All Airstrip Reports
What a fantastic facility, The UBCPA, the RAF, and the city of Escalante have created a great place for all. The Pilot’s lounge includes a small kitchen and shower. Soap, shampoo, and towels are available (a $8.00 donation for a towel is suggested, but then you take it with you as there are no laundry services). The campground has a covered patio with a sink and running water, a small fridge, a microwave, a gas grill, and cooking utensils. Camp chairs and hammocks, plastic utensils, solo cups, tent sites, and a campfire ring (with firewood provided), make this a most convenient and pleasant place to stay. We will return!
Flew into Ibex to scout for this weekend's Fly-In. Did several low passes and a couple main wheel touchdowns to get a feel for the surface. The north end is a little draggy, but should be good for small tires. From the north point of the island south is pretty damp, and we didn't attempt to touchdown.
Went down to Happy Canyon for an expedition to the Dirty Devil. About an 11 mile hike one way. While at the airstrip I rehabilitated about 50 feet of runway right at the west end. If someone goes down there and remembers to bring some orange or white paint...hit those cones on the end with a good spray! Also, please be aware of postholing...turning your aircraft on 1 tire. It makes a big hole that can set up and get firm. I fixed before we left. Runway is in good condition, same as always!
Beautiful strip with great views southwest of Navajo Mountain and northeast towards the Abajos. Most folks will land uphill on runway 7 and camp at the uphill end of the strip. Multiple fire rings and soft, sandy spots for pitching tent, which we did. Plentiful firewood to be gathered here, and excellent cell phone service available. 11 miles south of Cal Black (Halls Crossing) where you can buy 100LL & mogas (no card reader, so attendant must be present to run your card in the office). Definitely recommend!
Airstrip is in great condition. 1,750 ft length, 20 ft width, with 40-ft diameter turnarounds at each end. South 1/3 of airstrip is smoothest. There are two small humps in the runway surface, one around mid-field and the other closer to the north end that may launch your plane back in the air if airspeed is too fast, but plenty of runway length to recover. Use caution when getting off of the runway. There are several large critter holes that could swallow a nose wheel and make for a sad day.
Fry Canyon is a super long strip right on the edge of Fry Canyon, which is a cool mildly technical canyoneering route. Land uphill on runway 30, after the road which cuts across the middle of the strip. Depart downhill on runway 12. If you park at the downhill end of the runway, you'll walk southeast towards the bridge over the head Fry Canyon, and drop into the canyon there. Roundtrip hike from the south end of the runway thru the Fry Canyon canyoneering route and back to the plane was 6.9 miles. Took us about 2.5 hours total. There's a 60 foot rappel into the crux of the canyon, then a 75 foot swim down canyon. Camping up above Fry Canyon with views down onto Anasazi ruins is pretty cool, and its easy walking distance from the runway (a few hundred feet).
Curious what length rope you used? Anchors established or used your own? This looks like a good time! Found this website, seems like maybe there are two entry points? https://www.canyoneeringusa.com/cedar-mesa/fry-canyon
2 weeks agoHi Josh - we just used a standard 165 ft. dynamic rope that we doubled over for the rappel down, then pulled down behind us. There are good bolted anchors to attach the rope to. We entered the canyon from the state highway bridge, but could have skipped part of that hike but just rapping down into Fry Canyon from the campground directly above it.
1 week ago