Idaho Backcountry 2012 trip report

18 posts in this topic

Posted

Day one- Nut Tree, CA over the Sierras to Nervino,CA

Day two- Nervino-Denio Junction, NV-Weiser,Idaho-Grangeville,ID-CPTPA outside of Headquarters Idaho I logged just over 10hrs this day.

Weather went to crap for a few days but I enjoyed myself visiting with family and doing some fishing.

Wednesday a good friend and I flew all over the Northfork of the Clearwater River area. We saw Bertha Hill Lookout, Bungalow, Clarke Mt Lookout, Chateau Rock, Weitas Butte Lookout, Rockyridge Lake, Austin Ridge Lookout, Petersons Corner, Weippe, and my buddies job site he is currently logging on. We had a great flight.

Wednesday Evening I flew down to Orofino and spent the night with Dad.

Thursday morning I blasted out early and headed for McCall for fuel which was about 2 hours away. I had a nice flight down the Salmon River and saw quite a few Elk. I fueled in McCall for $6.16 a gallon!! After McCall I headed into Johnson Creek. It was still early so I dumped my camp gear and headed for the Middle Fork of the Salmon where I heard everyone had gone for Breakfast. I flew over Mackey Bar just as Rob in his 170 was taking off. I joined in with him and Bryan in his Mooney, Rob, and I landed Wilson Bar. It was getting late and I had already been flying about 3.5hrs that day so we just flew back Johnson Creek and I set up my camp.

Friday morning we flew down to the Flying B ranch in the Salmon for Breakfast. On approach I stopped by Bernard real quick. After Breakfast I left the gaggle and did a warm up landing at Soldier Bar and then flew up to Mile Hi. At Mile HI I went for a lengthy hike to the top of the Mountain. I was huffing and puffing up there at 6500ft. The view was 100% worth it though! After Mile Hi I flew back to Johnson Creek to get ready for the arrival of my cousin Matt. Friday night he gave his awesome presentation about the proper response to Adversity. If you would like to check out him or his book go to www.mattpotratz.com

Saturday morning we blasted out for Sulpher Creek. I flew with an awesome family. The Mom and Dad were in a Super Cub and their two sons were flying a Rans S-6. We were the first ones into Sulpher Creek and had a great Breakfast. After Sulpher we flew to Indian Creek, Thomas Creek, Mahoney, and then to Lower Loon. At Lower Loon we finally took the time to hike up the hotsprings and soak for a bit. It was really hot! They are also serving food at Lower Loon now. Saturday I made the mistake of staying out till after 11 and I paid for it. It was really rough flying back to Johnson Creek. At times I was climbing or descending at up to 2000 feet per minute. I was glad to be back on the ground at Johnson Creek!

As always the Saturday night Potluck and Raffle was amazing! We even had live music out there for a while!

Sunday morning I watched everyone depart and hung out since I was planning on making it a two day trip back this year instead of flying all the way home.

The trip back didn't go quite as planned but that's a story for another day. Myself and my airplane made it home in one piece and that's all that really matters. This was another amazing journey. I'm going to put together a video at some point. Until then enjoy the pictures.

Alvord Desert Oregon on the way to Idaho. This place is really cool and a great spot to practice deadstick landings.

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My hometown strip up in Idaho
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Watch out for Elk!
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Some awesome country up there
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Flying down the Salmon River
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A Supercub slipping it into Wilson Bar
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This guy in the Mooney flies this thing into just about anything out there.
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This was my first trip with my 396. The terrain feature is awesome!
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Looking down the strip at Johnson Creek
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You feel pretty puny flying around out there
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Rocking out in the Backcountry
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See my plane way down there?
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Approach end of 17 at Johnson Cr
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Our Friday presentation by a professional snowmobiler who was wiped out in an Avalanche. He now speaks professionally. You can check him and his book out at www.mattpotratz.com
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Posted

You've got to have two fat tires!
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The lodge at Sulpher Creek
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Landing Sulpher Creek
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Indian Creek
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The approach into Mahoney is fun
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The Lower Loon hot springs. It's pretty wild when your sitting 3ft from 35 degree runoff water in 105 degree mineral water.

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Two old friends reunited. Notice my cowling and his fuse. I bought my FWF from John 7 years ago off Barnstormers when my restoration began. Also notice the difference in height between my gear and the stock gear. We have the same size tires.

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Johnson Creek from 11,500ft
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The lodge at Lower Loon. These guys bring in their groceries by mule. It's an 11hr 30 mile ride in there they told us.

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My cousin's oldest Boy getting his very first airplane ride
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The long journey back west after an amazing trip!
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Posted

Awesome trip and photos.

would say, GOOD FLYING, but looks like you already did that.

Thanks for sharing.

ED in MO

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Posted

Damn Joey! You got me wishing i didn't live so far away! Cool Pics! Bryce

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Posted

wonderful country to fly over,and really nice airstrips

excellent photo's, thanks ever so much for sharing them :)

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Posted

Congratulations Joey on another super adventure and thank you for sharing it with all of us through your great pictures and naration. That is some serious flying. I keep saying that one of these days I will do a trip just around AK for a week or so, but would like to have another partner/plane to do it with. Maybe I can talk Leni into it and Jack when he gets his plane done. The other thing I would like to do is get my Avid down to the home place in OR sometime and clear a landing strip there on the place; then doing some flying down there as well. Your pictures of the Alvord remind me of the times I spent there in my highschool years hunting along the Steens Mts and looking for arrowheads on the Alvord, ice fishing in Mann lake and soaking in the hot springs. I haven't spent much time in ID except drivign through it between OR and UT when I lived down there and traveling to hunt in MT and play in Jackson Hole and Yellowstone. That was mostly before I had a pilot's license but once a pilot, you always wish you could see things from the air. Thanks for sharing this; hope the adventure continues for many years and we get to see your pictures every year. Maybe one of these years I can have Avid1 back together and down in OR where I can join you.

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Posted

Ahh home sweet home. Gotta love it. Thanks for sharing these awesome pics Joey, Can't wait to see your video. Glad you made it back safely.

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Posted

Joey,

When are you going to tell us about the return trip story or did I miss it?

I enjoyed looking at these pics again. We drove through a lot of that area; OR, WA, ID, MT, UT and back through ID to OR (3000 miles); on our deer hunt and elk hunt earlier in November. It is beautiful country. I sure would like to fly it some day but hunting it's not too bad either.

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Posted

Joey,

When are you going to tell us about the return trip story or did I miss it?

I enjoyed looking at these pics again. We drove through a lot of that area; OR, WA, ID, MT, UT and back through ID to OR (3000 miles); on our deer hunt and elk hunt earlier in November. It is beautiful country. I sure would like to fly it some day but hunting it's not too bad either.

Those are some nice Mulies and the Elk isn't too shabby either.Nice hunt.Randy

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Posted (edited)

Joey,

The photo of the Mooney amoung all the "high-performance" and taildragger planes made my day.

Quote: "It's not what you fly, It's how well you fly it." (author unknown) (probably one of my instructors!)

Beautiful and challenging flying country there.

ED in MO

Edited by Ed In Missouri

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Posted

Ed,

You should go on backcountrypilot.org and see some of the pics that Brian puts up on places he takes that mooney.. Holy shit he flys it like he stole it and he aint afraid to get it muddy! Pretty damn impressive to see the places he takes that bird and how precise he flys it!

:BC:

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Posted (edited)

Ed,

You should go on backcountrypilot.org and see some of the pics that Brian puts up on places he takes that mooney.. Holy shit he flys it like he stole it and he aint afraid to get it muddy! Pretty damn impressive to see the places he takes that bird and how precise he flys it!

:BC:/>/>/>/>

Where is Brian located - Maybe I can get some lessons someday! I will check it out.

That bird is no ultralight either! I met Bob Hoover in Wasilla and got to watch him fly his twin - Knew right then I needed more practice!

Brian would be totally bored with the flatland here.

ED

Edited by Ed In Missouri

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Posted

Brian is hangared next to me at Nut Tree KVCB. We fly together often.

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Posted

I won't be going this year due to my Uncle Sam mandated 6 month vacation to the sandbox but the annual Backcountrypilot.org flyin to Johnson Creek Idaho 3U2 is this weekend.

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Posted

Going thru an Idaho withdrawal and digging up old vids. For the lurkers this is in a 582 powered Avid. Don't think for a minute these awesome little birds can't take you on a grand adventure. Feel free to contact me for details on how to go 1100nm and camp for 9 days under the wing of a 2-stroke powered avid.

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Posted

Joey any chance you are planning to come up to Idaho again this year? If so I would love to meet up. I'm planning a trip to Arlington then want to hit as many backcountry strips as I can coming back to the southern part of the state over about a 2 week period. 

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Posted

I am planning a trip this year but I don't have any hard dates. I am in DC-10 Flight Engineer training until mid June. I am thinking maybe July August time frame.

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Posted

It has been a pleasure to read joey and I wish we had backcountry flying like this in the UK. Avid looks really sad with a broken leg and I no that feeling as I totalled my first avid after an engine failure after take off on my first solo :( 

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