Hello Backcountry Pilots,

Airstrip construction at Clear Creek International continues. The 955 Cat and the dump truck are running great so far, and the county brought in 4 more loads of fill today too. Got a guy from Wilson Construction coming out on the 24th to see about moving a power-pole, and burying some wires too. Landed there today in a Jet Ranger, but that's cheating I guess.

James

Can't wait to land on your strip!
If you can, fill and compact those stump holes while there is still some moisture in the dirt. The loader or truck loaded will do a pretty good job for compaction.

Its good to see your project is coming along. Soon you will be landing and taking off and it will all be worth it.
My projects is slow. Cant find any one to do the dirt work. Every one wants $150 an hour which is ok.
But they don't stick around after I leave so I guess I have to baby sit them. Have a great night, keep up the good work on the strip.

Ken in Alaska

Looking good James, keep up the good work. Can't wait to put those 29's down at CCI. And "Yes" that is cheating in the helo.

Take Care Fellow,

James,
One of the great things you have to look forward to: walking your runway. I do it almost every day, with Ted the dog, and it accomplishes many things at the same time.

1. Most importantly, it will eventually drive any ground dwellers, voles, moles, and whatever, elsewhere. Just the ground vibrations (from what I have read) from somewhat constant traffic, even a once a day or so walk, will make the other parts of your property more attractive to them. I found this out at my first strip, and now some 5 years later on my second one, not a burrow or mound to be seen, every year it has gotten better and better! What was a war is now a truce.

2. You can eyeball for weeds, and possibly just hand pick them rather then spray. If you keep up on it it's managable, otherwise it takes heavy equipment, chemicals, etc. I like keeping even my little Kubota off it if possible, the less traffic the better, airplanes with Bushwheels don't count.

3. Obviously, any loose objects or other items that shouldn't be there will be spotted and removed. When you're landing or taking off, you're too busy, walking it you can fine tune it.

4. Good excercise for me and Ted, though mine is only 400' the grade makes it more of a workout. It is my favorite time of the day.

Looking good James, keep up the good work. Can't wait to put those 29's down at CCI. And "Yes" that is cheating in the helo.

Take Care Fellow

Hey Bill,
I thought you were taking your bride to Hawaii? Good to see you at the Minum Airlift. I hope to see you someday on my airstirp and at Riggins too. And Courierguy, thanks for the comments. I figure if I just keep working at the airstirp someday it will get done. So far it has been a huge project.

James

courierguy wrote:James,
One of the great things you have to look forward to: walking your runway. I do it almost every day, with Ted the dog, and it accomplishes many things at the same time.

1. Most importantly, it will eventually drive any ground dwellers, voles, moles, and whatever, elsewhere. Just the ground vibrations (from what I have read) from somewhat constant traffic, even a once a day or so walk, will make the other parts of your property more attractive to them. I found this out at my first strip, and now some 5 years later on my second one, not a burrow or mound to be seen, every year it has gotten better and better! What was a war is now a truce.

I did not know this. I guess it works for some critters but it does not work on what we call digger squirel. They are seldom topside. They just put up an air hole now and then and leave a bunch of fresh dirt in a pile. Flood irrigating takes care of most but we have a hollow rod than we push through to the tunnel and then they get a taste of majic formula. They die in there hole so the dogs cannot eat them.

Keep working at the strip and when you land there the first time you will be doing back flips cus you be so happy.

Tim

I did not know this. I guess it works for some critters but it does not work on what we call digger squirel. They are seldom topside. They just put up an air hole now and then and leave a bunch of fresh dirt in a pile. Flood irrigating takes care of most but we have a hollow rod than we push through to the tunnel and then they get a taste of majic formula. They die in there hole so the dogs cannot eat them.

Keep working at the strip and when you land there the first time you will be doing back flips cus you be so happy.

Tim

Hey Tim,
What worries me way more than gophers, rabbits, and such is whitetail deer at my place. The airstrip is a one-way in and one-way out. At a certain point there is no go-around at my airstrip. I've seen deer take the main gear right off a King Air 200 "Ouch". I can't shoot them all.

James

Super-Maule wrote: What worries me way more than gophers, rabbits, and such is whitetail deer at my place..... I can't shoot them all.

Invite all your neighbors to hunt there. Lots of people like to eat venison & don't necesarily need or want a wilderness experience to get it. If the deer are pretty easy to shoot, people could maybe bring their kids for their first deer.
Any more static from your letter-writing neighbor?

hotrod150 wrote: Any more static from your letter-writing neighbor?

No more on that . SM and I have almost kissed and made up. Was that guy from Nor Cal or so Cal. (FYI - Nor Cal starts in Weed, CA at main street.)

Tim

No more on that . SM and I have almost kissed and made up. Was that guy from Nor Cal or so Cal. (FYI - Nor Cal starts in Weed, CA at main street.)

Backcountry Pilots,

Sorry no Californian bashing today. I'm in too good a mood. Moved a lot of fill on my airstrip this weekend until the rocks created a hole in the wood bed of my dump truck. The hole was big enough to swallow the fat guy from the local Indian Casino Buffet.

I repaired the hole with a double thick floor with 3/4 inch plywood on the truck bed and hope it works. Got a guy from Wilson Construction looking at my powerline next Thursday. The grass is getting too high to land on my neighbors hay-strip.

Saw a 3000 foot dust devil today flying home this afternoon. Speaking of dust devils, when I was young and dumb I flew a helicopter into a dust devil south of Boise on a dare. Quote: "You don't have a hair on your ass if you don't fly through that thing". This was a bad idea and we came out the other side of the dust devil on a totally different heading, nose low and in a God-awful bank. The only difference is I'm not so young anymore.

James

Super-Maule wrote:

I did not know this. I guess it works for some critters but it does not work on what we call digger squirel. They are seldom topside. They just put up an air hole now and then and leave a bunch of fresh dirt in a pile. Flood irrigating takes care of most but we have a hollow rod than we push through to the tunnel and then they get a taste of majic formula. They die in there hole so the dogs cannot eat them.

Keep working at the strip and when you land there the first time you will be doing back flips cus you be so happy.

Tim

Hey Tim,
What worries me way more than gophers, rabbits, and such is whitetail deer at my place. The airstrip is a one-way in and one-way out. At a certain point there is no go-around at my airstrip. I've seen deer take the main gear right off a King Air 200 "Ouch". I can't shoot them all.

James

In Australia alot of people doing country trips fit these whistles to their cars to alert the kangaroos that might gather around the edges of the roads to feed. http://www.ebay.com/itm/SHOO-ROO-SONIC- ... 0675843491 Sold under various names...roo-guard, shoo-roo etc.
http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/sis.html?_nk ... +4WD+BLACK

The air passes through them and they emit a high pitch (inaudible to humans) sound that the roos can hear. Supposedly works well for goats so might work on deer. Some folk swear by them for tigers and elephant too because no-one has hit any of them. Priced under $10 you could fit them to main gear of wing strut.

Careful you don't put 'em on backwards or the critters will follow you everywhere.

Super maule, AKA Clear Creek Airstrip Construction Company

A friend of mine is selling out the family ranch and I thought of you.

I like te cool IHC. It must have had it's 50 birthday by now. And yes, I have deer and gopher problems too .

Hello Backcounty Pilots,
I called in the big guns and had my neighbor bring in his D-8 Cat and road-grader. He accomplished more in two days than I could in two years. The runway is now done, and graded. It is 1250 feet long and 40 feet wide. One way in and one way out.

Next weekend I roll it out and seed with blue grass seed. I got two gunny sacks of grass seed from my Indian friend "Glen Many Beers" (Glen can drink many beers).

Got to save up lots of $$$ to have the power pole moved, then Clear Creek International will be landable. Very smoky in Kooskia for the last few weeks. Days on end of 1/2 mile visibility.

James
Clear Creek Idaho

Good to hear from you SM...thought you and your airstrip fell off the edge of the earth...or fell into it.

Nice work SM. Have you cake and eat it too. Nice strip!

hicountry wrote:Good to hear from you SM...thought you and your airstrip fell off the edge of the earth...or fell into it.

Just been busy HC.

1250 feet. Shewt, even I can land on that!

Glad to see it's coming along. It's going to be a great strip when it's finished.

Why the "No fill please" sign?