Hey Everybody ,

Planning flight from Newport, Oregon to Torrance, California on 24-JUL.

AIRCRAFT: Scout, 8GCBC, 70 GAL, 31s, VFR
NAV: 496, ForeFlight, (no WX)
EQUIPMENT: Tent, stove, 5 gal fresh water, 5 days food
SKILL LEVEL: backcountry beginner to intermediate
TIME: 10 - 15 days

Would like information on backcountry airstrips (or reasonably similar) destinations. West or East of Sierra Mountains is OK. If anyone wants to meet up too, let me know?

Thank you for any information!

-8

Several options.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/1Q5 - local BCP's have had camping trips here. Primitive camping but located next to another campground where water and toilets are available.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/E36 - had on-field camping at one point. Call to make sure they still do.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/o22 - on field camping, short walk to historic gold rush era state park. Several restaurants.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/L52 - on field camping, can have marine layer this time of year

http://airprayer.wordpress.com/2012/01/ ... t-springs/ - on field camping and hot springs. No AirNav page on them but this is my blog entry about them. Located adjacent to PXN VOR.

Hi Svanarts,

Nice. Thank you for your guidance!

-8

No problem. Personally I'd go for Mercey hot springs. They have a heated pool and lots of soak tubs. They have a clothing optional area too if your forgot to pack your swim trunks.

O22 is a good prospect too. They have a grass runway in addition to the paved runway.. Just watch out for the big city boys from the Bay Area using the paved runway.

Too bad I'm working or I'd fly out and say hi.

Edited to add that some times 1Q5 - Gravelly Valley can have marine layer fog this time of year too. Generally dissipates in the late morning hours but if you were wanting an early departure you might get stymied.

Hi Scott,

I have been to Columbia for an overnight stay, it was nice with some good restaurants. There were firefighting aircraft operating there at the time.

Merced has a cool FBO, gave me the car for the evening.

Placerville was not for me. But, Folsom Lake was a great place to operate with floats on.

I will PM you if I get close to Oakdale!

Thank you for the updates.

-8

If you decide to go camping when you get to Torrance, CA, I'd suggest you pitch your tent pretty close to the police station

Any strip in the Mojave desert or Owens Valley is going to have rattlesnakes at night this time of year, be careful.

Columbia O22 is delightful in almost all respects. Great little town within a short walk form the airport.

One of the gliderport tow pilots and I camped out with a Scout in the Death Valley area many years ago, at the site of an abandoned hotel on the highway. Had to land on the highway at night, taxi fast until we found the hotel parking lot, and turned in to it 20 seconds before oncoming headlights passed. Great memory, but not the smartest thing either of us had ever done

It's pretty dang hot down here this time of year. It would be a little cooler up in the Sierras. Alipine (M45) sits at almost 6,000ft. I hear the fishing is good on the East Fork of the Carson River which is a short hike to the south. There's also a small lake just off the northwest side of the runway. If you want to get breakfast the next morning there are a few good options in Bridgeport a short flight to the south (Bryant Field O57).

robw56 wrote:It's pretty dang hot down here this time of year. It would be a little cooler up in the Sierras. Alipine (M45) sits at almost 6,000ft. I hear the fishing is good on the East Fork of the Carson River which is a short hike to the south. There's also a small lake just off the northwest side of the runway. If you want to get breakfast the next morning there are a few good options in Bridgeport a short flight to the south (Bryant Field O57).

Hi RobW56,

I plan on taking the "high road" back. Lake Tahoe, Truckee, Alpine, Bryant etc for example. Thank you for the confirmation!

-8

EZFlap wrote:If you decide to go camping when you get to Torrance, CA, I'd suggest you pitch your tent pretty close to the police station

Staying behind the gates in Rolling Hill Estates, the cops are privately owned. Nothing happens in that town.

Come through Truckee and we will run some if our circuits! You can camp at a number of spots. Stampede would be a great spot as would the desert where our high Seirra fly in is held.

Akt

aktahoe1 wrote:Come through Truckee and we will run some if our circuits! You can camp at a number of spots. Stampede would be a great spot as would the desert where our high Seirra fly in is held.

Akt

Hi Akt,

Sounds cool! I will PM you for sure...looking at August 1st approx.

Thank you

-8

8GCBC wrote:
Staying behind the gates in Rolling Hill Estates .

Say hi to "the Big W" for me. Some old friends of mine took a road trip there once

http://cariart.tripod.com/big_w_cast.jpg