Do we "know" anyone who has landed a fixed wing in the bottom of the grand Canyon?

I am still into my big inventory dumping process and came across this 1922 Popular Mechanics magazine.The cover and the feature story is "The First Airplane To Land in the Bottom of the Grand Canyon." The pilot was Royal D Thomas.

Years ago I did a ten day kayak trip through there and don't recall any suitable places to land, but I wasn't looking for any either. This was before the dams, so it could have been up stream or down stream from what we know now too?

Anyhow, you can find out all about that landing here on ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/140686099157?ss ... 1555.l2649

Just below Glen Canyon dam ate acouple of stips. Is that considered part of the Grand Canyon.

Tim

there are quite a lot of gravel bars that you could land on with a super cub, however the NPS cops (park rangers) would not like it. trying to do a touch-and-go without being photographed by a LOT of visitors would be nearly impossible .

I fly the Grand Canyon a LOT -there are LOTS of Strips that have been used in the Canyon Area -Years ago I had list of the most popular . I know the Grand Canyon Park Pilot here at Boulder City,NV. -Bruce Lennon -fly's a 206 with Park Ranger on bottom and top of wings In 2 foot high letters.He and I went over the landing sites and there all available "in emergency " . Most are rough and suitable for supercubs with big wheels.Get a Grand Canyon Map-and read it closely . North side of Canyon there are several near Canyon walls IN NATIONAL PARK. Most challenging is "Carl International" on north rim -800ft. long if you count the overrun -600ft. useable at near 7,000 msl . If you going to land in Grand Canyon expect Helicopter/fixed wing tour operators to turn you in . Landing in bottom of Canyon is limited to Helicopters with special permission. Lots of "tour" operators fly below the rim for extra tips.

found the link
Bar Ten N 36 15.74 W 113 14.08 authorized 2
> Black Valley N 36 55.98 W 111 58.17 overgrown 5
> Buckhorn Springs N 36 19.26 W 113 58.67 3
>
> Cliff Dwellers N 36 44.10 W 111 45.11 good condition, private 2
> Copper Mountain N 36 09.67 W 113 20. 89 inside SFAR 3
> Colorado City N 36 57.14 W 113 01.05 authorized 1
> Craig Ranch N 36 27.17 W 113 08.57 4
>
> Grand Gulch N 36 19.37 W 113 47.19 3
> Imlay N 36 40.91 W 113 37.57 authorized 2
> Kinney Flat N 36 21.66 W 113 18.49 3
> Lake Flat N 36 08.51 W 113 31.92 inside SFAR? 4
>
> Marble Canyon N 3648.67 W 111.38.70 eat, lodge authorized 1
> McDonalds N 36 14.89 W 113 34.73 4
> Mt Trumbull N 36 25.39 W 113 19.87 5
>
> North Rim N 36 23.28 W 112 07.81 destroyed NPS-but still landable! 6
> Pakoon Springs N 36 24.95 W 113 57.83 on list of Desert Tortoise 3
> Pakoon Well N 36 31.13 W 113 52.15 authorized 3
> Pipe Springs N 36 51.14 W 112 44.30 3
>
> Tassi Ranch N 36 15.08 W 113 57.95 in the Grand Canyon >wast end possible NPS pilots will harass you 3
> Tuweep N 36 18.11 W 113 o3.35 pending lease, APA open or closed >landable 3


Some one ask me about the last number --- It's the degree of Difficultly 1 being easy and numbers go up to more difficult . This list was (is) from Mark Hawkins who died several years back at Red Canyon ,AZ airstrip. RIP Mark. Mark and I flew his 180 to research this list. There's another 8-10 not listed .

A buddy and I have decided flying the canyon down low will be our last flight when we get old and decide to retire the Cessnas.
What are they gonna do to a couple of duffers wearing Depends and Hawaiian shirts?
Was not all that long ago when it was legal.
Dale

Lizard wrote:A buddy and I have decided flying the canyon down low will be our last flight when we get old and decide to retire the Cessnas.
What are they gonna do to a couple of duffers wearing Depends and Hawaiian shirts?
Was not all that long ago when it was legal.
Dale

By then, it will be a socialist country and the Feds will shoot you down by the time you make it to the rim. Plus, you may not be able to afford the user fee (airway toll) to get within 10 miles of the rim.

I did a 21 day kayak trip down the Grand Canyon a few years back. Saw several spots that would work in an "emergency". There are a dozen canyons near Caveman Ranch that will give you all the same flight experience AND they are legal to fly in. Many have strips in them. Drop into Hell Roaring Canyon and head down to the Green river. Land at Mineral Canyon. Not a lot different than the Grand. Not even that far upstream from the Grand. Dead Horse Point just down stream from Caveman serves as a stand-in for the Grand Canyon in several movies. Most people can't tell the difference.

patrol guy wrote:Years ago I did a ten day kayak trip through there and don't recall any suitable places to land, but I wasn't looking for any either. This was before the dams, so it could have been up stream or down stream from what we know now too?

That was a LONG time ago. The Glen Canyon dam was built in 1956 and Hoover was built in the 30's. No other dams control the flow in the Park. Heck, I thought I was getting old. I would have liked to see the river in flood without the dams.

S-12Flyer wrote:I did a 21 day kayak trip down the Grand Canyon a few years back. Saw several spots that would work in an "emergency". There are a dozen canyons near Caveman Ranch that will give you all the same flight experience AND they are legal to fly in. Many have strips in them. Drop into Hell Roaring Canyon and head down to the Green river. Land at Mineral Canyon. Not a lot different than the Grand. Not even that far upstream from the Grand. Dead Horse Point just down stream from Caveman serves as a stand-in for the Grand Canyon in several movies. Most people can't tell the difference.

Actually, the Grand Canyon doesn't excite me too much. There's plenty of other great area's that rival and if not are much better than the Grand Canyon. Too much traffic and commercialization of the GC Heck, I do believe that the Hells Canyon is much deeper than the Grand Canyon, too. And that's just an hour or two flight from Boise. Not to mention many parts of the Owyhee River being absolutely gorgeous.

And other parts of Utah, AZ, and CO is pretty amazing, too. Including some of the area's on your (S-12Flyer) video's. I hope to make it down your way some day/year.

The Caveman Fly-in is coming up in May. Should be a good time as usual. I assume we will do something here at Mack Mesa the same weekend.