The timing still works for me. I heard that they have already started to haul stuff in and that the runway is clear of snow now. Now we just need to wait on weather. Another snow pattern moving in to the area tomorrow Arrgh.

We received this as an email from Oregon Pilots Assn (OPA):

Fellow Aviators & Backcountry Enthusiasts:

As many of you probably know the Minam Lodge, located in the Eagle Cap Wilderness, has a new owner. The gentleman is Mr. Barnes Ellis. Barnes bought the lodge at auction last year with the intention to keep it open to the public, with an emphasis on fly-in guests. For sure, we could not be more pleased with those intentions.

Barnes is in the process of a major upgrade to the facility and as a show of our support we are looking to assist in getting supplies and materials to the lodge for the initial push to get this project underway. So, here is the deal, in and effort that is being coordinated by local pilots, we are looking for your help. Qualified pilots and ground crew are being sought for this weekend event. We are hoping for a great turnout in order to not only make this go quickly, but to involve as many folks as possible. We will be flying people and materials to the lodge.

We plan to arrive at Joseph, Oregon (KJSY) where all the materials will have been staged on the morning of Saturday, April 14th. We will have the loads pre-weighed and will be prepared to assist in loading and unloading at the lodge. There will be a safety briefing which is mandatory for all of those folks that will be assisting. This briefing will take place over coffee at the Joseph airport at approximately 8:30 AM (local time). You can fly as many trips as you have time and ability to do. We are planning to donate our time and flying, as we see this as a good will gesture towards the new lodge owner in an effort to keep this superb location on the charts. Saturday evening there will be dinner and camping at the lodge and breakfast on Sunday morning. If there are a few things left to do on Sunday, possibly a few of us can make another lap.

Attached you will find the particulars on a briefing sheet for you to consider. Of course lots of jobs are available if flying is not what you feel you can do.

We are hoping for a turnout that will show how much we appreciate this special place. This could be one of the best flying events of 2012. Come be a part of it.

Many thanks to John McKenna and RAF for getting this worthwhile project up and running.

Don’t hesitate calling or emailing me if you need further information.

Cheers,

Bill Ables

541-263-1327

Minam Lodge Airstrip Info

(This by no means takes the place of a pilot’s responsibility to become familiar and knowledgeable of the landing site)

Both Minam Lodge & Joseph are located on the Seattle Sectional

Elevation @ Minam Lodge: 3600’ Minam Lodge Unicom : 122.9

Minam Airstrip: Grass & Gravel – 1900’ with a dogleg at the upriver end

Joseph (KJSY) & Enterprise (8S4) Unicom: 122.8 Joseph AWOS : 123.775

100ll is available at both Joseph and Enterprise Airports

There is a RAWS site located at Minam Lodge and can be accessed on your computer that will give you hourly wind, temperature & moisture readings.

This is a typical mountain canyon strip located in the bottom and along the west side of the Minam River canyon and runs north & south.

Calm wind landings are normally done landing upriver (to the south).

Red’s Horse Ranch Airstrip is located on the eastside of the Minam River and just a short quarter mile south of the Minam Lodge Airstrip and may have air traffic.

Flying from Joseph to Minam Lodge:
- After departing Joseph, head north to Hwy 82 (Enterprise will be to your left and be aware of air traffic going to and from there)
- Stay north of Hwy 3 and fly westward to the town of Wallowa
- Fly westward to the Minam River to a point 9-miles north (downriver) of Minam Lodge.


Flying from Minam Lodge to Joseph:
- After takeoff depart down river (some of us will be doing a circling 360 over the airstrip to gain altitude) staying on the eastside of the Minam River.
- Fly eastward to Joseph staying on the southside of Hwy 82.

The required briefing will take place at the south end of the Joseph Airport near the hangars. We will have a current pirep of the conditions at Minam Lodge for you at that time.

Just passing all this info on---John

Does anyone know if it's ok to camp at the Joseph airport?

I figure if the weather is good for the weekend and I can make it, I'll need to head over on Friday.

From: Bill & Judy

[email protected]

Date: Wed, Mar 28, 2012 at 9:28 AM
Subject: Minam Airlift

Good Morning All, Just an update on the fast approaching Minam Airlift and if you could share this info with your folks that will be coming to Joseph to help, it would be appreciated. Just spoke with Aaron (the contractor) yesterday. He and he his crew have been in at the lodge since early March. The day they went in happened to be the only day that the weather allowed planes to fly in there. Well the weather broke and they came out last Sunday to re-supply and will be going back in a few days.

The runway is now snow free and they have dug a lateral ditch alone the west side of the runway to help keep it dry as possible. For those that have been in there and have seen the ?Minam International Hangar?, it now is full of ?stuff? to come out, from mattresses, to old car batteries. Materials to be flown into Minam will soon be arriving at Joseph according to Aaron and we will ready them into flying bundles to be hauled in.

Aaron advised me that for those who wish to stay overnight at the lodge, you may camp if you wish or use the available cabins and upstairs dormitory in the lodge itself. It always nice to know that a roof is available before you head over?Thanks Aaron?.

I have had 8-aircraft owners contact me and confirm that they will be here to date weather permitting. And I know of at least four others that will most likely be assisting that have not confirmed as yet.

I will get everyone a current pirep on the condition of the strip on the weekend of April 7th and make a go/no go call on Thursday, April 12th depending on the weather.

If the weather doesn?t cooperate with us on the weekend of April 14th Aaron would like to have Plan B, be a weekend in late May rather than the weekend following the 14th.

We will get a consensus from you all which one would be best if and when this original date doesn't work.

Thanks again everyone and hope to see many of you in a couple of weeks.

Cheers, Bill Ables PS.

If you plan to attend please email Bill Ables and let him know your plans: [email protected]

Again just forwarding the email that came.

John

Can we drop off our camping gear and supplies at the Minam River Lodge prior to participating in the air lift?

RR wrote:It's on my calendar. Maule 12m launching from Northern Cal Satuday am. Should we plan on staying in Joseph Sat night?

I think most of us will stay. Where is up in the air at this moment. Our choices are Joseph airport, Town, Minam.

Good day

GroundLooper wrote:Does anyone know if it's ok to camp at the Joseph airport?
I figure if the weather is good for the weekend and I can make it, I'll need to head over on Friday.

Yes it should be fine.

scottnt wrote:Can we drop off our camping gear and supplies at the Minam River Lodge prior to participating in the air lift?

I would guess yes. I was thinking of asking Wup if I could set up my cot in their repair hangar by the gas pump. There is a plastic out house there. We could probably use the Suburban to go to town for food.

On the other hand camping at Minam would be good. I was hoping to get away with just sleeping bag, jet boil, Jack Daniels and cot.

We could motel it in Joseph and whoop it up in town.

Maules coming: OregonMaule, RR, Idahomauledriver, M5guy, Little John, goracke1 in his Maule and possibly with another Maule. Terry in 180, Dave in a 182, Scott in a Super Cub with a belly pod, Craig in his 172, Bill in his 170?

Stupid question, how about the ABW team, you guys going to be around?

I'm taking my right front seat out so I can haul some longer stuff too.

Cheers...Rob

SuperMaule you coming??

Dokmow you coming??

That maintenance hangar sounds good for Friday night.......I dibs sleeping under Bills Maule.......I know there is a loaded shotgun in it to keep the rest of you away when the lights go out.
Saterday night at the lodge would fun.
Hope the weather cooperates.

Terry wrote:That maintenance hangar sounds good for Friday night.......I dibs sleeping under Bills Maule.......I know there is a loaded shotgun in it to keep the rest of you away when the lights go out.
Saterday night at the lodge would fun.
Hope the weather cooperates.

I'll PM Wup if he doesn't jump in here.

Good day

Rob,
Not a problem dropping your stuff off at Minam and as Rob B. said, no problem with camping at KJSY. I'll see Wup tomorrow night at our pilot meeting and I'll see how many ABW folks will be there (hell, they're there already). I'm going to be leaving a car at Joseph for those folks who will be staying there to run into town and back. Aaron also said that folks are welcome to stay at Minam on a first come first serve basis for the rooms that they have in there also. I'm putting my plane back together and will be going in there this weekend and will be giving a current pirep shortly thereafter. Also, we'll make a go/no go decision on Thursday morning depending on what the weather man has to say and I will post it here to give folks as much lead time as we can. I'm looking out right now at 4-inches of new snow and still snowing.

Thanks again for everyone's interest and support of this operation!!

Cheers,

Bill

Abe,

Ditto on the snow in North Central Idaho. Hope the weather cooperates. Looking forward to it. Camping at Minam sounds good but we should consider a "supply" run as one of the hauls if the majority are staying there i.e. steaks, burgers, hot dogs or whatever.

Ok time for the lame excuses to start filtering in. Why can't you make it? Your doggie caught a cold. Just remembered you want to watch Oprah reruns? One of my favorites is the dude with 25 grandma's. Oh my grandma passed away. Again

Hah.

My excuse will have to wait until I see the weather report. I'm stoked. Gotta get those green hot dogs going for the iron stomach competition!

Hope to see all of you there.

I'll make the call next Thursaday. I do want to go, the only thing that may stop me is some really good weather. Life of a farmer.
Chad

My excuse is the 182 is still out of annul and the cub won't 'haul' anything.(Well, sandwiches?)

Sorry. I'M a dud.
lc

GroundLooper wrote:Hah.

My excuse will have to wait until I see the weather report. I'm stoked. Gotta get those green hot dogs going for the iron stomach competition!

Hope to see all of you there.

my excuse is Craig is bringing green hot dogs euuuuuuuuuuuuu
did you have them on st pattys day? were they brown then?

OregonMaule

SuperMaule you coming??

Rob,
If I can sell some blood or a kidney to buy some 100LL and its not snowing I'll try to fly down early Saturday morning on the 14th. Is everyone launching from Joseph or Enterprise? What all are we hauling or is it just a work party? Do we need to bring shovels tools ect? It will be good to see you guys again.

James

Hey James: we will be hauling anything that will fit in a Maule that could conceivably go into refurbishing the Minam property. The wx forecast has been no go, go. The planners will make the call next Thursday. Looks like Friday night will be at Joseph airport. Friday there is a pilot meeting at 0830 at Joseph. Read back in the thread and Bill [ABE] talks about the route to fly while coming and going to Minam.

Funny guy, the sell the kidney. You gov types have all the $$

If the wx holds I think some of us will camp in the lodge at Minam Saturday night. The new owners gave us the green light.

Joseph wx from The Weather Channel


G'Day

Hey James,
It will good to see you fellow, been awhile. Maybe you can "follow" me into Minam on your first run since I was in your dust all the way to Alaska. Just throttle that Maule back a wee bit. We have some 15-planes committed along with numerous folks to help out on the ground at both ends so far.