Is anyone familiar with the strip that is located on the west bank of the lower Deschutes River, about ten river-miles up stream from the Columbia confluence? I have seen a Cub down there from the raft, and am looking for any information that is available.

Google Maps link

scoloplex,
I've been trying to find more information on 2 or 3 strips on the Deschutes as well. I talked to a friend who has been into the one you are talking about (west bank 10-11 miles upriver), but he didn't have any 'official' information (name, elevation, current status, etc.).

I'd like to get more information on all those strips and possibly get them in the shortfield.com database with 'official' information - especially if it's legal to land at them.

These two are definitely strips:
Airstrip 1

Airstrip 2

...and this looks like one too:
Possible airstrip

This morning I flew out to look for the airstrip marked on the quadrangle map on the lower Deschutes River. The one I found on the map is the second one in the list of three above. I did not land there. The strip was long enough, and smooth enough, I think, but someone had laid logs across the strip in four or five places. The guys with giant tires, balls of steel, and far better skills than I could probably avoid the logs and land anyway. If you do, move the logs so I can get in there. Pictures I took dragging the strip focused on the wing strut, and are nfg.

tom

Oh yeah, almost forgot. When I stopped at Madras to gas up, there were four old farts sitting on a picnic table grading the landings. I got a four, but asked about the strip on the lower Deschutes, and described the one I over-flew. They said that isn't the one that is popular. They said Piper Tripacers regularly fly in and it is in pretty good shape. We need to keep looking for this one.
tom

Nice work Savannah-Tom! I'm thinking you should change your user name to Recon-Tom, as you're out flying reconnaissance while we sit in front of our computers!

I am a long time lurker on this site, which is great by the way. I have also seen planes at the strip described by scolopax several times while floating the river.

The strip is located at rivermile 17.7 according to a river guidebook I have. It describes the location as "Airstrip Camp-planes once used this area, but this is now a campsite." On the map, the strip sits on BLM land and a small piece of State of Oregon on the north half. I have stopped there before while boating and it is a great place to camp and fish. It would be a shame if this strip is closed, but with the over-regulation of the lower deschutes I wouldn't be surprised.

If you go exploring there are powerlines crossing the river about .75 mile downstream.

fern_hopper wrote:
The strip is located at rivermile 17.7 according to a river guidebook I have. It describes the location as "Airstrip Camp-planes once used this area, but this is now a campsite." On the map, the strip sits on BLM land and a small piece of State of Oregon on the north half. I have stopped there before while boating and it is a great place to camp and fish. It would be a shame if this strip is closed, but with the over-regulation of the lower deschutes I wouldn't be surprised.

That would put it just north of Bull Run Canyon (using TOPO to measure). About 5 miles north of Chukar.

Flew out to this strip by Bull Run Canyon on the Lower Deschutes last evening.

The strip is in pretty good condition. There are no signs indicating that it is closed to airplanes and it apparently sees regular use. There are no tie-downs, or even any clearly defined parking spots. There is camping and a toilet there, but not too much else.

We found very accessible trout and steelhead water, both up and downstream. It is around 1000' in length with a hump 2/3 of the way from the upstream end, and about a seven degree dog-leg in the same spot.

Approaching from either direction, one must be just a couple hundred feet above the water when finally it becomes visible, which requires that you maneuver through the steep narrow canyon. I would not recommend attempting to land here unless you have developed good short-field skills and are comfortable maneuvering in tight terrain.

The field elevation is around 400' msl. There is no wind-sock, although there is a wind-turbine next to the railroad tracks, which will provide the wind direction and velocity if it's great enough to start the rotor turning.

Hooked in to one steelhead, but it got off Epic caddis fly hatch and surface activity last night. Could have killed the trout with dry flies!

I think you have found the place, all right. I called up the guy that had told me about it earlier, and he described it the same as you. West side of the river, dog leg, etc. When he is at the airport again, he will give me the gps coordinates that he uses. This will nail it. Did you get a chance for any pictures? Thanks for the report.
tom

ps the guy I talked to says to watch out for ticks

Hey Zane,

What causes some of these topics to get screwed up with word wrap and end up twice as wide as they should be?

tom

I will post still photos to my photo gallery soon. In the mean time, I have put videos of my first landing attempt (too fast) and the takeoff on the BCP Vimeo site:

http://vimeo.com/groups/backcountrypilot

I will upload these to the "Shortfield" database when I get a chance , also.

Coordinates of the strip in decimal degrees:

45.45, -120.862

That's some good stuff, Scolopax. Does this strip have an official name? We can't call it Chukar Flat if there is another Chukar Flat on the John Day just over the hill... So is it Bull Run Canyon officially?

Savannah-Tom wrote:What causes some of these topics to get screwed up with word wrap and end up twice as wide as they should be?

I dunno... Looks okay to me in Firefox. The word wrap stuff I always assumed was the browser that the post was submitted from adding carriage returns (IE?) and the too wide is usually a long hyperlink or large photo.

This post looks fine though. I just fixed some long-URL links in an above post, let me know if that fixed it.

Post was started in the current release of Firefox.

1SeventyZ,

I haven't heard of a name for the strip, but it is right at the mouth of Bull Run Canyon, so it seems appropriate as a name for us to make reference to it as.

Scolopax

I can't say what is going on with the width, but it is working fine now. I use FireFox 2.0.

tom

ps the guy I talked to says to watch out for ticks

It should be too hot and dry for most ticks right now, spring is the main time to watch out...but, if you find a bunch of ticks at a place like this in the future and feel like passing the info on, PM me. I work with them and we are always looking for new sites.

nice work scoloplex!

I'll add the strip to the shortfield database so you can upload content.

i can call it bull run, or we can call it something like Deschutes 1, and call the others Deschutes 2, etc. I think there are about 3 on the deschutes.

Also...we need to find out the status for aircraft. I'd hate for someone to get busted landing illegally!

"Bull Run" sounds great. I called the BLM, and they had no idea if it was not legal. Didn't even have any idea who would know...

I haven't found anything conclusive, but what concerns me is that the lower Deschutes is a "Wild & Scenic River Corridor". I did find that "The following are prohibited:
13. Operating an aircraft in violation of FAA rules and regulations.
14. Landing an aircraft without authorization when required."

Source -
http://www.epa.gov/EPA-IMPACT/2004/March/Day-30/i6994.htm

I'm not sure where to find the answers to 13 and 14...maybe someone at the Prineville Ranger District. Hmmm...what's that old saying - easier to beg for forgiveness...

chrisg wrote: Hmmm...what's that old saying - easier to beg for forgiveness...

On stuff like this, where you are doing no malicious damage, there is an established airstrip, the strip is not X'd out, there are other "amenities" like fire pits, outhouses, etc, and no signs, I figure I'll use it and leave if asked. Given no warning against use, I believe most private land owners would be pretty decent about asking you to leave and not getting the authorities involved. If it is government land, and they decide you shouldn't be there, I don't think they would do much either, given no warnings.

The quickest way to get it closed down, though, no matter who owns it is to have a serious accident there. The second quickest way would be to trash the place or start a fire. Maybe a fire would be the quickest.

tom