Hey all,
For the more outdoorsy people here, I wanted to share an amazing hiking trail in the Sandias my family and I got to check out this past weekend. This trail is about 7-8 miles round trip and should take the average hiker maybe 6 hours, but plan for longer to be safe (we got lost at the top of the trail and only made it down to the car at 9pm, and I wouldn't want to face a bear or mountain lion in the dark!). I would heavily recommend hiking with at least one or two other people, bringing PLENTY of water, especially in this hot season, and wearing good running or hiking shoes with LOTS of tread.
In 1955, a Trans World Airlines 40-passenger flight crashed into a rocky pillar just below Sandia Crest after communications equipment malfunctioned (or the pilots conspired to crash the flight purposefully - nobody yet knows for sure!). All 16 people aboard the flight perished - 13 passengers and 3 crew - and much controversy was generated in finding an appropriate person to blame for the tragedy. The wreck site was cleaned up over time and later memorialized by the son of one of the victims, and all that remains now is various large parts of the aircraft strewn across the forest floor.
The hike to the crash site, following the Domingo Baca trail towards the crest of the Sandias, is a beautiful, serene trek into the foothills, starting above the Northeast Heights and climbing deep into a sheltered canyon directly below the cables of the tramway. The wreck site, nestled below the outcrop the plane collided with 85 years ago, is easily accessible from the lightly maintained and well-sheltered trail, and the whole journey is full of wonderful photo ops and places to sit and enjoy the mountain air. While most of the trail is well sheltered in the trees, a couple high points will give you amazing views of the mountains and the foothills all the way down to the city. The trail isn't exactly for beginners - unmaintained paths and some steep inclines require a fair level of fitness and proper gear - but don't be afraid to try it regardless of your skill level, as there's plenty of places to stop and rest and other hikers will often have helpful information about the trail ahead.
I'd also like to inform you all that the area may or may not be haunted - whether you're a superstitious person or not, it will feel slightly strange climbing to a place where 16 people died tragically and remained for days before their bodies were found, and it's worth approaching the site with respect and solemnity. On the way up and back down my group was wholly shaken by a couple of strange events, including finding an entire mountain lion skeleton, freshly abandoned and still bright white, stripped clean to the bone and spread across a 40 foot area in a clearing... not unexplainable, but a little bit nerve-wracking when it's just you and the rest of nature out there. Don't let the fear of the unknown put you off from attempting this amazing journey... but do be careful, and don't go alone!
