A problem out WEST.

[Bob Bement]

The government is taking over some of our favorite places to fly. The forest service bought Red's horse ranch a few years back and closed the cafe and the cabins. The strip is still there but in poor shape. They don't keep it mowed or repaired. For a while pilots went in and tried to repair water damage and mow it. However, when they took it over they included it into the surrounding wilderness area and said no motorized equipment. This is on the National Historic Reg. so they can't burn it down. So they arejust letting it run down. Burt Lancaster helped pour some cement for one of the buildings, chief Justice Douglas included it in his book. It wa a great place to fly in for breakfast. It is located about 15 miles East of LaGrande Or. in the Wallowa Mountains. The mountains on each side of the canyon are about 7,500' and the strip is at 3600'. I hate to see us loosing these places to use our aircraft. But I don't know what we can do. I tried to stop this from happening but to no advail. (pictures)

 

[Richard]

Does motorized equipment include aircraft after landing?

Raising a stink always (at least used to) works. Start locally, don't limit yourself to user specific user groups, increase exposure to your cause to statewide, and perhaps to the federal level.

First thing, before you do anything is to get in touch with the state's transportation dept, aeronautic div. They may be able to link you to allied orgs as well as provide direction.

The CA State Parks did pretty much the same thing on a historical property high on a hill side amongst coastal oaks and redwoods near here. The land included a primary residence and several outbuildings and a small airfld. A stream had been dammed below a beautiful waterfall to create a wading pool so that had to be destroyed. The sudden release of water caused severe erosion to the airstrip. The craftsmanship in the buildings was outstanding and were fastidiously kept up by the family members. It was quite a place and drew a lot of people to visit. While the furor was directed at state parks they quietly deeded it to the feds, who professed ignorance.

Meanwhile, the buildings were mysteriously torched after being in place since the turn of the century (no, the one before that). It was found a couple state parks employees did the deed but the agency disavowed any knowledge and said the employees were acting on their own.

The whole land parcel has been placed off limits to humans under the guise of protecting endangered habitat. I guess that doesn't apply if you're wearing a parks dept uniform because it has become known (with 'illegal' pictures taken by pvt individuals) that parks employees are using the property for camping.

My point is govt has developed the tactic of using differing agencies--kind of like a shell game. In the meanwhile they go in and do whatever they please without public comment.

 

[Pilawt]

AOPA’s website recently announced that Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Larry Craig have introduced a bill (S.2108) which, if passed, would make it much more difficult for airstrips on Federal land (not limited to Idaho) to be closed or restricted. It's a step in the right direction.

-- Pilawt

 

[NC Pilot]

Listen. You guys don't understand. All the land in this country really belongs to the Park Service. They just allow you to take care of it until they decide to take it back. What they really want is for you to stay off their land and leave them alone to keep taking over more and more land.

 

[ejensen]

It the Idaho Pilot's Assiciation working on this strip? They (and Montana) have been defending backcountry well for years.

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

They tried that non-motorized BS with Cabin Creek in Idaho when the crick washed out the runway mid-field. So after a few year's battle, we got it repaired with ~six weeks labor of draft horses & manpower.

Similar government BS closures at the extremely demanding Big Creek Four airstrips because of their "dangers" to substandard pilots, were subsiquently reopened in just a few months using their historical status as AIRSTRIP TRAILHEADS, similar in many ways to boat launches or road access to wilderness or forest service areas.

Anybody who would like to help in these ongoing fights, the outcomes of which will ultimately affect all pilots nationwide, can be briefed at the RAF (Recreational Airstrip Foundation) website which is a very effective group of pilots, highly experienced in these matters.

 

[Bob Bement]

It the Idaho Pilot's Assiciation working on this strip? They (and Montana) have been defending backcountry well for years.

This strip is in North eastern Oregon. It on the western edge of Hells canyon from Idaho. I don't think the forest service will ever open this strip to the public.