SoCal Backcountry Airstrips Guide. Fall 2017 v1.2

Transcription

1 SoCal Backcountry Airstrips Guide Fall 2017 v1.2

2 SoCal Backcountry Airstrips Guide This guide booklet is being offered for the Kern Valley Airport Backcountry Fly-In 2017 event. We make no representation or authority WHATSOEVER as to the quality, safety, permission, or legality of using any of these airstrips listed in this publication. If you do not have permission to land at an airstrip that is not for public use, then DO NOT LAND there unless accompanied by someone who does. Otherwise you are trespassing. This guide is published strictly as reading material for personal enjoyment, not to be used as aviation reference data. For official aviation and airfield data, consult the FAA Airport Facilities Directory. Suggestions for edits? Please contact

3 Airstrips Overview

4 NOTES: Privately owned ghost town with caretaker who tells stories and sells you soda. Land on road, taxi into town. Main SW-NE road is the usual landing area; always give way to ground traffic. FUN THINGS TO DO: See the remaining ghost town buildings, graveyard, jail. Barker Ranch (Charles Manson) is nearby and worth flying over. STATUS: Relaxed attitude about airplanes from locals. Use discretion if busy. CONTACT: None WEBSITE: None MAPS LINK: BALLARAT GHOST TOWN LAT/LONG: / DIMENSIONS: See diagram ELEVATION: 1060 MSL PATTERN ALTITUDE: None FREQ: None RUNWAY: See diagram WIND INDICATOR: Flag by the main building.

5 NOTES: Private ranch strip, gorgeous approach. Watch for China Lake jet traffic screaming up the canyon, might even be below ya! Wind predominately comes up the valley from the lake. Small windsock at southwestern end of strip. FUN THINGS TO DO: Cabin to stay in, firepits, tent camping platforms. Natural rock waterslides a short 5 minute hike from cabin/parking area. Hike to famous Seven Teacups waterfalls from there. STATUS: PRIVATE, prior permission required. CONTACT: Anthony WEBSITE: FACEBOOK: None CARVER S CUT 4mi northeast of the town of Johnsondale, CA LAT/LONG: / DIMENSIONS: 1400 x 50 ELEVATION: 4500 MSL PATTERN ALTITUDE: 5500 MSL. FREQ: RUNWAY 20: Surface: dirt. Gradient: 4% downhill. Standard traffic pattern: left. Obstructions: mountains surrounding area. RUNWAY 02: Surface: dirt. Gradient: 4% uphill. Standard traffic pattern: left. Obstructions: mountains surround area. WIND INDICATOR: southwest end of strip

6 CHICKEN STRIP NOTES: Land uphill, takeoff downhill. FUN THINGS TO DO: Hot springs are very popular with pilots and naked hippies. STATUS: Open to public by National Park Service. Maintained by RAF and caretaker. CONTACT: Rick Lach for strip status update. WEBSITE: FACEBOOK: Strip / CHICKEN STRIP Saline Valley in Death Valley National Park, CA LAT/LONG: / DIMENSIONS: 1500 x50 ELEVATION: 1345 MSL PATTERN ALTITUDE:?? MSL. FREQ: RUNWAY??: Surface: gravel. Gradient:??. Standard traffic pattern:??. Obstructions:??. RUNWAY??: Surface: gravel. Gradient:??. Standard traffic pattern: left. Obstructions:??. WIND INDICATOR:??

7 NOTES: Smooth and as hard as concrete (unless wet). Watch out for occasional ruts from cars driving on lake when it s wet. Do not land when wet! Stay west of power lines to avoid R FUN THINGS TO DO: Easy hike down to Fossil Falls rock formations. STATUS: BLM land, no prior permission required. CONTACT: None. WEBSITE: None. CINDER CONE LAT/LONG: / DIMENSIONS: 2100 x 50 ELEVATION: 3320 MSL PATTERN ALTITUDE: 3900 MSL. FREQ: None RUNWAY N: Surface: hard pan. Gradient: None. Standard traffic pattern: R. Obstructions: None. RUNWAY S: Surface: hard pan. Gradient: None. Standard traffic pattern: L. Obstructions: None. WIND INDICATOR: about midfield

8 NOTES: Recommend departing downhill to south. Power lines at north end. Challenging on day with north winds. FUN THINGS TO DO: Walk the town of Darwin. Be courteous of locals; town is still very much lived in. STATUS: BLM land, no prior permission required. CONTACT: WEBSITE: DARWIN Southwest of Panamint Springs LAT/LONG: / DIMENSIONS: 2200 x 60 ELEVATION: 4721 MSL PATTERN ALTITUDE: 5300 MSL. FREQ: None. RUNWAY N: Surface: soft dirt. Gradient: Uphill. Standard traffic pattern: R. Obstructions: None. RUNWAY S: Surface: soft dirt. Gradient: Downhill. Standard traffic pattern: L. Obstructions: Power lines on final. WIND INDICATOR: None.

9 NOTES: Airstrip sits in a bowl with a box canyon to the east. Recommend landing and taking off to the west, winds permitting. Runway surface is lakebed, do not land if wet. Watch for OHV activity; OHV rs, campers, and prospectors hang out here; especially on weekends. Sinkholes at midfield; only western portion of runway usable. FUN THINGS TO DO: Interesting old cabin at west end of lake. STATUS: BLM owned, RAF maintained. No permission required. CONTACT: WEBSITE: GOLER HEIGHTS LAT/LONG: / DIMENSIONS: 1800 x 50 ELEVATION: 2470 MSL PATTERN ALTITUDE: 3300 MSL. FREQ: RUNWAY W: Surface: soft dirt. Gradient: none. Standard traffic pattern: L. Obstructions: Shrubs and BLM signs at beginning of usable runway. RUNWAY E: Surface: soft dirt. Gradient: None. Standard traffic pattern: R. Obstructions: Sloping terrain leading to touchdown point. Go-around options poor. WIND INDICATOR: None

10 HOLLAND CAMP NOTES: Just up the hill from Goler Heights airstrip. About 1100 usable, last 300 still has shrubs. FUN THINGS TO DO: Mine ruins to hike around. Horizontal and vertical shafts. STATUS: BLM owned. No permission required. CONTACT: WEBSITE: HOLLAND CAMP LAT/LONG: / DIMENSIONS: 1100 x 50 ELEVATION: 3300 MSL PATTERN ALTITUDE: Pilots Discretion FREQ: RUNWAY S: Surface: rough/soft dirt. Gradient: Undulating. Standard traffic pattern: L. Obstructions: Sloping terrain leading to touchdown point. RUNWAY N: Surface: rough/soft dirt. Gradient: Undulating. Standard traffic pattern: R. Obstructions: None. WIND INDICATOR: None

11 NOTES: Primarily used as a gliderport. Only inner portion of Rwy usable. Left pattern all runways. VFR charts show the runways paved but they are indeed dirt. FUN THINGS TO DO: STATUS: PRIVATE, prior permission required. CONTACT: Phillipe Athuil WEBSITE: KELSO VALLEY AIRPORT (CN37) LAT/LONG: / DIMENSIONS: 2000 x 50 ELEVATION: 4074 MSL PATTERN ALTITUDE: 4800 MSL. FREQ: RUNWAY 16: Surface: soft dirt. Gradient: None. Standard traffic pattern: left. Obstructions: None. RUNWAY 34: Surface: soft dirt. Gradient: None. Standard traffic pattern: left. Obstructions: None. WIND INDICATOR: Wind Tetrahedron at mid field (unreliable)

12 KERN VALLEY AIRPORT (L05) Fun left pattern to Rwy 17 through the mini-canyon NOTES: Wind predominately favors Runway 17, typical pattern is right hand. For fun, try the minicanyon approach from the left (inset). If you do this, avoid flying over the trailer park and make several announcements of your non-standard approach. Aircraft on the ground will not hear your announcements when you do not have line of sight. KERN VALLEY AIRPORT (L05) 3mi SSE of Kernville, California LAT/LONG: / DIMENSIONS: 3500 x 50 FUN THINGS TO DO: Airplane camp at adjacent airport campground ($15/plane/night), 5 min walk to Kern River for fishing and swimming, airport café (open 7-3 everyday) has fantastic omelets and burgers, crew car available with pre-request to airport manager, river rafting companies will pick you up from airport (Sierra South ), just minutes to amazing hiking/mountain biking/hot springs/rock climbing/fishing/rafting/ kayaking, home of Annual Kern Valley Airport Backcountry Fly-In every year in May. ELEVATION: 2614 MSL STATUS: PUBLIC CONTACT: Airport: Manager: Rick Lach RUNWAY 35: Surface: asphalt. Gradient: 0.2% uphill. Standard traffic pattern: left. Obstructions: None, low approach over lake. WEBSITE: 1) 2) WIND INDICATOR: north, middle, south end of runway PATTERN ALTITUDE: 3500 MSL. FREQ: RUNWAY 17: Surface: asphalt. Gradient: 0.2% downhill. Standard traffic pattern: right. Obstructions: 10 ft. trees, 375 ft. from runway, 100 ft. right of centerline, 17:1 slope to clear.

13 PORTER RANCH (68CN) NOTES: Closed. AF/D phone # doesn t work. FUN THINGS TO DO: Kennedy Meadows general store. STATUS: PRIVATE, closed CONTACT: Kennedy Meadows General Store: A/FD: M.E. Fox, 616 Allen Street, Ridgecrest, CA, 93555, Phone: WEBSITE: PORTER RANCH (68CN) 10mi NW of Kennedy Meadows, California LAT/LONG: / DIMENSIONS: 3500 x 50 ELEVATION: 6800 MSL PATTERN ALTITUDE:?? MSL. FREQ:?? RUNWAY 9: Surface: dirt. Gradient:??. Standard traffic pattern: left. Obstructions: left RUNWAY 27: Surface: dirt. Gradient:??. Standard traffic pattern: left. Obstructions: mountain, 1320 from runway, 500 WIND INDICATOR:??

14 MONANCHE MEADOWS NOTES: Never officially closed. This is a high altitude strip, check density altitude, No goaround, talk to Nick Silicz for contact and permission to land. FUN THINGS TO DO: STATUS: Unknown CONTACT: Rick Lach or Nick Silicz for status update. WEBSITE: MONANCHE MEADOWS LAT/LONG: / DIMENSIONS: 1300 x 50 ELEVATION: 7900 MSL PATTERN ALTITUDE:?? MSL. FREQ: RUNWAY??: Surface: dirt. Gradient:??. Standard traffic pattern:??. Obstructions:??. RUNWAY??: Surface: dirt. Gradient:??. Standard traffic pattern: left. Obstructions:??. WIND INDICATOR:??

15 PANAMINT SPRINGS RESORT NOTES: Land uphill to the west. Take off to the east. One way strip with no go-around, decide early. Nosedraggers advised to park at top of strip to avoid uphill taxi for takeoff. For everyone else, there s a nice parking area at east end on north side of strip. FUN THINGS TO DO: Restaurant and motel. Pizza is amazing. STATUS: PRIVATE, prior permission required. CONTACT: Facebook: PanamintSprings/ (They respond to Facebook messages quickly) WEBSITE: PANAMINT SPRINGS north of R-2505 LAT/LONG: / DIMENSIONS: 1800 x 50 ELEVATION: 1900 MSL PATTERN ALTITUDE: 2900 MSL. FREQ: RUNWAY WEST : Surface: gravel. Gradient: +100 Elev. Change. Standard traffic pattern: Pilot s Discretion. Obstructions: Hwy adjacent threshold. Buildings and equipment adjacent runway surface. No Takeoffs. RUNWAY EAST : Surface: gravel. Gradient: -100 Elev. Change. Standard traffic pattern: N/A. Obstructions: Turnaround is tight. Takeoffs Only, No Landings. WIND INDICATOR: Flag by restaurant.

16 RICK S STRIP NOTES: Landing is uphill and on a slight slant. FUN THINGS TO DO: Stay at Rick s guest house, help feed the animals. STATUS: PRIVATE, prior permission required. CONTACT: Rick Lach WEBSITE: RICK S STRIP Weldon, CA LAT/LONG: / DIMENSIONS: 1300 x 30 ELEVATION: 2975 MSL PATTERN ALTITUDE:?? MSL. FREQ: RUNWAY??: Surface: dirt. Gradient:??. Standard traffic pattern:??. Obstructions:??. RUNWAY??: Surface: dirt. Gradient:??. Standard traffic pattern: left. Obstructions:??. WIND INDICATOR: lower end of field, tattered

17 SACATAR MEADOWS (91CL) NOTES: The people at Grump Bears Retreat says this strip was closed a while ago. Still on the charts. A/FD contact # s don t work. FUN THINGS TO DO: Grumpy Bear retreat. STATUS: PRIVATE, closed. CONTACT: Grumpy Bears Retreat A/FD contact: KIT ALEXANDER P.O. BOX 1516 WELDON, CA Phone WEBSITE: SACATAR MEADOWS (91CL) 3mi SE of Kennedy Meadows LAT/LONG: / DIMENSIONS: 3300 x50 ELEVATION: 6427 MSL PATTERN ALTITUDE:?? MSL. FREQ: RUNWAY 11: Surface: dirt. Gradient:??. Standard traffic pattern: right. Obstructions: hills/fence. RUNWAY 29: Surface: dirt. Gradient:??. Standard traffic pattern: left. Obstructions: hills. WIND INDICATOR:??

18 SILICZ BOYZ NOTES: Private ranch strip. FUN THINGS TO DO: STATUS: PRIVATE, prior permission required. CONTACT: Nick Silicz WEBSITE: None SILICZ BOYZ Waggy Flats Meadows LAT/LONG: / DIMENSIONS: 1700 x 50 ELEVATION: 4563 MSL PATTERN ALTITUDE:?? MSL. FREQ: RUNWAY??: Surface: dirt. Gradient:??. Standard traffic pattern: left. Obstructions: tall trees on approach end. RUNWAY??: Surface: dirt. Gradient:??. Standard traffic pattern: left. Obstructions:??. WIND INDICATOR:??

19 TRONA PINNACLES NOTES: Not a real airstrip, true off-airport landing. Land along raised bluff. Smooth but made of many small rock, i.e. desert pavement. Try not to cross two-track road at high speeds, it s rougher than airstrip. FUN THINGS TO DO: STATUS: BLM owned land. Don t land if too many people around. CONTACT: WEBSITE: TRONA PINNACLES LAT/LONG: / DIMENSIONS: 1800 x 50 ELEVATION: 1780 MSL PATTERN ALTITUDE: Pilot Discretion FREQ: RUNWAY W: Surface: gravel. Gradient: None. Standard traffic pattern: left. Obstructions: Numerous. RUNWAY E: Surface: gravel. Gradient: None. Standard traffic pattern: left. Obstructions: None. WIND INDICATOR: None

20 COMING SOON Anza Pot #1 Anza Pot #2 Anza Institution Big Rock Billy Joe Corona #2 Ernst Field Flying T Garner Ranch Hoffman Lake Arrowhead Lake Riverside Estates Lake Wohlford Landers Loma Madera McConville Middle Aguanga Pines Airpark Pixley Canyon Ramona #2 Templeton Meadows Tenaja Ranch Tunnel Meadows Vail Lake Warner Springs Glider Port Many more SUGGESTIONS?? NOTES: FUN THINGS TO DO: STATUS: CONTACT: WEBSITE: LAT/LONG: DIMENSIONS: ELEVATION: COMING SOON PATTERN ALTITUDE: FREQ: RUNWAY??: Surface:??. Gradient:??. Standard traffic pattern:??. Obstructions:??. RUNWAY E: Surface:??. Gradient:??. Standard traffic pattern:??. Obstructions:??. WIND INDICATOR:??