Any pireps for 5D5 (Woolsey Memorial Field, Northport, MI)?

azure

azure

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azure
I'd like to fly in there some time this summer to hike the Mud Lake Trail which starts less than a half mile from the field. As always, I'd be flying my Cardinal RG and it's a grass strip, so I'm a little antsy even though the Michigan Airport Directory says the turf is in good condition. Has anyone gone there in recent years (or even better, weeks)? Of course I plan to call the contact number before leaving, I'm just hoping someone can give me an idea of what I can expect, or whether it's strictly for tailwheel drivers.
 
Calling Barb! (If it's in MI, she's landed there! :)) Of course, it probably isn't that recently, but still...
 
azure said:
I'd like to fly in there some time this summer to hike the Mud Lake Trail which starts less than a half mile from the field. As always, I'd be flying my Cardinal RG and it's a grass strip, so I'm a little antsy even though the Michigan Airport Directory says the turf is in good condition. Has anyone gone there in recent years (or even better, weeks)? Of course I plan to call the contact number before leaving, I'm just hoping someone can give me an idea of what I can expect, or whether it's strictly for tailwheel drivers.
Click to expand...

I haven't been there in a couple of years. But it is a very well maintained airport with 2 strips. They have a flyin there that attracts all types of planes including retracts. It is alot nicer than Mio, that Maverick had her Cardinal in to.
 
Northport is a WONDERFUL little airport!

I was there last summer and will be back this summer. A friend of mine just flew in last weekend. (Not sure whether he was there in his Luscombe or the 172 he sometimes flies. But, it wasn't an issue in my Yankee.)

Unique terminal building - photo-worthy. Unmanned when I was there - just use the Michigan code. There is a bunch of yellow airport bikes (maybe a dozen). No running/potable water, that I noted; but, there is an outhouse.

The state park is within walking distance - especially if you park at the north end of 34 and just hop the berm to the road into the park (although, I'm not certain this is a designated parking area - hard to tell when it's all grass!).
There are several miles of trail through the woods - not sure whether these are the "Mud Lake Trails" but I think so; and, FYI, they aren't particular challenging as far as hiking...I found them all to be quite wide and very runnable, but fun, nonetheless.
And, the beach is a nice walk through the woods and over some dunes - almost deserted (certainly room to spread out) and very nice and sandy.
I did note that there was a water pump near the buildings (outhouses and maybe some cabins?) in the park - potable, I believe.

Town is a few mile south - didn't ride there, but certainly could.

Definitely worth the trip. And the strip was in fine condition for my Grumman... should be suitable for a Cardinal.
 
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Thanks y'all!! :)

Yeah, I noticed after posting that they have an annual flyin up there in August and even found a video of a 172SP landing there.

Liz, thanks for all the details! I will definitely check out the terminal building. And the book of 50 hikes in Michigan that I have says the trail is a 4-5 mile loop. Not challenging, but very scenic, so I'm hoping to take a hiking friend and go do it soon.

Interesting that they have bikes there, like at Sebewaing! JOOC, is the road into town paved?
 
The road to town is paved... and the traffic (such as it is) seems to move swiftly. I seem to recall a reasonable shoulder; but, I could be terribly mistaken.

BTW - you might have your camera ready in the air, too...
 
Thanks for the reminder! I think I'll let my friend take the pictures... she's a better photographer than I am anyway, and my camera has an annoying tendency to have its batteries die just as I'm about to snap that perfect picture. :mad2:
 
I was just there last week and both runways are in great shape 7/23/11.
I flew in and out in fair winds on both runways in a "kitfox" tail dragger owned by local pilot Art Shubert.
While we were on the field a Pilatus came in and left with no problem.
Enjoy your hike around that beautiful area.
 
Thanks... I was already there 7/17/11 (beat ya!) :D

The hike was the hottest I've done in years... ACB AWOS reported 34C... probably poor judgment on my part to do the full length as I was almost out of water at the end and well into heat exhaustion. Fortunately my A&P and his wife were there. She drove me into town for an iced tea (A/C in the car was much appreciated) and I recovered quickly.

Oh yes, the field is very nice, I had no trouble at all in my Cardinal RG. I'll definitely be back there someday. (hopefully when it's a bit cooler...)
 
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