Hello to all of you other backcountry enthusiasts.
I am in Gooding, ID. Looking for some other guys to play with on the weekends. I have been exploring the SW part of the state and N. Nevada while the mountains up north are in snow (no skis...yet!). I have a 180h.p. Cub on 31" BW's w/VG's etc. to rent for the off airport fun as well as a 206 for more civilized (Murphy hot springs, Grasmere, etc.) shred sessions. Also have some guy's w/C-205 and older C-210 to play on the more legit runs.
Professional Ag Pilot w/13,500 total, formation flying, etc. hoping to put together (or find an existing) group with similar tendencies. There are a few 185's and 180's out of the Hailey/Challis area I would like to get in touch with, I've seen them out together.
Anyone out there?
There are also new hangars for sale at GNG if anyone needs a home.

Hello from Pocatello. Hope to be out and about next summer visiting more of the beautiful Idaho backcountry strips. Some fun strips not far from here are on the north end of The Great Salt Lake (Black Mountain, Spiral Getty, and others.) Have you been to any of those? Some of my favorites are the strips in the red rock country near Moab Utah. Absolutely spectacular!

Gentlemen, new additions welcome!
I have had the infrequent pleasure playing in your neck of of the woods. You have a wonderful playground for all of us to explore and enjoy.
I hope to make your aquaintence on one of our weekend get togethers and maybe see you in your area before we leave.
180hp Cub? Fun toy! Look forward to seeing you somewhere!
Kurt MacKenzie

Nice to meet you guys.
I hope someone can play before summer though. Due to my season most of my time between April 1st and Sept. 15 is work flying, although I do slow up enough to spare some weekends in August.
DEGJR, I haven't been to any of the Utah strips yet as I hae only been here since last April. I did fly in American Falls in 2000 though and I know a bit of the country between Pocatello and Almo. Are all of the strips north of the Salt Lake listed on a map or do I need lat's?
jmtgt, I was just in reno last week for the NAAA convention at the Legacy. Don't work to death, but I understand I do it 7 days about 4 months a year.
YELLOMAULE, We already hae on thing in common! Yellow airplanes! Except I can't play in mine as it burns 55 gal/hr of Jet and my kids don't lke riding in the hopper. Where is Silverdale? I know I've seen it. I used to fly Beavers for NW Seaplanes out of Renton up through the San Juans and as far as Hakai Pass in B.C. As well as most of my commercial training west of the Cascades.
See you guys later.
Coming over stop in, I live at the airpory (GNG) in a camper for now, I am building a house just abeam the short final for 25. 4700' of pavement, 24 hour fuel service (cheapest aroud here), tiedowns, hangars, courtesy car ($10), maintenace available as well.

Lowflyin,

The strips in Northern Utah are not on the sectionals. The Utah Back Country Pilots Association (UBCP) has a data base you can print out (for members). They have hundreds of strips all over Utah that aren't on the sectionals. Annual dues are very reasonable, and it goes to a good cause. They are fighting hard to prevent closure of many of these strips. I encourage everybody to join, as there is strength in numbers.

Here in Idaho, there is the Idaho Aviation Association (IAA). They are the Idaho group dedicated to preservation of our backcountry resources. They work with the Department of Aeronautics to help maintain some of the backcountry strips. There are several of those members who fly super cubs, and could show you all the great spots.

And finnaly, don't forget the Civil Air Patrol. There is a squadron in Twin Falls I am sure is looking for pilots. Some of the squadrons in the west part of the state get to fly some pretty cool missions. For example, some recently flew several missions with F-16's. The concept was that F-16 pilots needed some practice spotting, intercepting, and flying alongside GA aircraft. Others actually took the thunderbird pilots up for a flight around Mountain Home prior to the airshow, so they could get a visual perspective of the area before performing.

Keep'er Flyin!
DEGJR

jmtgt,
The NAAA is the National Ag Aviation Association. They usually have the convention at the Silver Legacy although it will be in Orlando,Fla. next year. Let me know when you come by on the way to Caldwell.
DEGJR,
I may have to join all of those organizations. When will you be able to fly and what do you fly? We could meet in Burley or something and head down that way.

DEGJR,
I may have to join all of those organizations. When will you be able to fly and what do you fly? We could meet in Burley or something and head down that way.

Lowflyin,

I am flying a cessna, but not the kind with big tires (or the right orientation) . If the ground is frozen with not much snow, it might be alright, but hard to tell until you get there. So, unless the snow clears and the mud dries up it would be hard to go any of those places. I could get you the lat/lon of a couple of strips when though, and you could check them out? The neatest on on the north edge of salt lake is Spiral Getty. Some artist built a huge rock getty out into the lake so big you can cee it from space. It looks like the atennea of a big bug all curled up at the end. You can land on an airstrip about 1 mile to the west of the getty and walk over to take a look at it. The air strip is in the clearing of sagebrush with an old beat up camp trailer nearby. The strip isn't much more than a wide spot in the dirt road that circles the lake. Took the wife and family there this past spring. We had a nice picnic lunch, walked around on the sand of the lake, collected salt crystals, and took a lot of pictures of the getty.

I have some pilot friends in SLC who might be able to give me an idea of the conditions there. I will check with them, and if it is do-able with tri-gear skinny tires, I might be able to go. Otherwise, I will get you the coordinates, and you can explore!