I love adventure, I love the outdoors and I love flying. However, I have a six seat retractable Cessna 210 so I'm a bit of a misfit in the backcountry pilot community. When I joined BackcountryPilot.org a few years ago I was jokingly referred to as the "nosewheel, retractable gear, strutless guy." Yet I enjoy the backcountry and find myself deep in the mountains, deserts and canyons of the West quite often; sometimes with the 210 at my side in the dirt and sometimes with the 210 safely tied down on a paved ramp somewhere.
When I wrote the book, Fifty Classic Destinations for Pilots: Epic Adventures, Romance and Outdoor fun in the Western USA, I wanted to include a variety of destinations and adventures (though almost all are outdoors.) Forever classics like the national parks are on the list as well as some off-beat infrequently visited airstrips like Lee Vining, California.
In the spirit of the adventure and backcountry nature of this website, here are some condensed excerpts from the book of my favorite more adventurous destinations, including a wide variety of adventure activities.
Destination 7: Shelter Cove / The Lost Coast
Shelter Cove is a true gem of an airport. It is always nice to fly somewhere that is hard to get to by car, and Shelter Cove is truly hell to drive to with hundreds (the local school kids know the exact number) of hairpin turns as you cross the coast range from highway 101. The approach by air, on the other hand, is one of the most scenic imaginable and you can even choose which end of the runway to park at: next to the golf course and some B&Bs, or next to the fish and chip place.
Final approach to Shelter Cove airport, Northern California.
The Adventure: Coastal backpacking
How often can you pull your backpack out of your plane and start hiking on a world-class backpacking trail, in this case The Lost Coast trail in Northern California? Or for a day hike the famous black sand beach is less than an hour from the plane. Either way fish and chips await near the airstrip for the end of the trip.
Destination 15: Lee Vining
I used to fly over Lee Vining airport, noting that no planes were ever there, and wondered why it even existed. However over the years it has turned out to be my favorite airport of all time. The main attractions are Mono Lake, Tioga Pass road which leads to Tuolumne Meadows and the scenic June Lake Loop. Or walk one mile to the famous Tioga Gas Mart. It is officially called the Whoa Nellie Deli, but most people call it, "the place at the Mobil station". It is great food with a fantastic outdoor eating area. Legendary Lobster Taquitos, Wild Buffalo Meatloaf and Steak Caesar Salad are among the entrees (closed in winter).
Adventure: Backcountry Skiing
You have to be a little nuts to do this but it was a fun ski. A better way is to own a heli- skiing operation and don't bother with the biking and hiking. However, if you want a great ski in the springtime you can fly to Lee Vining, bike up Tioga Pass road (best to do before it is formally open) and skin up Ellery Bowl near the top. From there strip the skins off your skis, buckle up and get ready. The descent is awesome -- a high speed ski and bike all the way back to the airplane.
Get out of the plane!
I once witnessed a Cirrus land at Lee Vining (actually woke me up from a nap), shut down, spend a few minutes with the door open, then shut the door, start the engine and take off. They had obviously "done" Lee Vining. Don't be that guy. Know that, for a lonely airport with no planes, that there is a lot to do there. Also on the adventure list for Lee Vining is a photography expedition to the Mono Lake Tufa formations, rock climbing up in the high Sierra (use Sierra Mountain Guides and they will pick you up from the airport) or a classic fall colors road bike ride on the June Lake loop. Don't forget the Lobster Tacquitos one mile up the road!
Destination 29: San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California
You can camp at San Ignacio Lagoon with prior arrangements, or you can fly to Loreto or to the airstrip at Hotel Serenidad for an overnight stay before the flight to visit the whales. The airstrip at San Ignacio consists of crushed seashells and is normally plenty long. The time we did it there apparently was a land dispute so it was important to "land beyond the barbed wire fence that bisects the runway".
Adventure: Whale Petting
It is hard to describe the magical moment when the whales approach the boat. The lagoon is the winter nursery for the baby whales. Apparently they are so used to the boats that the mother whales use them as part of a socialization ritual for the babies. They approach the boats to be petted!
Destination 34: Garden Valley, Idaho
Garden Valley is about to be discovered. They have nice new shower facilities, a courtesy car, long grass runway, wonderful grass campsites and a prime spot right on the South Fork of the Payette River with its kayaking and whitewater rafting. Johnson Creek, the Idaho standard for backcountry airport camping, is getting crowded and the Idaho Division of Aeronautics is trying to direct some of the air traffic to Garden Valley.
My trip out to Garden Valley from California was very exciting because I tried to tie two whitewater kayaks on the wings and I lost one over the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. At that point I had some minor control issues with the airplane, specifically I could only turn left. It took some advanced planning for the approach into Garden Valley.
Adventure: Whitewater kayaking and rafting
Fortunately whitewater kayaks have gotten smaller over the years as I was finally able to fit two of them into the plane (no, I didn't tie them on top, that was a joke) for a trip to one of the classic whitewater rivers in the US, the South Fork of the Payette River in Idaho. It felt strange indeed to pull up in the kayak, get out, and walk a few hundred feet to the airplane parked at Garden Valley airstrip. For the shuttle we got a ride from Cascade Raft, a commercial outfitter. If you don't kayak you can call them to do the same run in a raft.
Destination 41: Escalante / Grand Staircase
Escalante, Utah is a relatively undiscovered adventure town and it must be what Moab was years ago before all the four-wheelers and mountain bikers turned Moab into a resort town. Enjoy Escalante as a small town while you can, because it is being discovered as a place with fantastic backpacking, canyoneering, horse packing and even fly fishing. One thing about Escalante is that it is remote. Take a look at Escalante on Bing or Google maps and zoom out. It is remote and a very long drive from anywhere, which means it is perfect place to fly to.
Adventure: Canyon Backpacking in Death Hollow
The Escalante river hike into Death Hollow starts two miles from the airstrip but it can be a long two miles in the sun. My wife Betsy and I arranged for a shuttle from Escalante Outfitters, and also arranged for them to pick us at the other end where the trail comes out onto Highway 12.
The trip is fun, wet and stunningly beautiful. Since most of the trail is in the water we even took our dog, but we forgot booties and we did need to carry him a ways when the trail crossed over hot late-June sand.
Destination 42: Fry Canyon
Fry Canyon Utah is a virtual playground of adventures ranging from Anasazi ruins 1/4 mile from the airplane, an easy but stunning slot canyon swim, a more serious canyoneering adventure and finally a road bike ride to Natural Bridges National Monument.
This place isn't for the faint of heart. It is remote. Fry Canyon Lodge is one mile down the road and they used to use the slogan, "The most remote lodge in Utah." Fry Canyon Lodge has been closed for over a decade for bad water (safety tip: bring your own water.)
In over 17 years of exploring the west I have yet to find a place like Fry Canyon -- a place that epitomizes the word "adventure."
Adventure: Canyoneering
If you've never tried canyoneering Fry Canyon is the perfect place. Less than a mile down the highway from the airstrip is a short, narrow slot canyon that you can scramble into and swim out of. From there you can dry off and continue a beautiful hike down the canyon until you can escape left out a dry wash and back up to the airstrip. If you have the technical skills you can continue downcanyon and over a drop into an 80 foot rappel ending in a dark, deep slot canyon full of water. It is scary and quite awesome. As a bonus Fry Canyon has Anasazi ruins near the airstrip.
Destination 43: Bryce Canyon
Unlike Zion National Park, Bryce has its own airport not far from the park. In most directions the terrain is twisted and broken and you may start to worry as you approach, but the Bryce airport sits high on a large flat bench, is paved and long. Cars are readily available if you don't feel like doing the mountain biking adventure.
Adventure: Mountain Biking Thunder Mountain
I was stunned when I first did this ride and declared it the best ride I'd ever ridden -- and I've ridden quite a bit in Moab, Crested Butte and all over California. You do have to ride 6 miles from the Bryce Canyon airport (or break down and rent a car) but it is worth it. Forested single track, sweeping turns and a section through Bryce Canyon's famous hoodoos really tops off the ride.
Fifty Classic Destinations for Pilots: Epic Adventures, Romance and Outdoor Fun in the Western USA features the adventures in this excerpt and 43 more. The soft cover full-color book is available on Amazon.
