Hello everybody

I am having a San Francisco layover next week and am thinking about flying into Chicken Strip for one night .

Does anybody know about the current runway condition of the airstrip? I did not find anything newer than February 2014, so would be very glad if somebody could give me an update.

Always safe flights
Martin
... from Switzerland ...

Martin,

Not a lot of current information on the Chicken Strip because, pretty much no one goes there through the summer and early fall. The temperatures are so hot, it's not a pleasant place to be and the hot water is not very attractive in that kind of heat as well.
With the strip being as short as it is, 1200' +- , I would also check your aircraft's performance numbers as the DA goes up.
Usually mid-October and later into the fall, as the weather cools, is when it starts to be an attractive location. If you check Death Valley/Furnace Creek temps, Saline will be +-5 cooler on average.
Last spring the strip was in reasonable shape, for the Chicken Strip. The across the runway ravines were very much there, forming good "whoop d' doo's" as you landed and rolled out across them, but not sharp drop-offs or edges. The gravel was pretty loose, forming noticeable tire ruts, up and down the length of the strip. Wind sock was in place.

This was all last spring....mid April.....so, everything could be different.

Be careful!

NVflyer

NVflyer

Thank you for your reply. It might indeed be a good idea to wait until later this year to avoid the hot desert temperatures. Perhaps by then somebody already flew into Chicken Strip and has an update about the airstrip condition.

I am really looking forward to this kind of "pure" flying again . I did quite some backcountry flying in Southern Utah, going into Mineral Canyon, Angel Point, Dolores Point and others on different multi-day-trips. I enjoyed it very much!

Since our airline layovers in SFO are only 2 days long (in LAX sometimes 3 days), I don't have enough time to fly all the way to Utah ((. And I realized that there aren't (m)any backcountry airstrips nearby SFO or LAX. Chicken Strip seems to be an exception, since I can get there within one day (flying out of Livermore).

Martin

Hey Martin,

Not sure what aircraft you have available, or how often and what days you have time there out of SFO?

But, a bunch of the guys in the Central Valley & Sacramento area get in some great dirt strip and off field flying right in that area. Quite often just out on day trips. Some of them might chime in, let you know what they are up too.
Then those of us up in the North Sierra area also have great local flying into a variety of off airport stuff.
If you are really looking for a good time, and your schedule works.....
Join up with us for the High Sierra Fly-In, weekend of Oct 10, 11, 12. It's just 30 miles SE from Reno. Opportunities to have more fun with an airplane, guns, fire and explosives than should be legal...but it is!
I love Nevada for so many reasons......

AKTahoe, on this site, heads this shin-dig up. It's listed in the fly-ins and events section. Look it over.

Anyway, may cross paths out there some day.....

NVFlyer

I'm one of the Central Valley guys. I'm based about 48nm east of LVK at O27. I can point you to a few good strips around here. There are some guys that fly out of Nut Tree and Rio Vista that go to a lot of strips too. There are a lot of 'backcountry' options near LVK. A really nice one is Monterey Bay Academy. Grass strip right on the beach.

+1 for monteray bay academy! Also mercey hot springs would be a good option. If you haven't checked out http://www.shortfield.com look it over.

Hey everybody

What a great forum, so many answers with great inputs within 1 day, I am really impressed!!!

Out of LVK I currently have access to a C140 only (great airplane though ), so I don't fly to higher elevation and obstacle critical airstrips (and w/o pax only). Here in Switzerland most airfields aren't longer than 1400ft anyway. Out of TOA (LA area) I fly a 182T (and some smaller planes), but they don't rent any taildraggers unfortunately...

Monterey Bay Academy looks really nice! I might give it a try next week - if seafog permits. Mercey Hot Springs is also on my list, I was just unsure if it's ok with the owner if I land there (well, I suppose that my engine oil temp might show slightly high by then, good idea for a precautionary landing?).

In October I won't fly to SFO, but LAX only (but: 3 days off, so planning on another trip to Grand Canyon with stops at Cal-Nev-Ari, Pearce Ferry and Bar Ten on the way to GCN, yeehaa).

If someone is interested here are some pictures of recent trips:
https://plus.google.com/photos/117332986952124655279/albums/5784396135354298625?authkey=COPBroyJjOHC9wE
https://plus.google.com/photos/117332986952124655279/albums/5988834473023504337?banner=pwa&authkey=CJbpuve-raWgUA

Hope to see some of you anytime! I have been to Oakdale anyway already for some circuits, so we could join for an easy formation flight one day

Martin

Mercey Hot Springs runways are X'd off but that is only to appease the county. The owner welcomes aircraft to land there. He just wants you to spend money.

There are clothing optional soak tubs in the back if you don't have swim trunks. Just ask, they'll point you in the right direction. They also have camping. It's perfectly doable in a C-140. So is Monterey.

I was just unsure if it's ok with the owner if I land there (well, I suppose that my engine oil temp might show slightly high by then, good idea for a precautionary landing?)

Martin, you're going to fit right in with this crowd... LOL!

Do you fly for Swiss, or someone else?

That sounds like a good plan: Soaking at Mercey Hot Springs at first, and then relaxing at the Monterey beach (and cool off in the Pacific Ocean ).

I used to fly for Swissair before they were bankrupt in 2001 (and got rid of me ). Since 2003 I am flying for Lufthansa out of Munich.

However in some way I am rather dreaming of flying Twin Otter floatplanes for Maldivian Airlines than driving Airbusses all around the world...

My first flight in a GA aircraft was in the Saline Valley in the early '60's, at the old strip near the hot springs in a 140, gentleman from Novato came there often in the winter, had an old home radio to check the weather on the west side; so a 120/140 will do it.

Cool to see another Swiss guy on here Martin. I am a Swiss citizen, born in Canada. Both my parents are Swiss and actually just headed back there on holidays yesterday.
Sorry i can't help on the chicken strip situation, just wanted to say hi. If you're ever in Alberta hit me up!

Scott, I landed at both Mercey Hot Springs (3 hours of soaking in the hot water ) and Monterey Bay Academy. It was just great!!! Thank you again for telling me about.
Mercey Hot Springs is very dry right now, so lots of dust while taxing and taking off. The runway is narrow indeed, wouldn't want to go there with a low wing airplane.
Anyway the C140 was "cleaned" again by the sprinkler system at Monterey Bay Academy

How is Saline Valley Airstrip (condition of the runway) compared to Mercey Hot Springs? The C140 has rather small wheels .

________________________________

At the north end of the airstrip looking back to the south (did taxi all the way down after landing from the south to "inspect" the runway):


Approach sector, approach from the south, the small hill on short final is clearly visible:


Looking to the north from the runway threshold:


This must be heaven:


This IS heaven


And an aerial view of the hot springs, Little Panoche Road and the airstrip:


At Monterey Bay Academy - very very cool

Hell yea bud! Glad you got to go!

Quick introduction;

Welcome. My father is from Burgdorf, CH. Which makes me Swiss too.

Our home is in RHE, CA about 10 minutes from TOA on top of Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Picture of my little ACA Scout on top of Catalina Is...

Hey Martin, glad it all worked out and you had fun!

As far as wheel size goes I have little wheels too. I think they'll handle Chicken Strip just fine though. I'm thinking of spending a night there some time the week before the High Sierra Flyin.

I was in October 12th, 2014. Airstrip in good condition, outlined with white rocks and with windsock. A couple of tie downs at the top end. Well marked trail to hot springs which are great.

cbfraser wrote:I was in October 12th, 2014. Airstrip in good condition, outlined with white rocks and with windsock. A couple of tie downs at the top end. Well marked trail to hot springs which are great.

That would have been mid Oct. that my Dentist wrecked his Corbin Ace out there. Bruce and Kerry took truck and trailer over 50 miles of bad dirt road to get there and dissemble /put aircraft on trailer.

Was reported on Saline Valley Preserve site sock is in need of replacement. The Hoop is 20" in Diameter and the sock is an 18" so last time out me and 172 Heavy had to get creative with lock wire.
http://splashurl.com/lf4okpd

8GCBC wrote:....... Picture of my little ACA Scout on top of Catalina .....

Looks like a Helio parked nearby, but without the vertical stabilizer? I'm sure there's a story there...