Bluegrass Airlines

March 2004

 

 

TOUGH MAN CHALLENGE # 3

 

Phase 2 of 3

 

By Ron Jorgensen bgak030

 

All these flights are to the USFS strips in Idaho and not too many of them are easy.  This is a really true BUSH (STOL) flying.  As you can see, I have broken it up into three phases with the shortest leg at 8 miles and the longest at 74 miles.  I think to land at all the USFS sites in one continuous flight would be too much.

 

I skipped two USFS strips as one is in the far north of Idaho and the other is in the far SE corner. I have added two non-USFS strips to make up for them.

 

The strips run from 1100' up to 5072' in length and consist of dirt, grass, gravel and hard surfaces with altitudes ranging from 2250' up to 7030'.   I have landed at all these strips and most are not too easy.  After all this is supposed to be a “Tough Man Challenge”.

 

Some of the strips can only be approached from one direction and I will list that runway first. Takeoff of course will be the reverse of that.  There is only one lake with a strip nearby so the DHC-3T Amphibian is out. (The lake is too small anyhow).  I think a Beaver or the Otter should be used. (The Brush Hawk would be OK) I guess any type that can land and take off in 1100'  would be OK.  I found that if you only carry minimum fuel it is easier to get over some of the mountains. Some of the strips you have to get UP fast and down fast.  All in the game..

 

All but one, (2ID7 in Phase 3) , are in FS2002.  All airports are in  FS2009.  Times listed are the times it took me to fly these routes in a Beaver.

 

An easy way to spot these strips, usually in a valley, is to set your season for “winter”.

 

Times shown are using a DHC-2 Beaver.  Altitudes should be at a bare minimum.  No fair going up and over.  Anybody can do that, stay in the valleys.  Weather is at your option but you MUST fly VFR.  Folks, none of these are easy so bring a change of underwear.

 

 

 

      From            To      Hdg    Dist        RW    Length           Altitude             Time

1.           KMYL         U98     153 @ 65 Mi    21/03 3400' Gravel @ 3920'     36  min

 

2.           U98           52U     072 @ 23 Mi    03/21 2200' Grass @ 4494'           18 min

 

3.           52U           U45     002 @ 8 Mi      36/18 2900' Grass @ 5726'           6 min

 

4.           U45           S81      351 @ 49 Mi    04/22 4650' Dirt    @ 4701’           20 min

 

5.           S81            U72     112 @ 16 Mi    22/04 2500' Grass @ 5500'           6 min

 

6.           U72           U61     124 @ 49 Mi    21/03 4450' Grass @ 6893'           6 min

 

7.           U61           KLLJ    336 @ 35 Mi    34/16 4600' Hard   @ 5072'           24 min

 

1.  Depart on r/w 16, head south over the Cascade Resv. And then jump over a couple of ridges.  Watch for “Boot Hill” just north of Idaho City.

 

2 & 3.  Head down and over fly  Arrowhead Resv. Then NE up the valley to Weatherby.  Just throw the mail out the window and give it the gas,  zip around the mountain in front of you to Graham.

 

4.  I almost got sea sick weaving around the mountains.  Never did see the tops of the mountains.. Notice the C208 Amph. parked here.

 

5.  Slow down and drop the mail off at Upper Loon Creek USFS ( U72) then off to Twin Bridges Emergency Strip (U61) which requires a steep descent.  Think I shaved the tops off a couple of trees.

 

6..  Pick up a man who thought he was Wyatt Erpp.  Needs to go to a hospital to fix the bullet hole in his foot.

 

7.  Depart to the NE past Stars Ranch then up the valley to home.  Watch out for the Mooney .

Bravo taxing to take off.

 

Hope you enjoyed Phase two of three.