Any knowledge of the conditions of these strips is welcomed.
Planning a trip in a week or so, anyone who wants to join is welcomed.

OR: Owyhee, Memaloose, Minam, Red's Horse Ranch, Chukar Flats, Lands Inn, Alvord Desert, Salmon bar, Dug bar.


WA: Rogersburg, Lower Monumental, Lower Granite, Little Goose

Come over to KONP and let's fly some rivers and lakes in my amphib! I would love to meet you!

Sending you a PM ....

Thanks for the invite, I see where are you located, will let you know and might go there on my trip.

I can give you a Pirep on a couple of those places.

Memaloose is rocky/rough for my plane, a Trigear maule with 7" mains but doable. It is a high altitude airstrip so takeoff and landing speeds are high no matter how slow the airspeed so it's hard on my plane, and I don't think I'll go there much. Should be a nice place to camp in the summer when it's too hot down in the canyon.

Rogersburg is also doable but rough and short enough to cause some tension... Again it's not up high but can be hot at river level and the thermal activity can be weird. Definitely an early morning strip. Watch for wires.

Minam/Reds are great. Again need respect but not what I would call hard core for a STOL driver.

Lower Monumental and Goose are easy. Broad flat gravel/rolled and smoothed strips smooth and pleasant. Both require a turn in the canyon but wide and easy to do if you keep airspeed down and turning circle tight. Watch for wires.
Have a great trip.

The weather can quickly change for the worse in those mountains this time of year. Be careful!

tcj wrote:The weather can quickly change for the worse in those mountains this time of year. Be careful!

Total agree!

The weather definitely can/will turn dangerous as "Old Man Winter" approaches. It's not a place with typical weather. Wind offshore approaching KONP is forecasted 50+ knots @ 3000' with wind shears this morning. Just a fairly typical day here in Fall. Moderate flooding on the roads has started too. Timing between the lows is crucial.



Note: Wind shear forecast in TAF... 40 knot shear is seriously dangerous if not understood.

Another important point. I'd only play around out there on a good solid VFR day with a good forcast. And even then I'd be looking up, a lot.

I'd be happy to ride on the right to show you the places I'm at least familiar with.

Memaloose is a great spot to camp, one of my favorites I've been to. The east end of the strip gives great views of Hells Canyon below. It's probably a little chili there this time of year though and could even be covered in snow if there's been any precipitation out that way. If you go there do the hike to the Hat Point fire tower which is north of the east end of the strip. I believe it's a 3 mile round trip if I remember correctly. Owyhee is also a great spot to camp, there was recently an RAF work party there so I imagine it's in good shape. No need to set up a tent, you can stay in the "Owyhee Hilton". There's a few more strips along your route you may want to check out, they should all be on shortfield.com. Bull Run (west of Chukar Flats), Lord Flat, Cache Creek, Pittsburg, Big Bar, Temperance Creek (need permission first, check their website, they have breakfast and cabins to stay in, may be closed for the season though). You also need permission for Lands Inn, check their website.

Oregon does have a separate climate on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains. Eastern Oregon is dryer and colder typically but, still the dessert has fast moving weather at times. Dew point spread is greater and adding the "Desert Trade Winds", evaporation is quicker leaving better surfaces. On the Coastal side water sits for weeks making it softer. My hangar mate brought his C172 back from Wakonda (R33) on a trailer after sliding in the mud and bending a few items. Wakonda is 10 minutes South from my location.

You might want to check with Washington Aero to check the status of Rogersburg. I have a number for the mgr of 360-618-2477, but don't know if that's current. Rogersburg has been closed due to a land dispute and its best to check with the status as I understand its a rather fragile situation and it would be bad ammo to be caught if it is still closed.

Keep alert at Salmon Bar - maybe a couple of practice approaches.

Keep your eyes open for the powerlines up high, north of Dug Bar...... A few miles,,,,

Thanks for the tips.

I called and Rogersburg is closed for now.

Any other strips ion the area fun to land on?