WENATCHEE, Wash. — It's a strange sight: a hunk of metal mounted on top of a run that skiers and boarders come by to give a rub.
"A lotta locals will just come up to this spot they think is especially lucky right here. You can see it's a little shinier than the rest of the wing," said Tony Hickock of Mission Ridge Resort.
So apparently, it's a wing. But where did it come from?
In 1944, a B-24 Liberatory heavy bomber crashed during a training mission. The wing was placed on the mountain and people began rubbing it, believing it would bring good luck for soft snow.
In 1985, the legend got an unexpected boost when the wing was moved down to the lodge: it stopped snowing.
So seven years later, they put it back on the hill...
"It instantly started snowing again," said Hickock.
And it seems to continue to help snowfall -- just in time for Mission Ridge's 50th Anniversary.
Hickock said, "January 2nd we had 39 inches of new snow in 24 hours. Just absolutely mind-blowing -- one of the best days. People weren't just saying it was one of the best days of skiing or snowboarding, they were calling it one of the best days of their lives."
Mission Ridge continues to be known for its light, fluffy snow, sunshine and the beautiful view featuring the Columbia River Valley.
The place is even featured in a new film called "Lifted."
But the place continues to be best known for the bomber. And as you zoom past the site of the crash, Tony says it means a lot to remember that six Americans lost their lives here.
"In my mind, it's a little bit to pay tribute to the sacrifice that was made. And it definitely seems to have an impact for our snow."
