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From the High Desert book cover

From the High Desert

A Cultural History of Art Bell

Thumbnail for April 9, 1995: Fire in the Sky Abduction - Travis Walton & Mike Rogers

April 9, 1995: Fire in the Sky Abduction - Travis Walton & Mike Rogers

Apr 9, 1995
1h 29m
0:00 / 0:00
Travis Walton and Mike Rogers, the central figures in one of the most documented alien abduction cases in history, join Art Bell to tell their story in full detail for the first time on the program. Rogers describes how his logging crew witnessed a glowing craft hovering just 20 feet above the ground on the Mogollon Rim in Arizona, and the terrifying moment a blast of energy threw Walton backward like an explosion.

Rogers recounts the panicked flight down the mountain, the agonizing decision to return, and five days of massive search operations that found no trace of Walton. Meanwhile, the crew faced murder accusations from both law enforcement and the community. Walton describes regaining consciousness aboard the craft in pain, encountering small humanoid beings with large eyes, and a mysterious human-looking figure who led him to other beings before he was rendered unconscious again. Both men detail passing multiple polygraph examinations, including advanced computer-assisted tests administered in 1993.

A rare and deeply personal account from two men who paid an enormous personal price for an experience they never asked for and would never have reported voluntarily.

Key Moments

  1. Travis steps out from the truck and is hit by the beam: Walton describes leaving the logging truck, walking under a craft hovering 20 feet above the ground, then being blown backwards like a hand grenade going off in front of him.

  2. The truck careens down the mountain in panic: Rogers describes hitting the gas the instant Walton hit the ground, the crew certain he was dead, the truck smacking off rearview mirrors and going airborne over erosion mounds.

  3. Crew watches the craft streak away through the trees: Rogers describes the craft, never above the treetops, lifting up and streaking away to the northeast as the crew prepared to drive back for Travis - a detail the movie omitted.

  4. Travis wakes up screaming on the metallic table: Walton recounts coming to in pain, lashing out, and the beings turning and walking out of the metallic, featureless room in unison.

  5. Five-day beard, five-day shock: Travis discovers how long he was gone: Walton describes waking up on the roadway, running into town, calling family, and only later realizing - by the growth of his beard and his watch - that five days had passed.