Anything going on this spring ?
We are landing at a few Utah backcountry strips in a few weeks.
Passed thru last spring but its never enogh time to enjoy more of that great area.
We are looking for camping, Petro's, Photo /geology stuff.

Very good website. forum is termed open mic. but very quiet there.
http://www.utahbackcountrypilots.org/airport_search.asp

Yeah, the forum's been kinda silent for a while. I might be heading down to the Moab area this weekend and I'll let you know what I find down there. Last I heard Mineral Canyon was still out of commission from flood damage. I'll see if I can't make it over there to check it out.

I haven't been able to fly out to check any UT strips first hand in the last month. The last I knew, Mineral Canyon is still OTS. However, the following PIREP is from the UBCP site:
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"It appears the airstrip as weathered last fall and winter in ok condition. There had been a significant amount of standing water on the airstrip and the sediment makes the runway a little soft but it is usable. The North end may have been the worse off. There are a few ruts, and horse tracks, but because the runway is soft it is not real bad. Nose wheel airplanes make sure you keep the pressure off the nose wheel. Check the photo album for some recent pics. Thanks to who ever did some clean up. The fire pit was pile up together, and someone tried to dig a hole to drain some of the water from the runway - I guess it worked! There were two free ranging horses near the airstrip. Lots of tracks up and down the strip and places where the horses had dusted themselves. Watch for the horses before landing!!"
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Happy Canyon had been repaired as of mid-February, but no reports lately either.

The first couple months of the spring season are generally "take what you get" with extreme caution in utah. The winter can make regular pilot-reports infrequent.

M

There are so many good strips to camp and hike from.
What are the favorites for Petro's, photo's ?
Thanks, getting exited now, its in the 40's in Mn......
I see 60 to 70 already in Mohab.

As of a week ago:

Mexican Mountain is reported to be in good shape meaning the same as it has been for years. Not everyone would consider it usable or in good shape.

Mineral Canyon is softer than usual but dry.

There is a pilot for Red Tail Aviation in Moab (Canyon Lands Airport) http://www.airnav.com/airport/KCNY by the name of Lavar Wells. When he was a kid he helped his father build a lot of those old strips when the uranium mining was getting popular.

I had the privelage of flying with him early last summer. Give hime a call, he may be of some help.

Tim

Prepared Pilot wrote:As of a week ago:
Mexican Mountain is reported to be in good shape meaning the same as it has been for years. Not everyone would consider it usable or in good shape.

1000 ft. is OK if kind of firm.
700 ft. is OK for me at sea level.
Out there soft means mud, not wet grass I think.
We will have camping gear,
Otherwise less than these numbers is OK..
thanks for the help

Hi Winger,

What ya got there, a late model 180 with a 470U and seaplane prop?

Mine's a '79, set up like that + 8:50's and 10" tailwheel, got VG's last June, and for Mexican Mtn. I will be a lot more comfortable now. Went in there last May for 1st time, hot weekend, used every single inch of that 1350 feet. I got up a 4am to be sure and get there before 9:00 am, but it was already 70. I pared the gear and fuel down so I was at 2400 lbs, (yeah, mine's kinda heavy, 1900 empty). Left two days later at 7:00 am and damn, it was already near 70! Preferred landing to the West, you can drag it in over sagebrush for 200 feet, but can be landed either way.

I wouldn't have wanted even 50 lbs more! Absolutely fantastic place though, lots of Pglyphs, saw a desert bighorn....watch out for lot's of cow shit!

I assume you've checked out UBCP.org for the latest info and great pics.

Mineral is a lot longer and easier, I think most of the soft dirt is at the North end....things could change fast though. We've been having a real heat wave out here, hope it lasts for your trip.

Best,

Rocky

Hey Rocky, I'd like to try those VG's and 850's, Im using 800's,
they work OK with the landes 3600 Ski's.
I didn't check strips + elevations yet, your in a heat wave now ?
I'm watching this website for Mohab area, looks good already, but the nights maybe chilly ? thanks for the help..

http://usairnet.com/cgi-bin/launch/code ... t+Forecast

[quote="RockyTFS"]Hi Winger,
Mine's a '79, set up like that + 8:50's and 10" tailwheel, got VG's last June, and for Mexican Mtn. I will be a lot more comfortable now. Went in there last May for 1st time, hot weekend, used every single inch of that 1350 feet. quote]

I believe that , First time I landed on a gravel road in Wyo at 7000 ft. warm day and heavy, was surprised how fast I landed with the tail trimmed down.

I have a question for those of you that frequent Utah boondocks in the four corners area. I was flying south of Halls Crossing (Lake Powell) and then hooked up with the San Juan. Circling back towards Powell I spied a few cool camp site / strips. Legal or no dice? any ideas? reservation? any fish in the river there? It was still a tad too hot to camp now, but it will be the shizz in a couple weeks!

Hi Rob
Not sure which one you were looking at. If it was up on top of a ridge between the Co. River and the San Juan, it was Nokai Dome. Good strip, great scenery, and pretty good place to camp when temps aren't too high. You have to watch temps at most of these places, both for D.A. and comfort. Alot of these strips don't provide much shade.
There are a few other strips on the San Juan. I would guess that those on the south side are on the res. I have been told if you see dust coming, leave. So I would say that they are a bad place to camp.
Zahn's Camp is on the north side. Short strip, probably 800-1000'. Puts you right at waters edge. No roads, so you would probably be pretty safe camping.

Hope that helps

Gary

Hi Gary,

We did land one for a p and pop break. It was on the north side of the river,
and up on a slight bluff. The river wrapped around it so that you had a drop on either departure about 35'. It was still hot, and didn't help that it was about 2:pm when we stopped in, but it had to be at least 800' and the drop of at the end assured flight There were no roads to that particular strip, but I didn't consider weather the locals would be friendly or not. Following the river west and north through the canyons were some spectacular sights and a few nice gravel beaches, but again being unsure about the area, and being only on a "day trip" we didn't hang out too long.
I will wander in there more as the Wx cools and report back
Take care,
Rob

There's an ad in a recent GA News for Thunder Ridge Airpark in Utah, picturing a DHL 170 parked in the desert. Looks like Punkin. Matt?

Eric

hello

Great video Patrol Guy! I think it should be labled "Why We Fly Utah"! I really enjoyed watching it.