I'll be flying over the Great Salt Lake in a few weeks here and was wondering if anyone has any info on some of the back country strips in the area. Specifically Freemont Island, Promontory Point, Spiral Jetty, Black Mountain, and Lakeside. Have any of you been to any of these strips recently? or at all? are they legal? Any info would be appreciated. I would really like to check some of these places out since I will be flying right by them.

Ther is airport data on www.utahbackcountrypilots.org
Jim

I've seen the info on that site and a lot of it is from 2001-2008 for the strips I mentioned. I was wondering if anyone has any more recent info or experience with these strips.

Keep us updated. I'm flying through there on my way to Oshkosh in July. I'd like to explore while enroute.

Call Rob Hunter at Prepared Pilot. He is in Salt Lake City area and is up to date as anybody.
http://www.preparedpilot.com/

Tim

This is a nice resource:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2298

As far as updated strip info, definitely check in with UBCP.

Unless it rained within the few days before you're here, all of those strips will be good. Check for ruts and cow pies, but otherwise they are good.

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I land on most of these strips often. When dry, all these strips are ok. Freemont Island is private and they have asked people to not land there. Promontory is private but planes are welcome. Spial Jetty is a little "iffy" as it is just an old two track road in poor condition. Keep an eye watching for cattle.

Black Mountain strip:



Promontory:

I've asked before for some current info on whether or not planes are welcome at all of these. I keep hearing that Freemont is private and planes aren't welcomed, but then as recently as last November, a guy I know from college was out there with his 180 and posted pics from both strips. When I asked about it, a friend of his on FB (where the pictures were posted) said he knows the owners and that planes aren't forbidden (the two weren't flying together and I don't think the friend with the 180 has special permission). I hear Promotory Point is private , but it is ok. Anyone have a contact to who owns it or know where it is in writing that it is "private, open to public"?

I've wanted to check some of these out, but haven't because it seems kind of hard to a straight, verifiable answer to whats fair game and what isn't. As was mentioned before, a lot of the info on UBCP is pretty dated.

My hangar neighboor has landed at Freemont in the last two weeks. He told me they are also using the 2nd airstrip "up on top" even though its short ...500ft.

He has an M7/235. I will ask him when I see him about any permission issues.

Black Mountain and Spiral Jetty are in good shape. Black Mountain gets a lot of use.

Cool. Even better yet, when someone gets some verifiable info, post it on Shortfield.com.

Thanks to all who replied, this is the kind of info I was looking for. Looks like all of these are good to go except for Freemont Island. I can't wait to land at some of these places next month.

Grassstrippilot wrote:
I've wanted to check some of these out, but haven't because it seems kind of hard to a straight, verifiable answer to whats fair game and what isn't. As was mentioned before, a lot of the info on UBCP is pretty dated.

I agree on the UBCP web site, any time I go there I wonder why I bothered. Pretty much sucks if you ask me. Good organization though.....

If you want to check those strips out, don't hesitate. Read courierguy's signature, then go.

SixTwoLeemer wrote:My hangar neighboor has landed at Freemont in the last two weeks. He told me they are also using the 2nd airstrip "up on top" even though its short ...500ft.

The 2nd or "top" strip I landed on was hella long..... There are landable areas higher, but they would be the 3rd, 4th and so on strips I think.

robw56 wrote:Thanks to all who replied, this is the kind of info I was looking for. Looks like all of these are good to go except for Freemont Island. I can't wait to land at some of these places next month.

If you remind me when it gets closer, I'd give you the tour. What is your overall route?

UtahMaule wrote:If you remind me when it gets closer, I'd give you the tour. What is your overall route?

Here is my approximate route: Cheyenne, Elk Mountain, Fort Bridger, Ogden, Wendover, Elko, Battle Mountain, Lovelock, Reno, Blue Canyon, Rio Vista. Following I-80 for the most part. After Battle Mountain I might go check out the Barrel Springs strip and camp overnight. Also I'm probably going to be flying this during the week. But If you're gonna be off I would love to have someone to show me around some of the Salt Lake strips.

UtahMaule wrote:

Grassstrippilot wrote:
I've wanted to check some of these out, but haven't because it seems kind of hard to a straight, verifiable answer to whats fair game and what isn't. As was mentioned before, a lot of the info on UBCP is pretty dated.

I agree on the UBCP web site, any time I go there I wonder why I bothered. Pretty much sucks if you ask me. Good organization though.....

That why I mentioned it... the people involved will know, regardless whether their website is up-to-date.

robw56 wrote:

UtahMaule wrote:If you remind me when it gets closer, I'd give you the tour. What is your overall route?

Here is my approximate route: Cheyenne, Elk Mountain, Fort Bridger, Ogden, Wendover, Elko, Battle Mountain, Lovelock, Reno, Blue Canyon, Rio Vista. Following I-80 for the most part. After Battle Mountain I might go check out the Barrel Springs strip and camp overnight. Also I'm probably going to be flying this during the week. But If you're gonna be off I would love to have someone to show me around some of the Salt Lake strips.

Holler when you are in town. Maybe Leemer and I can meet you at OGD for lunch if I am in town. That's where I base out of and there is a good on field diner there.

robw56 wrote:

UtahMaule wrote:If you remind me when it gets closer, I'd give you the tour. What is your overall route?

Here is my approximate route: Cheyenne, Elk Mountain, Fort Bridger, Ogden, Wendover, Elko, Battle Mountain, Lovelock, Reno, Blue Canyon, Rio Vista. Following I-80 for the most part. After Battle Mountain I might go check out the Barrel Springs strip and camp overnight. Also I'm probably going to be flying this during the week. But If you're gonna be off I would love to have someone to show me around some of the Salt Lake strips.

That's pretty much my route in reverse except I'm starting from Oakdale. You're coming all this way to Rio Vista? Hope you know someone there. It's usually deserted.

If you follow highway 50 down from Lake Tahoe there are lots of clear cuts with logging roads a guy could land on in an emergency.

svanarts wrote:That's pretty much my route in reverse except I'm starting from Oakdale. You're coming all this way to Rio Vista? Hope you know someone there. It's usually deserted.

If you follow highway 50 down from Lake Tahoe there are lots of clear cuts with logging roads a guy could land on in an emergency.

We are going to be moving to Rio Vista, maybe Vacaville. I'll be looking at houses when I'm out there. Highway 50 is an option I looked at also and I still might go that way, I'm keeping my options open.

Grassstrippilot wrote:Holler when you are in town. Maybe Leemer and I can meet you at OGD for lunch if I am in town. That's where I base out of and there is a good on field diner there.

I'll keep that in mind, I'll probably be ready for some lunch by the time I get to Ogden.

Ah, that explains it. Most folks over there base out of the Nut Tree over in Vacaville. BCP'er Joey Myers is based at Nut Tree. He could probably give you a good backcountry tour of our area if he's in town. I'm based about 50 nm SE at O27. Good to have another BCP guy in the area.

Moving TO California huh? Did you lose a bet or something?

I had a good time last year on the way back from Wendover landing on the lake bed/salt flats, not sure what it was but it was the N tip of the lake, right on my way back to Inkom. Super smooth and real white. I had an issue with some mexican food from the night before, and the stop was MANDATORY if you know what I mean.