I was doing some recon on Google Earth for a backpacking trip and I stumbled across an strip called "Big Indian". It doesn't have an identifier and I can't find any info about it anywhere. Anyone know anything about it or its history? Doesn't look like it gets used too often.


[googlemap]http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=206844265369292813263.000498e4be2cd2b23111f&ll=42.657066,-118.610973&spn=0.048162,0.132093&t=p&z=14&iwloc=000498e4be2ea3589ab20[/googlemap]

Do you have the lat long for it.... Never knew it was there!

Joe, lat/long is above your post about 6".

Just incase you can't see it: 423924N 1183641W

I have hiked that canyon before. It's a real nice spot. Anybody up for a recon mission in the late spring?

Scolopax wrote:I have hiked that canyon before. It's a real nice spot. Anybody up for a recon mission in the late spring?

Lets do it Jake.

Sounds like a fun excursion. I'm in!

It sounds like a great excursion, but plan on celebrating something other than finding an airstrip, because that isn't one.

I'll give you a helping hint, though. The picture was not taken at the given coordinates, but instead was taken a half mile upstream.

I fly right by there on my way to wife's aunt and uncle's ranch about 60 miles north of there. My track is usually a few miles east of that spot. So I'm real interested!

It would appear that I might have been hasty in my condemnation. There might be something there after all!

The first thing I had done was fire up Google Earth, go to the coordinates, and then move the perspective view up so I could see the mountains behind it. And, it didn't look anything like the picture, so I knew the coordinates were wrong.

I threw some wood in the stove, patted the dog, then decided to fire up the Google Earth flight sim, and fly up the canyon. I hit CTRL-LEFTARROW a couple of times to look out the "side window" while flying along. When I got about a half mile upstream from the coordinates, I could see I had arrived:



I moved around until I thought I could tell exactly where the picture was taken, then concluded there wasn't anything there, and said as much. However, I didn't realize that I was too far up the hill.

I just now thought to look at the historical imagery. The 1989 B&W photos actually show something there. I was right on centerline with the strip, but I was about 500 ft. too far up the hill. That error was mostly due to the fact that Google Earth has a slightly wider angle view than the camera lens.

So, the coordinates for the lower end of the strip are at 42.65655, -118.60225. It's at 7065 elevation, and the strip appears to be just under 200 ft. long.

I hope I didn't ruin anyone's excursion!

Damn kevbert...geographical forensics guy.

Go to Terra Server for maps -- more detailed than Google earth /maps .

The 1989 historical imagery also shows a 600 ft strip 1.5 miles downstream at 42.66112, -118.63372.

If you can find a "Benchmark" Map Book of the state is should have it on there. I used them when I was in the Bookcliffs area last year and it was showing strips on the map that took a lot of imagination when I finally found them for real. I have a set of BLM maps and they don't show all the strips that are in the Benchmark Maps.

I think this is the second airstrip.

Here it is!!!

http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&hl=en&i ... 09645&z=17

Looks like there might be 3 runways

Reuben

I have flown around up there looking for suitable landing sites (enroute between NorCal and Idaho) and thought the Steens Mtn Rd near Fish Lake would work.
Great looking country.
Anybody have any info on the Steens Mountain Management Area up there?

Please keep us posted.

This is great! I love hunting down old (abandoned, seldom used, etc.) airstrips! I'm going to do some digging too (not that I can compete with Kevberts dizzying display of "geographical forensics" ).

BTW: what federal and/or state jurisdiction (designation) is that area under?

I, too, want to check out this airstrip. If an expedition materializes, I'd be in for it.

Pretty much all of Steens Mountain was designated some kind of special use area. I don't know the details, but I think it put quite a few limits on what can be done up there. Here's a rather long document that tells more about it: http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/burns/p ... ix%20P.pdf

I haven't waded through it in detail, but searching for aircraft yielded a bunch of don't land here kind of rules. I have not taken the time to see if the strip we are talking about is in or out.

Oh, and by the way, while searching the BLM website for this, I ran across this:
http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreat ... 0Rocks.pdf
Without a doubt, it says no aircraft landing on Table Rock just north of Medford. I'm glad I landed there a few times before it was off limits.

Better enjoy your freedoms while you can, because they sure do seem to be drying up.

tom

I have searched google maps and earth many times looking for interesting usable airstrips in Southeastern Oregon. It seems there aren't many. I'd love to join the expedition to the Big Indian!

Count me in.
Weekend at the Alvord Desert.