DENVER — A procession honoring helicopter pilot Nicholas Dale, who was killed while supporting operations on the Gold Mountain Fire, is scheduled to travel across the state Monday morning.
Dale, 56, of Sooke, British Columbia, lost his life on July 12. He was flying a K-MAX helicopter when it crashed into Silver Jack Reservoir in Gunnison County.
His body was recovered from the submerged helicopter later that evening. The NTSB and FAA are investigating.
The procession will travel from Montrose to Denver International Airport and is expected to include seven to 10 emergency and official vehicles traveling with steady, non-flashing lights.
The convoy is scheduled to depart Crippin Funeral Home in Montrose at 7 a.m. and travel east along Interstate 70, passing through communities including Vail and Silverthorne before arriving in Denver around noon.
Officials are encouraging members of the public to pay their respects from overpasses and exit ramps along the route, but are urging people not to gather on or park along the shoulders of I-70 due to safety concerns.
