After checking with co-conspirators and at the urging of several, Winifred (9S7) is ready to host a Missouri River Breaks Flyin (13-14 June).

We will not be able to donate a new Ford pickup and trip to the Bahamas for the shortest landing as in years past, but we will enjoy the good times and beautiful places the Missouri River and Breaks have to offer and the wonderful hospitality of Central Montana.

For those headed here from the East, flying down the Missouri River over Ft. Peck from North Dakota is the most scenic route. For those from the west, it is a legitimate destination in its own right if you enjoy truly wild and beautiful country. I suggest consideration of stopping here in the Breaks for the 13-14th and flying the Breaks, departure on the 15th for one of many back country strips along the Rocky Mountain Front, then over the top of the Chinese Wall in the Bob Marshall Wilderness to Meadow Creek strip. Then, if you were so inclined, you could work your way to Johnson Creek where the SuperCubbers are meeting...we can help you with plans. All of these strips have been covered in recent Pilot Getaway magazines.

Draft Schedule:

13th June: Afternoon Evening. Flying the breaks, set up camp at Cow Creek Strip in the Breaks. (See Mike Vivion's article in Pilot Getaways). If it is safe to have a cook fire, we will cook out at Camp over the fire. If it is too dry, we will cook in Winifred as in years past and fly the food to the camp.

14th June: Up, breakfast on your own in camp...flying the breaks strips, hiking, wildlife watching, enjoying the fresh scent of pine. Afternoon/evening there will be a hamburger feed in the Winifred Hangar...lots of hangar talk, perhaps ?? some dance music and definately some kegged beverages.

15th June: You are on your own, or we can organize some "airplane games" if there is interest.

There is a Cafe in Winifred, a small wonderful hotel, a swimming pool, two bars, and ca. 140 august souls. After Cow Creek, we can camp in the park or along the aircraft.

We have a large hangar, and wide turf runway for the planes...fuel will be available. Bring tiedowns.

Call me with questions...we are quite flexible at this time. I would appreciate a response in this thread if you think you might be able to make it. Ralph Rogers, 406 462 5487 ... more information to come.

Ralph,

as noted elsewhere, I'm planning on being there.

MTV

UPDATE: BREAKS/WINIFRED FLYIN - 13-14TH JUNE: BUSY WEEKEND IN CENTRAL MONTANA FOR AIRCRAFT!
It is great to see the interest...plenty of room in the breaks for more aircraft.

In scheduling the Breaks Flyin "on the weekend before Johnson Ck", we inadvertently scheduled over the Lewistown flyin on Saturday Morning (14th)....and in addition to that, the Montana Antique Aircraft Assn. (MAAA) is having their state tour in Central Montana, headquarting between Lewistown (LWT) and Havre (HVR). (Lewistown is 25 mi S of Winifred; Havre 50 mi. N) There will be some really interesting working aircraft around. We can spend the entire time quietly in the Breaks/Winifred as in years past, or fly a short distance for some looks at truly unique old aircraft. Below is the schedule off which we are currently working.

This is all still tentative.

FRIDAY (13 June):
fly the breaks with camp at Cow Creek ...bar-b-que and wilderness sunsets.
.....or.....
possible ticket in Lewistown for Charlie Russel Chew Choo. This is a unique 3 hour trip through some beautiful back-country on a historic old dinner-train... crosses several old tunnels and high tressels...with visits by saloon girls and train robberies. http://www.montanacharlierussellchewchoo.com/
The trainride ends "lateish" ... if too late to get back to unlit strips in the Breaks, we have blocked rooms at many hotels in Lewistown.

SATURDAY (14 June):

Wake slowly and eat on your own (remember sunrise that time of year is ca. 5:00am)..... or....

Fly to Lewistown (KLWT) flyin breakfast (7:00-11:00am) in conjunction with MAAA and Pioneer Power display. There will be displays of old tractors, airworthy/flying antique aircraft, and pancake/eggs breakfast.

Return after breakfast for more flying to breaks strips for the day. You have the choice Saturday night of either returning to camp at Cow Creek or moving camp to Winifred where we will have Hangar Hamburgers and malted adult beverages.

SUNDAY (15June):

The Breaks flyin is over, but the Fort Peck Father's Day flyin will be serving breakfast at Ft. Peck airstrip (37S) which is a beautiful 70 mile flight from Winifred over Breaks, Missouri River, Ft. Peck Reservoir and some truly wild country.

There are lots of options for those going from Winifred to Johnson Creek after the flyin weekend...most of which have been features in Pilot Getaways. Schaefer's Meadow, Meadow Creek, Benchmark just to name a few strips towards Idaho from Winifred.

More information later...don't hesitate to call if I can be of help. (406) 462-5487 [email protected]
Ralph

Hello,

Just joined this forum last night. I stumbled onto it while searching for Idaho/Montana backcounty flying information.

My son and I will be taking our Maule to Montana and Idaho in June for 2 weeks of flying/camping. Only a few weeks ago I learned about the Missouri Breaks airports via Pilot GetAways magazine. Looking on the sectional however, I was unable to locate the airports mentioned in the article.

My son and I would appreciate any thoughts and advise from those of you experience in the area. Recently I retired from American Airlines. My logbook shows over 4,000 hours of tailwheel time. I grew up in general aviation: rented aircraft for years and Ihave owned a Pitts, Skybolt and Maule during the last 24 years. So I have remained active in general aviation throughout my airline career.

Backcountry/mountian flying is a new experience for me and so I am all ears and would appreciate hearing from you.....the experts.

Thanks,

Bob

Bob,

None of the Missouri Breaks strips are shown on current issue Sectionals. Look at the article in PG and it gives you lat/long for the strips, and some specs. Go to Google Earth and enter the lat/long. This will give you a perspective on the strips.

Any of these strips would be quite adequate for a reasonably well flown Maule of any stripe. The DA can get kinda high there in summer, but.....

Strips are generally smooth, and approaches are good.

See you there,

MTV

Thanks,

Benefits already from joining the site. I'll look up the airpstrips. We would like to stop at a couple of them enroute to Glacier Park and Idaho.

Bob

I've been following this site for some time and as of today I joined this fine group of pilots. The Missouri Breaks flyin got me goin as I spent my first 50 years in North Central Montana, 30 of them in cubs and other tail wheelers.
I just called my daughter who lives on the Judith River to expect me in June.
I really enjoy this site.

Larry

This should help:
http://www.airnav.com/airport/9S7

http://skyvector.com/#35-2-3-5336-1320

If you have a a Garmin 296,396,or 496 the jeppson software can plan a route to the 9S7 from anywhere.

Somebody take some pics of this event, I'm curious about what that area looks like.

I was just camping in the Breaks this past weekend. Go to www.montanabyair.com. I have a few pictures of the area on different pages of the web site.

Winifred, as noted in other responses is (9S7). That one should already appear in most databanks. The Winifred strip is 2400' of sod. Please be aware of the construction of a second (not yet open) runway (4400') which roughly parallels the open runway.

The Breaks strips below do not appear on any maps and have just recently been declared open in the recent Missouri Breaks RMP. Some are more than 50 years old...government wheels can turn slowly on occasion. There are several others, but we are not sure of their legal status at this time. The best information available is from Mike Vivion's article in Pilot Getaways magazine; there are some great photos in the article as well. Most of these strips run E<-->W. The shortest is ca. 1200' (Woodhawk aka Middleton). Many different kinds of aircraft have been into Cow Creek (the camp site) which is on a ridge overlooking much of the breaks.

This is "Breaks" topography eroded deeply by the Missouri River and its tributaries. The erosion cuts directly through the rocks of the great Cretaceous Seas exposing 60-70 million year old dinosaur fossils. One of the most beautiful parts of this experience is its wildness. There are million of acres here with little habitation...only a few large ranches...mostly BLM public lands. The CM Russell Wildlife Refuge is close and the Breaks themselves are filled with Elk, deer, trophy class Bighorns, and several species of game birds. June should be beautiful...early June should be ahead of the bugs. I'm glad to answer question when home.... (406) 462-5487
Missouri Breaks Airstrip Coordinates

Black Butte 47 50.56’N, 109 12.26’W
Bullwhacker 47 50.85’N, 109 05.93’W
Cow Creek 47 56.85’N, 109 00.54’W
Left Coulee 47 53.12’N, 109 01.27’W
Knox Ridge 47 36.95’N 108 50.83’W
Woodhawk 47 46.78’N, 109 04.78’W

Ralph

Is this still a go? I hope someone takes some photos.

It is still a go at this point. We are wet now...but weather is predicted to improve by Thursday evening....if that happens, we will probably be ok. ..... Wish I could be more helpful... I will take photos. Ralph