Idaho Strips in Jeopardy

funseventy · Post by **funseventy** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 4:08 pm

In case you don't know there are 4 strips in the Big Creek drainage that are in risk of closure. Robert Patrick, the President of IAA is putting together a list of users of these strips. The strips in question are Mile-Hi, Vines, Dewey Moore, and Simonds. If you are a user of these strips, please respond and let me know how often you go to these or how many times total. This will help in the battle with the Forest Service.

Thank you very much,
Kelly

Post by **GAHorn** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 5:54 pm

We're ALL planning to go there to all four, ....right????

funseventy · Post by **funseventy** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 6:01 pm

I'm sorry George if they aren't of interest to you, but I have frequented Mile-Hi and Vines in my 170 and I intend to run into Dewey Moore this summer. There is a 135 operator that flies hunters in and out of Simonds with a 180hp 170B. So I thought if we could help it would be nice.

I think that 97% of the people that go into the backcountry can't even find Mile-Hi but if they get there way with these, Other's will follow for sure. I'd hate to lose Cabin Creek or Wilson Bar, and what would all the flatlanders do without having Johnson Creek to brag about?

There is a picture of my 170 sitting at Mile-Hi.

http://www.c170.com/gallery/view_photo. ... =milehi600

Please help,
Kelly

Post by **GAHorn** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 7:20 pm

Kelly! You misunderstand me. I am expressing the view that we should ALL contact the Forest Service, ...if that will help save the airports. Where/Whom do we complain to?
George

funseventy · Post by **funseventy** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 7:24 pm

I appreciate that George. From talking with them I think they have sufficient hate mail aim at the culprits, but are looking for hard numbers on who usesthese airports.

I will check in and see if they need more response and if they do I will post the info immediately.

I apologize for my haste in assessing your tone. These darn computers never show facial expression or tone. I'm sorry I fell into that.

Kelly

Post by **Bruce Fenstermacher** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 9:07 pm

Looked at your pics Kelly. Please tell the forest service I plane to visit all those places some day. Nothing like it here in the north east coast.

Also love your "paint" scheme. I'm a sucker for bare utility.

Post by **GAHorn** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 9:09 pm

Aww. That's alright, Kelly! It's not the first time such things have happened.

You're correct about these printed words....they can be easily misunderstood.

N170GA · Post by **N170GA** » Thu Dec 25, 2003 12:57 am

Kelly,

Sorry *

to hear of your plight.

It reminds me of the constant impulse some people have to prevent others from having a good time! It also brings to the front the steady assault on our freedoms. The recent change in direction of field approvals is just the most recent chapter in a long novel. Let us know if we can help.
On another subject, the link to your high country airstrip pictures is fabulous!

Thanks for the look. I'll have to start planning now for summer!

N170GA
Neil

N1277D · Post by **N1277D** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 3:47 pm

For those interested the USDA's Final Environmental Impact Statement for these strips is out for review. I have looked at this document and they have completed a reasonable compromise for these strips. The four strips in question are dangerous under typical conditions and not for the majority of pilots and aircraft. I personally would not venture into these four reviewed airports unless it was in someone elses aircraft, the conditions perfect, or it was an emergency.

Idaho is experiencing a significant increase in the number of accidents in the backcountry, even at some of the quote easy popular strips written up in the GA magazines. AvFlash had a recent article on Idaho backcountry strips. It is as follows

Idaho officials are wondering what to do about an alarming increasing in air crashes, especially fatal ones. In 2003, there have been 50 crashes, eleven of them fatal, and 21 people have died. Compared to the averages over the previous 11 years, that works out to 38 percent more accidents, 57 percent more fatal crashes and 61 percent more fatalities. Government agencies like the NTSB and FAA could offer no explanation for the sharp increase (nor did they seem particularly concerned about it) but a veteran Idaho pilot thinks adventuresome pilots, long on finances but lean on experience, are pushing the numbers up. Gene Mussler said the state's picturesque back-country landing strips are a magnet to moneyed private pilots who lack the experience to fly in the tricky conditions in the mountains. "They're getting out into the mountains and the airstrips that are tricky and dangerous -- and they crash," said Mussler. Bob Martin, of the state's aeronautic division, couldn't agree more. "It's pilot error. We did an analysis," he said. "Guys fly up canyons and find out that they can't fly out, they end up on the side of a hill." Martin said the FAA should free up more money for training and safety programs.

Post by **GAHorn** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 4:12 pm

Good Grief! Don't get the FAA involved. They'll put up a security-screening system, a fence, and a contract control tower!

Joe Moilanen · Post by **Joe Moilanen** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 7:28 pm

I agree with George, Nothing good will come out of the FAA's help. However, the increase in inexperienced pilots crashing will eventually shut them down. I've been making at least one trip into the Idaho back country every year for the last ten years or so with My 170. These strips deserve the utmost respect, especially with 145 HP. They are one way in, one way out, with obstacles, blind approaches, uphill, down hill, sidehill...you get the picture. Of the four strips mentioned, the longest one is 1100' @ 4110' elevation. the shortest one (Mile Hi) has 560' usable @ 5831' elevation. Beautifull strips for a Super Cub but I doubt if you'll see me in there with my 170 unless I get a 180 HP and its dang cold out and I'm sure I'll be by myself. There are several strips that are 170 friendly as long as you respect the density altitude and weight. This is the closest thing to "Gods Country" I've ever flown into and hope that it doesnt get taken away from us. There's nothing like landing on a grass strip and being 25 miles from the nearest gravel road.

Joe Moilanen

flyguy · Post by **flyguy** » Thu Jan 01, 2004 1:09 pm

THE "QUOTE" "LONG ON MONEY" AND "SHORT ON EXPERIENCE(BRAINS TOO)" HAS REALLY INVADED MANY RECREATIONAL VENUES.

I'LL BET, IN THE SAME STATISTICAL PERIOD, THERE HAVE BEEN MORE IN-EXPERIENCED MOTORCYCLE RIDERS THAT HAVE HAD FATAL CRASHES AND PROBABLY TWENTY TIMES MORE FATAL AUTOMOBILE WRECKS! WHEN THOSE HIGH DOLLAR "OFF ROAD"

SUV OWNERS TRY TO DO THE MACHO STUFF THEY ARE PROBABLY LOTS MORE DANGEROUS THAN OLD BUSH PILOTS IN THEIR AIRPLANES EVER THOUGHT OF BEING!

I went to the photo sites and saw the runways you guys use. WOW! We thought Gaston's was like taking off in a box canyon! Heck that photo you put of the wide grass runway looking down the canyon. It looks fatal just sittin on the ground! What do you say when the motor goes "HICKUP"?

HEY ALL Y'ALL WATCH THIS!

flying_eth · Post by **flying_eth** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 2:23 am

Yes, there is an air taxi that operates out of simmonds in a 170, but they also operate out of the other three (mile-hi, vines, dewey moore) fairly regularly with 206s and a 185 in the fall when hunting season rolls around. Other air taxis might as well these strips are important for their buisness and they need all they can get as well as being some of the best places for private pilots to land where very few people go and enjoy the solitude, not to mention fishing/hunting.

Alterfede · Post by **Alterfede** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 12:58 pm

Hey folks, last night i saw a program in The History Channel about runways, and in the last part they showed a lot of videos of planes operating in the idaho strips, really amazing, we dont have that here!! Again, AMAZING, dont let that strips go down. Saludos

The International Cessna 170 Association

Idaho Strips in Jeopardy

Idaho Strips in Jeopardy

Re: Forest Service

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Idaho Strips