z3skybolt wrote:Thanks Earnie,
Great photos. I am bringing the airplane for sure after all these good suggestions. Now I have to figure how to get from Blanding, UT. where I intend to base the airplane back to either SLC or ABQ to catch the airline home. It will be a double trip. One to take the airplane then return back home to get the Jeep for the drive out to the park. There are no rental cars, bus service, train or anything between Blanding and civilization. That is why I love the area. But haven't got it figured out yet.
Natural Bridges is located in the heart of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen. I will be volunteering 4 days a week at the park and have 3 consectutive days off each week. The intention is to take advantage of every day off. It will only be a 15/20 minute flight down to Monument Valley, Valley of the Gods and endless canyon country. I intend to camp overnight at these backcountry strips that I go into. My goal in retirement has been to spend as much time among silence and dark night skies as possible. That is more and more difficult to do with the "electrification" and constant "noise" of our world.
One other question. I want to land and spend the night on a dry lake bed, having never done that. Beyond checking the weather and dragging the lake bed....how is one sure that the base is dry and hard?
Questions from a flatlander!
Bob
Bob,
You can park the Maule for free at MillionAir SLC and they will shuttle you over to the terminal for the Airlines. You just might have to buy some of their expensive avgas
for goodwill. I just spent a weekend riding above natural bridges through the Bears' Ears and in the Elk Ridge country as well as Hite and the Maze district. Truly breathtaking country. One needs a Jeep and a Maule indeed. May I recommend Poison Spring Canyon and a hike to Happy Canyon Narrows when you get the jeep.
If you can find it on the internet, read some of Jim Warks journals about spending the night at Dirty Devil, with its 7+ echos off the canyon walls. He tells of a magical place...good reading.
As for dry lake beds...Ibex is a sure thing. Some of the others are seasonal and need some scout work during rainy periods. Should all be dry as a bone by summer.
As Adam said above, most of these strips are even Cherokee worthy with a profiIcient pilot, your Maule will do wonderful. If you need any logistical help in the SLC area, please count on me. I'm at the airport every day I'm not traveling.
