So I’m planning this Memorial Day camping trip to eastern Oregon or western Idaho, and after seeing some of the pictures posted recently, I thought I’d like to drop by Dug Bar. I searched the internet for some more info and was able to find details on the strip itself, but nothing on the recommended approach and departure, hazards, or if a go-around is possible. The length, altitude, and condition of the strip don’t bother me any, but the location is giving me second thoughts. Some of the pictures I’ve seen make the canyon look fairly wide at 1000AGL others make it look awfully snug. Any advice on what to expect would be great.

JRStripe

JR,
This is a long runway for Hell's Canyon and it has an uphill grade in the last 400 or so feet when landing up river. I was in there about a month and a half ago and it was great. I fly a 170B and I don't call this one real tight, but that's all relative. I've never had to do a go round, but have made some low passes (I always land upriver) and had room to climb out following the river. I get more concerned about the wind in the canyon than the narrowness. There was a 172 on it's nose in there a during March, but I heard it happened on takeoff when he lost power and did a good job of sitting it back down. It's gone now, but I heard there is a 206 on it's back at Salmon Bar that just happened in the last week...now that's a short strip....Enjoy the canyon....

Abe:

The 206 on its back at Salmon Bar is a buddy of mine from Grangeville. You hit the nail on the head about wind. I talked to him and the wind shifted on take off. Real bummer. Very nice guy.

375HandH

JRStripe wrote:So I’m planning this Memorial Day camping trip to eastern Oregon or western Idaho, and after seeing some of the pictures posted recently, I thought I’d like to drop by Dug Bar. I searched the internet for some more info and was able to find details on the strip itself, but nothing on the recommended approach and departure, hazards, or if a go-around is possible. The length, altitude, and condition of the strip don’t bother me any, but the location is giving me second thoughts. Some of the pictures I’ve seen make the canyon look fairly wide at 1000AGL others make it look awfully snug. Any advice on what to expect would be great.

JRStripe

JR--

Like Abe said it is no problem, give me a call and I will try to explain,

We just put a new wind sock up while we were down there and it is workig well. You can land down river but even with a slight tailwind up river landing is not bad

Wup,
Thanks for putting the new wind sock up, you must have done that at your Easter get together...I'm glad you mentioned that because I forgot to let JR know that the old one was Noooo Good....Thanks again to you all for doing that...I'll bring an extra beer for you at Minam in June...