Hidden Splendor Airstrip - The San Rafael Swell of the early 1950's saw intense uranium mining activity from Tomsich Butte to Temple Mountain. The Hidden Splendor uranium mine was one of the most famous in Utah at the time. A contemporary of the world famous MiVada mine near Moab, it was started by Vernon Pick in 1952 and originally named the Delta mine. He extracted a million dollars of ore before selling the mine to Floyd Odlum for 9 million dollars and a converted PBY "Catalina" flying boat.
This Landing Strip was built during those years and has been used by aviators since that time.
Even though this area was heavily mined and has several historic roads, Hidden Splendor is now surrounded by Muddy Creek and Horse Valley Wilderness Areas.
Floyd's wife, Jackie Cochran, was the first woman to break the sound barrier, and a close friend of Amelia Earhart and Chuck Yeager. She holds more speed and altitude records than any other American. Floyd was an international financier and sat on the board of many prestigious research foundations. He helped develop the Atlas missile program, which launched the Mercury astronauts, and he and Jackie counted as their close friends many famous people. These included Presidents Eisenhower, Johnson, and Kennedy.
31 мар 2024
