Anyone know what the Alvord desert is like this time of year? I'm looking for a place to go have a fly-in hotspring soak. Any other E oregon or nearby destinations that would be worth considering?

You can probably find a place dry enough to land on but I'm guessing most of it is a giant mudhole right now. It's probably pretty cold too. We used to spend a week out there over every labor day with the motorhome and ultralights and even then it would swallow a motorhome or two once in a while. I've flown over the Steens right there by the hotsprings in a Powered Powerchute ultralight before. I was at 8900 ft MSL. Took a full tank of fuel to get there I got a 25 minute glide back to the lake bed when I was done.

The Alvord is a great place, but it is best to go there during the dry season. A few years ago (probably around 1985) we went there with a bunch of cubs and a C-180. We were in our 180 powered Pacer. When we left to go home we followed one of the cubs out. Our Pacer still had the wheels pants on at the time. Just about when the tail was starting to get light the mains broke through the crust and went into the mud. We stopped in about 50 feet. It was the closest I have ever came to going onto the back of an airplane. All I could see out of the windshield was dirt, but somehow the tail came back down and we didn't go over. When we got out the mains were buried up to the bottom of the pants and the tailwheel was completely covered. We discovered that the wheel pants completely packed themselves full of mud and the front section was broken. If it was not for having them on, the airplane would have gone on its back. It took 6 guys to pick up the airplane and carry it about 20 feet to one side to get enough hardpan to roll on. We got her home and then put 8:50 X 6 tires on and left the wheel pants upstairs.

Brian.

The Alvord is super fun. I too have done the ultralight fly-in out there, usually in late summer or Sept. As has already been said, the sippy holes are what you have to look out for.

If it's dry out there and you get that lakebed dust all over your plane, give it a good rinse when you get home because that alkali-rich dirt can be really corrosive.

Somewhere i have some good pics to scan. Nice photos Brian

I'm not sure if there's snow on it right now, but McKenzie Bridge is pretty close to the Belknap hot springs. It's a few miles upstream, and a nice hike along the McKenzie river trail. I think it's five bucks per day to soak there.

If you're flying around down there, the desert looks wet, and you happen to experience carb icing (cough cough), you could probably land on the road.

Craig

I have been told that the road is pretty strait above the spring. Taxi to the wide spot. Look out for power lines.

Tim

The road is very landable. Fields is also an option, but it's 20 miles away, so you'd need ground transportation. It would be a great bike ride if you can carry bicycles.

I enjoy going to the Alvord Desert

Never landed at Fields, I asume that they have ethanol in thier gas. It is in Oregon isn't it? I do not think Denio has ethanol cus it is in Nevada.

Tim

10% Ethanol in the gas at Fields Station.