For the Pilot Sportsman.  Make your vacation days count!
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McCall, IDThe canyon leading to Johnson Creek (here we are climbing to 12,500 for photos)
Yes, that's snow...in August.Off in the distance on the way to JC I saw another strip.
Seen here from 12,500' is Big Creek. You fly a pretty much standard pattern...however there IS a hogback ridge between you and the runway while on downwind (you can't see the strip).Yellow Pine, ID (Jay seen here turn south down the canyon at 12,500 for a high altitude inspection of Johnson Creek).
Starting the descent into Johnson Creek. Time to stow the camera.


Dallas, TX to Johnson Creek, Idaho 2004 by Doug Reeves

Day Two
Jay and I woke up around 0630 local at the Hotel McCall and went down for the continental breakfast.  We didn't have a ride back to the airport so we just walked, which wasn't really that bad since it was only about a half mile.  We purposely did not top off the tanks on the advice of Lori at www.MountainCanyonFlying.com (a light plane performs better in the mountains).

The briefed plan was to take off, circle McCall for some pictures followed by a high altitude tour (12,500') of Johnson Creek and Big Creek (again, for photos).  If all looked good and our confidence was high we would go back to McCall, lower into the canyon, and begin the approach into Johnson Creek.

This is rough country and I was once again very, very glad I had quite a bit of survival gear.  Everything proceeded normally and all temps and pressures were as expected so we pushed on.

The MX-20 moving map was as helpful as you might expect.  Knowing where the towns, rivers, valleys and airports are at a glance is worth it's weight in gold.

Johnson Creek Airstrip, Idaho from the zoom lens (12,500')

You can't really tell by looking at this picture, but there were a few planes lining the runway.  There is a house located on the right side of the picture and the creek and road run parallel to the runway.  The plan is to descend to pattern altitude in the canyon hugging the right side.  Turn south at Yellow Pine and again, hugging the right side of the canyon, fly along at 80-90kts looking for the strip.  When you have the runway in sight you fly to the right of it as far as you can in the bowl.  Then you turn (again while hugging the right side) and fly a large, odd shaped downwind.  If your speed and altitude are RIGHT ON you begin a descending 180 turn to final.  You are now committed.

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Just after landing. Manditory shot.This is the direction of takeoff. If you don't turn left the air turns to mountain.
Back yard looking left.Back yard looking right.
Another arrival turning base to final.There were probably 25 Cessna 185's there.
The view from the tent.Now you're talking! More RVs!!!
The tent. The entertainment. The protection.Camp just about set up...
About three hours of each day was spent doing this...Jay fully in character as a mountain man.
The view from my hammock. It's tough, I know....Sunlight getting scarce as the afternoon ends.

As it turned out things went by the book, Jay landing in the first 3rd of the strip and me in the first half.  Rest assured, the first time you do this you are keenly aware of your surroundings!  Remember when you soloed as a student pilot?  It felt like that!

We are in Johnson Creek.  Life is good.

High fives and handshakes and it's time to set up camp.  Where we park ends up being just fine so that decision is made.  A quick survey finds the creek about 50' from where the planes are parked.  Trash cans every fifty yards or so and firewood stacked sporadically makes for a nice surprise.

The tent goes up quick (at least mine does) and I start unpacking and arranging the gear.  You can see in the photo of the tent at right I brought my CF Martin 'Backpacker' guitar.  It plays like a $2 plastic ukulele but at least it's a guitar.  Also, it weighs next to nothing.  Next to that is the 26oz. Smith and Wesson 239PD .44 magnum revolver (with 240 grain bullets).  You're probably not going to see bears at Johnson Creek, but remember that terrain we flew over earlier?  Don't forget there's a lot of Rocky Mountain range between us and home.  Be prepared.  As with all firearms, get proper training and follow the letter of the law.  More information on transporting firearms in your plane can be found from the folks at AOPA and NRA.  It's kept locked in the plane when I'm away from the camp (and locked in a safe at home).

We got the food and backpacker stoves out and started on lunch.  In a few minutes I was eating spaghetti and meat sauce with a Dr. Pepper that had been cooled down in the creek.  The hammocks were hung and about ten minutes later we were both doing the afternoon nap thing.

Later was dinner, socializing with some newly introduced friends from Phoenix, Idaho and California, and a trip to the NICE shower facility on the south end of the runway.  There's even a phone to let the family know you're safe and sound (no cell coverage here).

It's been a great day and a whole new aspect of aviation has been opened up to me.  Time for sleep, for tomorrow we go into Yellow Pine for the 2004 Harmonica Festival.

More to come...
 Doug

Last sunlight reaches camp.

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