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Moose Creek with the BIL and Cousin

crabandy

Well Known Member
Short story long.........
My sister in law asked if I’ld take my brother in law on a trip for his birthday, he needed a vacation. She suggested something remote, camping, mountains, basic guy stuff. Wasn’t sure how I was gonna make it all happen but I started running the options. I’ll be darned if M McGraw RV14 extraordinaire/PJ camper/Formation flyer didn’t contact me about places to stay between Tn and Mt on his way west.
Schedule wise I had to leave sooner, quick oil change/FWF inspection/tire inflation and tailwheel check and lube.
 

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After an early morning of work I rushed home to kiss the kiddos/wife goodbye and grabbed my newly delivered sleeping bag. There was an IAC practice session in progress prior to the competition as I was leaving, so stoked to see this at my home airport!
 

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Couple hours to pick up my Arthur at KDTN and off to western Kansas to catch-up with an old college buddy. Good friends, awesome steak dinner, and a room for the night.
 

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5ish hours flight time to 32S with a fuel stop at 82V and KRIW. First time seeing Yellowstone and the Tetons.
 

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Spent a day getting to/from and enjoying the Hot springs.
 

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Moose Creek is one of my favorite places - we go almost every year and were just there a week or so ago.

Runway is in good shape (by backcountry standards, anyway). 1/19 is the long runway, and the valley to the north offers lots or maneuvering room to get setup to land on 19. Landing on 4 is ok as well, but requires maneuvering in a much tighter canyon and a bit of a turn on short final.
 

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Moose Creek is one of my favorite places - we go almost every year and were just there a week or so ago.

Runway is in good shape (by backcountry standards, anyway). 1/19 is the long runway, and the valley to the north offers lots or maneuvering room to get setup to land on 19. Landing on 4 is ok as well, but requires maneuvering in a much tighter canyon and a bit of a turn on short final.

Any issue with RV wheelpants and either runway? Thanks for the update. No snow/softness in runway this early in the season?
 
I wouldn’t think wheel pants would be an issue. There are the typical undulations in the runway, but it’s not rough by any means until you get near some of the parking areas. I’d think those would be fine at slow taxi speeds. Moose Creek is pretty low altitude, so it dries early in the season. It was completely dry when we were there.

There are some gopher holes, so if you have any doubt I’d have someone hop out and take a look, or just push the plane into place.

This is looking north from the approach end of 1.
 

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I landed and took off 19, I found it pretty rough with the undulations bucking the aircraft a bit. Odd as I walked the runway later it looked quite smooth. I am a backcountry newbie so just my observations.
Based on a tip from a local pilot he suggested 4 for the RV which I did several times, the first 1/4 of the runway is rough but touching down about 500’ down just before the intersecting runway 19 was pretty smooth. There is over 1000’ of remaining runway past the intersection that slopes up toward the lodge. The approach is challenging, but flying several miles west down River it opens up for a turn and allows enough time for a descent. Hugging the right side of the Selway on the modified left base/angled final and squeeze between the cut out trees. Precise speed control and spot landing is paramount.

No issues with my wheel pants yet, I did build them 1 1/2 inches higher than most. The middle of the runway is quite packed, I wasn’t real comfortable with venturing too far off the centerline without walking it first.
 
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Finishing the canyon turn for the left base/final for 4, the threshold is hiding behind the hill where the rollbar is reflecting in the windscreen. Have to hug the hill on the right and once past make a sweeping descending left turn to the threshold.
pic should be rotated 90 right, having a little technical trouble rotating the pics. Makes me look like I’m about knife edge.
 

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Took 2 flight to haul 3 people and stuff. Thin high OVC I decided to fly over at 12,500 and found a good hole above Moose Creek.
Left downwind for 19.
 

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Lots of fishing and hiking, we logged close to 10 miles everyday.
 

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Lots of great campfire cooking and relaxing.
 

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Sun setting over the confluence of the Selway and Moose Creek.
 

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I did fly back once to check weather and grab a few supplies. Also brought in some requested ice cream, Reese’s, Twinkies etc for the forest service crew that keeps the trails open. Also left some cold Beer for M McGraw, just ask for the camp host Stan.......
 

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Our plan was to leave Wed morning, Wx was supposed to be good but the rain started at 3 am. By 8 the wx looked doable and I loaded up Arthur and his gear and took off. I left my cousin with his gear and the remaining food in case I didn’t make it back. My cousin is an avid outdoorsman and had the appropriate gear.

Arthur and I made it out underneath the OVC by following the lower route south up the Selway River I’ld gathered intel on and flew the route previously in good weather. Unfortunately once we made
32S I watched the OVC creep down over the BitterRoots. As much as I wanted to takeoff and go check the pass and get my cousin I knew it was a terrible idea and I could read the accident report in my mind. We focused on getting word to the camp host via the daily forest service radio check in.
Found out my cousin made a series of “Survivor Man” videos that were pretty entertaining.....

https://andycrabtree.smugmug.com/Moose-Creek-2021-Arthur-and-John/i-34tDCn3

https://andycrabtree.smugmug.com/Moose-Creek-2021-Arthur-and-John/i-J4QpzrJ
 
I had been watching and deciphering the weather nonstop for almost 2 days, I had also chatted with a local back country regular about routes and weather. I was eying a break in the wx forecasted after the rain Thursday about an hour before sundown. Friday’s forecast was excellent but probably fog in the backcountry till late morning.
I drove to the airport in anticipation of the clouds breaking, the holes came as forecast and I decided to take a peek. Up and over the BitterRoots the blanket of clouds was starting to breakup with lower tops and I headed towards Moose Creek.
 

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So thankful to see the OVC breaking up and almost clear to the west, a quick dip below the clouds and another thrilling approach to RWY 4.
 

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Time to strategically load almost 100 lbs of stuff for the ride home.
 

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We started out direct knowing we would be making some changes on the fly, luckily the massive Tstorms stayed out of the way.
 

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The improvised flight plan, biggest wx issue was the 50 knt gusts in western Ks/OK we choose to “fly over” instead of stop. A little over 10 hours flight time in 11 1/2 hours, a new record I’m not sure I need to beat.
Wow, what an airplane!
 

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Moose Creek FREE BEER!!!!!

Thanks Andy!!!!
 

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