The remoteness of the Wet Mountain Valley extends to more than just the time, altitude, and distance required to reach the region, traveling along the jagged crust of the earth. The same remoteness of land also applies to the air for fixed-wing or rotorcraft. The Sangre de Cristo and Wet Mountains create their unique atmospheric conditions for aircraft, and, if possible, many lower-flying craft choose to go around rather than over these mountains. However, there are situations where time is of the essence to reach critical care and emergency facilities along the Front Range, and the Wet Mountain Valley is the fastest route to those urban areas. For years, the Custer County government has been working to build and install a jet fuel tank and…