Note: Supervisor Steve Christy delivered these remarks at the December 4th meeting of the Pima County Supervisors to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Southern Arizona Rescue Association.
Several weeks ago, at my Rotary Club of Tucson’s weekly meeting, our program and speaker was author and community leader Cathy Hufault. She discussed her book, “Death Clouds on Mt. Baldy – Tucson’s Lost Tragedy.” The book’s subject is the haunting story of six Boy Scouts, ages 11-16, who started out on a hike to the top of Pima County’s highest mountain peak – Mt. Wrightson, also known as Mt. Baldy.
On a balmy, sunny November Saturday morning in 1958, the six Scouts built a base camp in Madera Canyon for an overnight stay and then began their 9,450-foot journey to the top of Baldy high in the Santa Rita Mountains. For various reasons, almost half way up, three of the boys decided to turn back and not go on with the trek. The other three continued upward, where a totally unanticipated and unpredicted freak and monstrous, record-breaking, winter snowstorm awaited them. As the up to 7 feet of snow piled down upon the mountain and the boys, the three who had continued on became disoriented and lost. The three others who returned below waited in deep fear and ultimately in vain, for their friends to return. And the snow continued its relentless falling.
The three Boy Scouts, coursing to the mountain’s top, never returned, thus igniting a massive search and rescue operation of epic proportions, never before seen in Pima County. More than 750 volunteers risked life and limb for weeks in the most cruel and hostile conditions, selflessly searching, desperately, all over Mt. Wrightson for the three missing Scouts. After three weeks of an exhausting, non-stop effort, quite by accident, the remains of the three missing Boy Scouts were finally and tragically recovered.
This gut-wrenching story speaks of three sets of parents and three families’ worst nightmares. Three fathers, each frantic with anxiety, worry and dread went through a living hell during this ordeal, only for it to end with their very young sons gone forever.
Three days after the boy’s bodies were found the following heartbreaking letter, written by one of the obviously deeply grieving fathers, appeared on the front page of the Arizona Daily Star.
To My Son on His Great Adventure
Dear Son,
Some people down here say that you were foolish to reach for the top of the mountain; that this was a task for a grown man.
I do not believe this. All kids at some time or other in their lives want to think that they are grown men ahead of their time and try to reach for the stars.
Some of your friends and mine tell me that you failed to reach your goal. Not so, your great adventure led you to the very top itself. Not the mountain, it is true, but to the very heavens.
You made the seven thousand foot level and God reached down and lifted you above the highest mountain to place you by his side. He took your soul but returned to us your body. For this, we thank Him.
I kind of believe the Good Lord was a bit short of Angels and seeing you already so high up merely reached down to lend you a helping hand to place you forever by His Side.
Adventure? This is the greatest adventure of all! No more rocky roads and snow- covered trails to stumble forward upon. Pity us poor mortals below with our trials and tribulations to come.
My son, keep a close watch upon the trail you left behind. Guide the footsteps of the children who will tread upon it in the years to come.
Your father and mother in due time will also walk the long trail to be with you forever. In your journeys over the broad heavens walk slowly and from time to time look behind you and call our names and if you hear footsteps turn your face every so often for it could be us, you father and mother.
The hand that holds this pen falters, the ink runs dry and the tears fall.
In the language you knew and loved so well, Adios, Adios,
Your Father and Mother
For this reason, lovingly expressed in this father’s anguished letter to his son and because of this terrible and tragic event, the Pima County Search and Rescue team was formed 60 years ago, almost to the day. This is why, here today, we honor the memory of those three lost Boy Scouts and the brave searchers who tried to find them.
