The Bizarre Contrails in the Idaho Daytime Sky

Is it a crab? Is it a spider in the sky? It’s some weird-looking contrails! I saw the formation driving one afternoon late last week. When I posted to Facebook, several other people shared their own pictures. What you’re seeing is probably far out to the west and over Owyhee County.

I solicited ideas on what caused the unusual display. The consensus appears to be pilots from Mountain Home Air Force Base. Perhaps practicing dogfighting. Owyhee County is sparsely populated and just south of the base in Elmore County. I’ve been out to Bruneau Canyon for sightseeing and spotted signs telling me there’s a bombing range there for the base.

Do they use live explosives? Help me out on that one. I couldn’t figure out if I was driving through the range or if it was off to one side. I didn’t detect any craters and there were other tourists using the same road (wouldn’t that make for an exciting vacation meme? I got bombed in Idaho!)

As for the contrails, I’ve had a lot of people over the years claim what we’re seeing is the application of chemicals to make us docile. A friend of mine is a retired Air Force Colonel. He once was the executive officer with the Thunderbirds. He’s about the most mild-mannered guy I’ve ever met but he blew his stack on my show when I asked about the conspiracy theory. “It’s called water vapor!” he shouted.

I wholeheartedly trust him as a true American hero. It’s water vapor.