C Hill climb raises nearly $1,500 for C Hill flag

More than 90 people joined in the Nevada Appeal sponsored fund-raising hike for the C Hill Foundation on Saturday. Hikers paid $5 to climb nearly 900 vertical feet with the money going toward installation of a permanent set of stars and stripes directly above the letter "C" on the hill overlooking Carson City.

Gilbert Ayarbe, a C Hill Foundation volunteer was at base camp, where a cooler full of bottled water awaited those either ascending or descending the mountain.

"We got a good day's exercise," Ayarbe said.

It was on C Hill where Ayarbe met Dan Mooney on the trail, and the idea for placing a flag on the hill originated.

Mooney, 65, said the event was an excellent attention getter.

"I go up (C Hill) half way every day, been doing that for many years and that's where I met Ayarbe and we came up with the flag idea."

The Carson Feetwarmers were on hand to play jazz, shaded from the sun.

Emergency personnel watched the hill with binoculars for any hikers finding difficulty on the journey back home, but were never put to work as no injuries were reported.

The event raised $1,500 for the flag minus the fee to be paid to the federal government.

Robin Williamson, the president of the C Hill Foundation, said the money will help lay the groundwork for the future.

"We get $1,500 from the fund-raiser, we will use that as part of our building fund," Williamson said. "Starting Wednesday the substructure construction begins with wood and pipes that will secure the flag."

The original was destroyed last year.

Now a weed and rock filled void exists where the symbol of America used to be.

Signs request hikers to respect the nonexistent flag by not walking in a superior position to the flag, either above it or along the sides, still frame the empty rectangle.

Registration was $5, and there were T-shirts on sale for $8.

Climbers started at the end of Mackay Drive below the "C" (near the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) one or two hikers took off at a time in order to avoid traffic jams on the narrow trail.