On the east side of Mono Lake the map shows a hotsprings. Does anyone know if it is any good to soak in, land at, camp at?
thanks,
tom

There are some abandoned airstrips around the lake. As I recall, a couple are on the north shore. I have some old charts that may show them--Nevada DOT sent them to me about 20 years ago when I asked about places to land, including roads. They were very practical and helpful and told me that landing on roads in remote areas was ok, but not to be surprised if someone showed up to make sure I wasn't in trouble or doing a drug drop.

You've got my curiosity up. Hot springs?? Sounds tempting.

I have also heard about some hot springs near one of the Soldier Meadow strips up in the Blackrock. Any truth to those rumors?

CAVU

Yes, lots of them. But the playa can be too soft before july 4th or so. The B and B at soldier meadow has a strip that is a 15 min walk from a huge pool of hot water with a dock in it. Lots and lots of horse flys......last time I was there, I though we might win in Iraq if we could just get them headed that way. Double hot springs down the way, should be called too hot, unless you want to make tea, skip it.

Here was the airstrip last July at soldier meadow.

Zona wrote: Double hot springs down the way, should be called too hot, unless you want to make tea, skip it.

Double hot runs down the hill, to a spot where someone inserted a plastic pipe that can be used to fill an old stock watering tank. They also built a small wooden deck so you can get in and out without getting your feet all muddy. Down stream from that is an old bathtub. The water is just about the right temp at the bathtub, but at the water tank you have to wait awhile for it to cool. I've landed in the playa about a mile to the west, but you could also land right near the water tank if you can get into a 400 foot strip. This is a nice place to camp, and it isn't too busy.
tom

Nice pic! Is that a tin indian (Cherokee) wing?
Pretty country, nice airstrip-- looks like a pretty tricky approach though .
Looking at my K Falls sectional, is the "Soldier Meadows Ranch & Lodge" located at Soldier Meadow 1 (north) or 2 (south) ?
I gotta get down there to that country one of these days. Closest I been is Owyhee Reservoir in eastern Oregon. That's pretty nice too, same sort of open sagebrushy country. Nice change of pace from the timberlands of northwestern Washington.

Eric

It is an Archer, and that is the strip as of july 2006, was nice and about 3K feet. Easy as hell, but the was some thunder storms about 15 min later. I was in the hot water, and my head was cold from the rain, my body was hot, and I did know what to think about that.

I know a guy who landed a piper twin there.

I love the place.

Found this just now:

http://www.soldiermeadows.com/

I always camped at the airstrip, on their land, and never met them. If that is not cool, and....well what can you say about people who let you do things like that. Just awesome people I guess.

Soldier Meadows 1, the northern one was an old cavalry station way back.
In 2003 we, the Maule group held the annual flyin there and the Ranch did an excellent job of setting up, catering, lending a pickup for trips to the deep swimmable hotsprings with deck. They brushcut a parking/camping area up near the lodge and we taxied up there. They had some beds and rooms and sometimes have juicy fresh trout to eat.
It is under new ownership now and I hear welcome visiters to stay or to eat there.
Jeremy

Addendum to above.
There is a link The 2003 Soldier Meadows Maule Flyin on the www.maulepilots.org website showing pictures etc
Jeremy

Thanks for all of the information on Soldier Meadow. I've been flying over it for years. It's not that far away for me and sounds like a great weekend trip.


CAVU