end of the meadow. There used to be a Lookout on the ridge top in the upper left.
The cropped in photo shows a meadow in the lower right. There is an old Forest service cabin in the timber at the north end of the meadow. There used to be a Lookout on the ridge top in the upper left.
Timberwolf!
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Correct again. Did you see any Mountain Goats lying in the shade?
We would come up the Little Rattlesnake then follow the number 9 phone wire up and through the meadow by the cabin and on up to the lookout. You had to watch out and not hang yourself on the phone wire. It would always break in the winter and sag down between the trees.
Timberwolf MT. Lookout, 1972.
1931: L-4 cab. Destroyed 1975.
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I'm liking the old pics!
Still between the two passes. The bright white feature that runs north and south through the center of the photo is a ridge top. A lookout used to sit on that ridge just south of the lake just above center of the photo. You could look right down on the lake from the lookout.
Miner's Ridge!
Correct. In the early 70s the Forest Service got orders from the higher ups to burn all the unstaffed lookouts because they were considered to be an attractive nuisance. They were afraid someone would get hurt climbing them and sue. Miners Ridge was burned in April 1974. It was a two story L4 built in 1934. L-4 = standard 14 x 14 foot frame pre-cut lookout house built from 1929 through 1953, also known as an "Aladdin." It has a peaked roof, and wooden panels that are mounted horizonally over the windows in the summer to provide shade, and lowered over the windows in winter. Early models have a gable roof; later models have a hip roof.
1972 and Google earth:
The Last 2 photos ever taken of the Lookout: 1974
Copper City is just off the Bottom of the Aerial Photo. It looks Like the Old hotel finally Collapsed. It was leaning in 1969.
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Sometime after this photo was taken on the east slopes of the Washington Cascades an airstrip was built in the clearing that runs north/south in the cropped photo. It was closed to use as an airstrip in the early 70s due to concern over the decline of the local Elk herd.
It is shown on some old maps. It is a popular snowmobiling area. The old wind sock frame is still standing.
It is shown on some old maps. It is a popular snowmobiling area. The old wind sock frame is still standing.
Hint, It is between Ellensburg and Wenatchee.
I would have to guess its Naneum? As a matter of fact back in the early 70' my father had his private pilots license and once owned an old Piper Tri Pacer tricycle landing gear small airplane. I remember flying from Ellensburg over the mission ridge route to Wenatchee and him mentioning something about an old abandoned air strip near and area I call Jump Off Ridge.
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That's correct. It is the Naneum Airstrip. It's just east of the Four Corners where the Naneum ridge road and the Jump OFF Ridge road intersect under the giant power lines that are not in the old aerial photo.
Do you remember the descent into Wenatchee in your father's Tri Pacer? The Naneum Airstrip is at 5783 feet and it's only about 10 miles to Wenatchee. It can be pretty steep if you don't start descending right over Naneum ridge.
The landscaping has changed in the past 61 years.
The Airstrip then and now.
The wind sock pole and frame still standing May 2015
I cannot remember, I know that we landed at Pangborn Memorial Airport in Wenatchee. That plane was a fun plane to fly with a Short Take off and Landing kit installed. Keep the pictures coming!
There are two small lakes in this photo. They are just off the road of a very popular snowmobiling area for both Yakima and west siders. Anyone recognize the area?
Hint. This photo was taken from the road on the way to the road in the old aerial photo.
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