Backcountry Pilot • Idaho airstrips...Upper Loon, Thomas Creek, Wilson Bar

Idaho airstrips...Upper Loon, Thomas Creek, Wilson Bar

A general forum for anything related to flying the backcountry. Please check first if your new topic fits better into a more specific forum before posting.
3 postsPage 1 of 1

Idaho airstrips...Upper Loon, Thomas Creek, Wilson Bar

The following is in response to a question asked by a user which is no longer in the database:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I've been to all three. Upper Loon and Thomas Creek are actually quite tame. Wilson Bar requires a bit more focus, but still not too bad. All of this is relative, of course. Do you have specific questions about them?
youngan offline
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:21 pm

Thomas Creek is long (about 2000 feet) and has plenty of room for a long, straight-in approach, if you're going the right direction (south, I think). The other direction would work, but require a dog-leg on short final to clear a hill.

Upper Loon also allows a very long straight-in approach, that takes right by a very scenic cliff, which does not really get in your way, but makes the approach very asthetically pleasing. Long runway also. This is also a landing to the south.

Wilson Bar is my personal favorite. It requires you to fly over northbound rather high up, to get a look at the runway and pick out landmarks. It then requires you to decend deep into the canyon and follow it's twists and turns as you decend to the correct altitude. You don't see the runway until you roll out of a right turn onto short final. By the time you see it, you are only a few hundered yards away from the threshold and shoudl only be a few hundred feet above field elevation. If evereything doesn't look right at this point, turn left and head up river for a go-around. Past this point, there is no go-around, as there are tall trees on both sides of the runway, and a steep hill at the far end. The runway goes part way up the hill, which can help stop you if you come in hot, but best to not come in hot or high.

In general, it's best to avoid all of these in windy conditions, as it can get quite turbulent in the canyons.

If you don't have the "Fly Idaho" book yet, do pick it up; it's invaluable.

Andy
youngan offline
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:21 pm

My dentist told me he landed his 182 at Lower Loon some years ago, and it was VERY short, like 600 ft. He said he was in slow flight the whole way with some Miles Davis stall horn solos. Freaked him out so he taxied to the end, poured it on and got the hell out.
Last edited by Zzz on Thu Mar 31, 2005 6:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Zzz offline
Janitorial Staff
User avatar
Posts: 2854
Joined: Fri Oct 08, 2004 11:09 pm
Location: northern
Aircraft: Swiveling desk chair

DISPLAY OPTIONS

3 postsPage 1 of 1

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests

Latest Features

Latest Knowledge Base