Stevie Ray Vaughan Crash Site and Memorial at Alpine Valley

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Stevie Ray Vaughan was a legendary guitarist with the band Double Trouble. He was performing at Alpine Valley Music Theatre on August 25 and 26th, 1990, and in the early morning hours of August 27, 1990, a helicopter carring Stevie Ray Vaughan and 4 others crashed into a ski slope at Alpine Valley Ski Resort less than a mile away. Today, we will explore the site, try to find the exact location of the crash and Stevie Ray Vaughan's death, as well as the memorial that was put up on the ski hill in tribute. I did receive permission from the ski resort to be on this property and search for the crash site as well. If any of you want to make this pilgrimage, I suggest obtaining permission also as they are very nice about allowing fans on the property to pay respects.
#stevierayvaughan #srv

[@darrenandreina2652]

The fog was so thick I could hardly see my friends next to me, I made it up to the stage for sweet home chicago. They broke up a song on the radio next morning to tell us all. We pulled over and cried.

[@porico51]

Talent like his comes along once in a lifetime. What a loss to the music world. Cant think of anyone any better than Stevie Ray.

[@DeeTee79]

Thank you for Sharing this. SRV is the reason I started playing guitar over 30 years ago, and he continues to inspire me today. I am just a little upset at the size of the marker. I would have expected a larger plaque.

[@Randystites66207]

I was at that show. I have a replica of his Fender Stratocaster. He and EVH are my favorite guitarists. Alpine Valley is a GREAT place for concert. Being surrounded by the hills makes for fantastic acoustics. Just suck walking up and down the hill to get a beer.

[@RobertFairweatherMusic]

I was up there about a month ago. It's beautiful this time of year and so serene. I left a few picks on the hill. RIP SRV

[@FreyzelProductions]

It really is. I did get chased by a groundhog there though.

[@RobertFairweatherMusic]

@@FreyzelProductions I saw a group deer up on the hill with me. They didn't chase me though...but it would have been a cool story. You survived the groudhog attack...good on you.

[@Say_No-2_Animal-Abuse_]

​@@FreyzelProductionsHahaha! Over & over or just once?

[@sixstringer649]

@@FreyzelProductionsI got chased by a dog when I was putting up the plaque lol!

[@tomlichnofsky.7048]

RIP Stevie Ray 😔

[@leighsayers2628]

Listen to him every day ..loved his music and his style .. Thank you .. from Australia...

[@1CathyHendrix]

Great video! Excellent! Such a tragic event. You climbed to the top and was not even breathing hard. I would have been gasping! LOL. Thanks so much for taking us here. Tragedy aside, that is a beautiful area. Hope you are enjoying your Memorial Day weekend and God bless!

[@FreyzelProductions]

I did have to stop and rest a few times 😂

[@ericgmanmusic]

I skied there today. Talked to an older security guy that was outside the chalet. He said there was a more grand memorial but someone stole it. He also said he was working security at the concert along with his brother. He left just before the helicopters took off, but his brother stayed and was one of the guards that got everyone on the helicopters. Probably the last one to see all those guys alive. His brother was the one that all the news people interviewed. I also asked him why no one heard the crash. He said at least one guy did, but he was pretty drunk so nobody believed him. Just a sad event. I saw SRV at the concert before Aline Valley. Just awesome to see live.

[@Say_No-2_Animal-Abuse_]

I read on Quora some years ago, a guy said as he was in the line of cars leaving the venue, he & his buddy felt a small/light shake & heard a faint "Boom" they brushed it off assuming someone set off one of those big fireworks... another personal account was from a woman working one of the beverage/food buildings said she felt a light short lived shake. 🤷🏻 A Google search led me to these two stories...I had to dig though...& Use all sorts of questions to get there. Such a sad & profound loss.

[@sixstringer649]

Hi, I am the one who put up the plaque...After SRV's death 34 yrs. ago My husband and I went there and put the plaque up.. I didn't ask Alpine if it was ok to do it so I just put a small one up hoping the resort wouldn't notice it and take it down. I was shocked to find a couple yrs. ago that it was still up after 32 yrs.. but after there were pics of it on the internet someone did go and steal it last yr.. so last yr. I put a new one up, but a couple hills aways from the original crash site so it wouldn't be found that easy.. I am going back this Aug. 2024 to put another one up on the original crash site but still keeping the other one up in case someone steals this new one.. Not putting anything large up because too easy to see it and steal it again... But I am so glad that people have appreciated the plaque. For like 32 yrs. I didn't even know it was still up there.. Now that I'm older I cant hike up that hill anymore LOL! So I have my son put it up for me... So far Alpine lets me keep it up there....

[@ericgmanmusic]

@@sixstringer649 thank you for all your efforts! It’s too bad the owners have not done anything as a memorial. I’ll be back this winter and look for it!

[@sixstringer649]

@@ericgmanmusic Thank you. Hopefully this one will not be stolen.. I have to get in shape just to walk to the hill LOL! I'm 74 yrs. old now it was way easier 34 yrs. ago LOL!

[@sixstringer649]

@@ericgmanmusic Thank you.. Yes sad the resort did nothing...

[@emceeb2485]

Thanks for sharing. I was born at the same hospital he was as we must have lived just a few miles from each other at that time before my family moved from OakCliff. I visited his grave since. I hope I can visit this area. RIP SRV. ❤🎵🎸

[@mattyq9130]

Thank you so much for this video. So very sad, what a huge loss he was and continues to be. A loss to music and the world.

[@srvcoldshot]

I visit Stevie often. My dad grew up just miles from the Vaughan’s & played guitar too RIP

[@gearheadgregwi]

Just was reminiscing today. It has been 33 years. Hello to fellow Wisconsinites. I'd like to think he was met by Buddy Holly and had a talk about Wisconsin venues. 😢😢

[@andypritchard9644]

I drove by here twice on a trip to the area last month. They have a disc golf course adjacent to the hill and I wanted to do this so badly but couldn't squeeze it in. RIP Stevie Ray, what a legend.

[@cosmos7492]

Very interesting video thank you Jeff enjoyed it as always

[@FreyzelProductions]

Thanks Cosmos! I appreciate that!

[@ravensbrood3544]

Stevie was the White Jimi.👍

[@FreyzelProductions]

💯

[@dustybellamy5670]

The first time I skied buddy and I pulled into this parking lot and it was just like how freaking mountain I'm like we're skiing on I need to come to find out this is where Stevie Ray Vaughan passed. It's definitely a cool place but what a tragic Loss

[@Twin_Maples]

I was at Alpine Valley last week (Jan 2024). At the end of my ski day, I was talking to staff at the ski hill and one of the guys showed me a picture of the new marker. Apparently, the oldest one was stolen? The gold one you saw was the second marker I think. The newest marker appears to be larger in size and is a piece of metal art work. It is silver/nickel colored and shaped as sVr, with the s and r being smaller than a 3x sized V. All letters upper case. I cannot find a picture of it on the internet, but the guy showed it to me from a picture on his phone.

[@sixstringer649]

Hi, I'm the one who put up the plaque... After SRV's death My husband and I went there and put up the plaque. I didn't ask the Alpine resort if it was ok to do it so I just put a small one up hoping the resort wouldn't notice it and take it down. I was shocked to find a couple yrs ago that it was still up after 32 yrs.. but after there were pics of it on the internet someone did go and steal it last yr.. so last yr. I put a new one up, but a couple hills aways from the original crash site so it wouldn't be found that easy.. I am going back this Aug. 2024 to put another one up on the original crash site but still keeping the other one up in case someone steals this new one.. Not putting anything large up because it's too easy to see it and steal it again... But I am so glad that people appreciate it and actually go and see it..

[@chumdog90]

I'll never forget when that crash happened.

[@privatename123]

I was backstage at that show. Met Jimmy and his girlfriend. Just missed running into Clapton. Had no idea anyone would try to helicopter out of there, as the fog was so thick. What a damn shame.

[@Whitman1819]

Yeah, terrible. I live in the area and was supposed to go to the concert with my buddy and had to work instead...told him I'd catch SRV next time around...how wrong I was...

[@lisablake5328]

Aerosmith is retiring after their last tour thanks for the video and Happy Memorial day

[@CrazyHenkie777]

Nice video, thank you very much.

[@bretthumphrey6821]

Thanks

[@rossincognito273]

Great video

[@kimberleypauley4696]

I can't believe there wasn't a better memorial erected here for Stevie.

[@Say_No-2_Animal-Abuse_]

Agree. He was/is the GOAT!

[@sixstringer649]

Hi, Actually Alpine Valley did nothing.. Sad ! So after SRV's death My husband and I went there and put up the plaque. I didn't ask Alpine if it was ok to do it so I just put a small one up hoping the resort wouldn't notice it and take it down. I was shocked to find a couple yrs ago that it was still up after 32 yrs.. but after there were pics of it on the internet someone did go and steal it last yr.. so last yr. I put a new one up, but a couple hills aways from the original crash site so it wouldn't be found that easy.. I am going back this Aug. 2024 to put another one up on the original crash site but still keeping the other one up in case someone steals this new one.. Not putting anything large up because too easy to see it and steal it again...

[@Say_No-2_Animal-Abuse_]

@@sixstringer649 Bless you. His mom would appreciate that. They all would. Alpine SHOULD put up something big, I think. It's almost like a Tourist attraction. 🤔 He was amazing.

[@sixstringer649]

@@Say_No-2_Animal-Abuse_ yes I would think so too but they never did. Just waiting for the new plaque to get here. Hoping I can get it up before Aug. 27th..

[@aircraftnut15]

He doesn’t even have a monument that’s sad. Music legend and all he gets is a tiny piece of metal nailed to a light pole and a few posters. WOW 😡🤬

[@michaelcarter5]

He has a monument in Austin where he was from.

[@aircraftnut15]

@@michaelcarter5 yeah but not one where he died

[@sixstringer649]

Hello... Actually Alpine Valley never put anything up which I thought was so sad..So after SRV's death 34 yrs. ago my husband and I went there and put up the plaque. I didn't ask Alpine if it was ok to do it so I just put a small one up hoping the resort wouldn't notice it and take it down. I was shocked to find a couple yrs ago that it was still up after 32 yrs.. but after there were pics of it on the internet someone did go and steal it last yr.. so last yr. I put a new one up, but a couple hills aways from the original crash site so it wouldn't be found that easy.. I am going back this Aug. 2024 to put another one up on the original crash site but still keeping the other one up in case someone steals this new one.. Not putting anything large up because it's too easy to see it and steal it again...

[@sixstringer649]

When I originally put the plaque up 34 yrs ago i wasn't sure which hill it was, so my husband and I actually hiked all the way up the biggest steep ski hill UGH! only to find the crash site was on another hill! So we hiked back down and then back up the other hill ... I thought I'd have a heart attack LOL!

[@FreyzelProductions]

Thank you for that and I felt that. I thought I wasn’t going to make it up the second hill 😂

[@sixstringer649]

@@FreyzelProductionsL! Now I'm 74 yrs. old and I have our song climb up to put up the plaque LOL!

[@dgaz3057]

They should make a museum like they did buddy holly, I'll even donate a hand make SRV strat replica.

[@m.scottreeder]

There is a bizarre personal experience of mine that I went through when it came to the deaths of Stevie Ray Vaughn, and John Bonham of Led Zeppelin. Long story short, when the news broke about Vaughn, I caught it while out cruising around Montgomery, Alabama. I was just about to get on the Southern Bypass when the local rock station, WXFX-FM 95.1 The Fox, announced over the air about the crash. But go back several years before that. While in Montgomery, and again riding around, the local rock station then, WLSQ-AM 950, announced the death of John Bonham. I was listening to Bob Seger’s “Still The Same” before the DJ broke in.😢

[@saorsa5]

So sorry to hear you seen kiss live i wouldn't wish that on anyone

[@FreyzelProductions]

😂

[@danielpetty1827]

What a measly memorial marker... And they put up so high only Bigfoot could read it

[@sixstringer649]

LOL! yes it is small. but for a reason.. Alpine Valley NEVER put anything up. So right after SRV died my husband and I hiked up the hill and put a marker on the ski pole. I didn't ask permission from the resort to put anything up so i put up something small and kind of hard to find so the resort would'nt notice it and take it down. It stayed up for 32 yrs. until 2 yrs. ago when someone stole it.. So Last yr. I went there again and put the one up that is in the video. i once again put it up high , my son did it LOL!, where it would be harder to find, so no one would steal it and small again so the resort wouldn't say anything. Now that I'm older I cant hike up the hill anymore so my son went up there with me and put it on the pole up high so no one would be tempted to take it again.. It is sad that the resort never did anything.. So I ordered a new one a bit larger and am going back there in a couple weeks to put it on the actual crash site hill. but I will still keep the other one up in case someone takes this one again... So that's why is it small and hard to find...LOL!

[@inlakesh555]

There are bigger plates on donated parkbenches than the one for SRV

[@SalTalavera-tj2qy]

Painful.....

[@lisablake5328]

They could of mafe a bigger monument ty Jeff

[@FreyzelProductions]

I kind of wonder why there isn’t something bigger. It took forever to find but I’m glad they allow people on the property to see it.

[@Say_No-2_Animal-Abuse_]

For the 4th time, lol, Alpine didn't put anything there. They should've. But a female fan put that one up.

[@Bassman-gx2ex]

@@Say_No-2_Animal-Abuse_ "DOESN'T ANYONE NOTICE THIS? I FEEL LIKE I'M TAKING CRAZY PILLS!"

[@LoveBandit1000]

I drove 9 hours to see The Dead there in 1988 and right before the show the Dead coptered into the stage area and their pilot was being somewhat reckless IMO. I remember recalling that observation when Stevie died there 2 years after that show....

[@scottscott2372]

Dirt was poured on top of Alpine Valley ski area in the 1980s to increase the size of the hill from 288 feet to 388 feet. Did the pilot know that?

[@Say_No-2_Animal-Abuse_]

I heard, he wasn't familiar with the area at all. Not to mention, unqualified to fly a helicopter at night. Should have never been put in charge of that task...at all.

[@johnstrange6799]

Maybe you can help me out with a "Mandella Effect" kind of thing? See, I've been to Alpine several times (camped 3 days in the rain for the Dead in 89, saw GnR, Steve Miller, Lou Graham... I can't even remember who else) and I recall seeing a Stevie Ray Vaughan statue near the ticket entrance, but for the life of me I cannot find photos or mention of it anywhere. Do you remember seeing this? Perhaps it was a temporary thing??? It's a mystery to me.

[@FreyzelProductions]

I don’t remember seeing one. It’s very possible that it was a temporary thing. If anyone else sees this and knows, maybe they could shine some light on it?

[@johnstrange6799]

@@FreyzelProductions I'm wondering if it was a temp thing put up during Futhurfest (maybe 1998 which I also attended), but I don't know. Agreed, maybe/hopefully someone with definitive insight will see my comment and chime in. Thanks :)

[@johnstrange6799]

@@FreyzelProductions I notice Alpine's own website has the date of SRV's death wrong. They state it as happening on the 26th, but as you know it was past midnight, so technically the 27th.

[@Eric-fb2wp]

Well what did the plaque say??????

[@Say_No-2_Animal-Abuse_]

The original was stolen 🤦🏻 she went & put up another. It's a strip/band gold colored metal with his full name, birth/death date

[@Eric-fb2wp]

@@Say_No-2_Animal-Abuse_ Thanks for the information

[@sixstringer649]

Hi. I had just come across this you tube.. I am the one who put the plaque up. After SRV's death 34 yrs. ago I went to the crash site and saw that Alpine Valley had done nothing.. I didn't ask permission to put one up and wasn't sure Alpine would allow it. that is why I just put up a small memorial band and nailed it to a ski pole because I figured once they saw it they would take it down.. Well i was shocked to hear later that it was still up after 32 yrs. but because it was now shown on the internet someone went there and stole it.. I was so mad...So I went back last yr. and put another one up but on a different hill then the original crash site to deter people from stealing it again.. I am going back this Aig. to put another new one up on or closer to the original crash site hill.. and hope that no one takes it again.... Now that I'm older Its too hard to hike up those hills LOL! So I have my son put it up for me...

[@rancosteel]

Just like Kobe Bryant.

[@user-np8zn5xb9t]

Something the size of a bracelet, and high enough up a pole that you can't read it unless you're 8 ft. tall? SERIOUSLY? Come on!!!

[@danielbohland5271]

I don't think it holds forty thousand I was there the first night of the two-day concert the first band to play was out of Georgia or Alabama name Giada something like that they were really good then it was Robert Cray then Stevie Ray Vaughan and then Jeff Healey from the Patrick swayze movie Roadhouse came out and did a few songs before Eric Clapton and what I remember is Jeff Healey just about walked off the stage because he's blind Eric Clapton came out and grabbed him I remember Jeff Healey laughing saying yes I won't do that again then Eric Clapton came out and they did an encore jam together everyone you could see Bonnie raitt on the screen monitor but you never came out to perform we were going to stay another night but we said we'll come back next well there was a next year for Stevie Ray Vaughan may he rest in peace along with blues guitarist great Jeff Healey who died of cancer may they both rest in peace 🕊️🙏❤️

[@tomironwood9]

I was at the first show on Friday night as well. I still tell the story of Healey almost walking off the stage!😂😂 Stevie KILLED IT that night. On Sunday that weekend I got free 10th row tickets to Santana at the World Music Theater...mind blown!! Woke up Monday to my clock radio playing Pride N Joy...and then the Dj broke the news to me😮😢

[@danielbohland5271]

​@@tomironwood9 you know I've seen a lot of concerts in my life that really was an over-the-top concert it's just a damn shame that he had to die so young like I said that opening band I don't know what their name was but they sure were good Jada ???

[@danielbohland5271]

Also Eric Clapton was there to confirm the bodies as well kind of poor you think Alpine Valley could have did a much nicer memorial than a Pole with a little metal plaque definitely cheesey nicer memorial should be put up somebody should start a fund to make a really nice memorial also for the other gentleman killed in the crash

[@Say_No-2_Animal-Abuse_]

Alpine didn't put it there. A female fan did. It later got stolen by some dumba$$ & she put up another.

[@dogfacedboy6947]

Maybe this is dumb, but I kinda wish you hadn't done this. What is the goal?

[@FreyzelProductions]

About a dozen people requested to see the site and where the memorial was. Lots of Stevie fans are out there and can’t make it to the location but still want to see it.

[@Say_No-2_Animal-Abuse_]

​@@FreyzelProductions Yes, thank you! I live a few hours away from Dallas & I'm thankful for you.

[@covanfamilyadventures1890]

You would think they’d do a better job at a memorial marker than a brass tag on a telephone pole. RIP SRV

[@Say_No-2_Animal-Abuse_]

The venue didn't put it up. A fan did...the original one got stolen, but she went & put up another one. I hope this one stays where it belongs.

[@RogerKomula-kl9lb]

If only he was still around making songs that sound exactly the same so drunks can drink and not try and figure out what they're listening to.

[@michaelcarter5]

Please post us some of your shred videos so we can laugh at how good you are . I don’t think people will be remembering your name anytime soon. Jealous much ?

[@johnkelly8416]

I am by no means a pilot of helicopters but from the books I’ve read about SRV and this night if the pilot had just gone straight up up up out of the fog this never would’ve happened..the other three made it to Midway..was lucky enough to see Double Trouble once two years before this rest in peace SRV..

[@Say_No-2_Animal-Abuse_]

Same. Some say, the pilot was trying to go around & possibly accidentally touched the cyclic & caused the chopper to veer. He didn't know the layout & should've never been there in the first place. I agree though, go up & up!

[@donaldwilliams6544]

Eric gave up his seat,that was Stevie's demise

[@dap777754]

I thought it was Jimmy Vaughan who gave up this seat?