Another possibly faulty memory I have that I'd like to clarify...the last one regarding Steppenwolf in Trona was solved nicely by Doug P and Mack/Dakota Saunders...Thanks

Both my brother Ed and sister Mary Ellen have told me that they saw an X-15 parked in front of the Pioneer Point Motel at some point in the '60s. The X-15 program was based at Edwards during the 60s and flew a couple of times per month and ended in 68. It flew on a line that started at Wendover NV, flew over Beatty, and ended at Edwards. If you trace that on a map, it was usually over Searles Valley and the pinnacles. I bought a book recently that is a relatively exhaustive history of the x-15 and it has some photos of it being towed back to Edwards afer bailing out early at dry lakes between Trona and Nevada. It shows the convoy going through Death Valley, the sand dunes and what looks to me like Slate Range crossing, although it could be Walker Pass. It also shows it parked at a lonely desert chevron station which could be Brangwin's but I can't tell for sure. Does anybody have any memories or dates for Trona X-15 sightings?

One other X-15 question: The only fatality the program had was a crash close to Trona; a few hundred yards from Trona Road near Johannesberg in November 1967. Did anybody witness that? It came in spinning directly over the pinnacles.

Thanks

yes it did come thru trona. out by ballart was a emergency landing area the crash crew from china lake manned it when they was going to drop it, my husband was on the crash crew, but i can't remember if it landed there or over in death valley. i just remember that they had to train to get the pilot out in so many min. he was at china lake from 59-62 in the navy.
trona may be small but we did have some intresting things happen around there.

Mystery solved. It turns out that one of the three X-15 rocket planes indeed spent the night at the Pioneer Point Motel on or about January 12, 1962. Jim Haughton (everybody knows the Haughton clan, I assume) attempted to post a reply a few days ago but his browser froze in the process. Instead, he e-mailed me directly and the following is a cut and paste of his e-mail:

Hello John

Cruising thru upinflames recently and I came across your message board
posting re the X-15. I had a nice reply complete and lost it while trying
to "post it". Felt like ( as I have on many occasions) driving a 16 penny
nail thru the monitor thinking that might "pin it down".

Anyway, Ed and Mary Ellen are correct. (Is that a redundant statement? Ha!)
about their X-15 sighting. I remember it as if it were yesterday; although I
cannot even guess the year. Perhaps circa '61-63'?? I am reasonably
certain I was not yet driving, bur see it I did. Sitting on a flatbed
tractor drawn trailer in front of the Pioneer Point Motel on Trona Road
southbound. It seems like it was late afternoon and quite possibly it spent
the night. As I recall, I was able to go up to the trailer and check it
out. (Very likely a Patriot Act violation today) That is all That I recall;
although, I have several high clearance Trona sources that I will raise this
with when next our paths cross. I had forgotten about the X-15 that crashed
just off the Red Mtn Rd. I had been in school less than three months at
that time.

End of quote.
Based on Jim's message, I did a little more research, and ruled out every other X-15 flight except the one on Jan. 10, 1962. Here is a quote from my reply to Jim:

On the X-15 subject, you solved my mystery!

The first flight that had to make an emergency landing (not at Edwards) was on Jan. 10, 1962. The cause was engine failure and the plane landed at Mud Lake (near Tonopah, NV) without any damage. This is the flight for which I have photographs showing a trip through Death Valley and over Slate Range crossing. The previous flight to that one was piloted by Neil Armstrong, btw. The next flight to have an emergency landing at the same place was in November of '62 but that one rolled over and was heavily damaged.

There was a landing at Cuddeback in '64, but that wouldn't have come back through Trona.

The next emergency landing after that was at Delamar near Vegas, but that was May '66, which doesn't match up with your memory.

So therefore, I think it had to have been the Jan '62 flight. Do you mind if I cut and paste your x-15 related paragraph into the upinflames thread so that I can close it out? Let me know if you would prefer to just attempt another post yourself.

End of quote. Thanks for your attention, and please add your thoughts if you have memories of either this or the '67 crash.

Long Live Trona,
John R

Rockdale memory is sound! My sister Marsa and I lived at 206 Sage Street and all of us stopped and had a good look at the X-15 as we were returning from swimming at Valley Wells. I don't remember any one taking photos but my dad discussed it for quite a while.
Michael Voorhies

boy, I sure remember the x-15. I lived at 177 sutter street which was the same street as the pioneer point motel. It was a pretty exciting day for us, as we were told it was top secret and we would get in heaps of trouble if we told anyone about it. I was talking with someone about this at the reunion, and who ever I was talking with, didn't remember anything about the x-15. (maybe they still thought it was top secret) have a great day,Jerri