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Do You Collect Grass/Un-Improved Strips?

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Converse County WY KDGW

Converse County airport in Wyoming has a decent gravel strip. Comes very handy in a strong cross wind on main runway. Don't believe listed avgas price it's one dollar more for the gallon :D

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Converse County airport in Wyoming has a decent gravel strip. Comes very handy in a strong cross wind on main runway. Don't believe listed avgas price it's one dollar more for the gallon :D

Next time you are up this way come up to my neck of the woods. I have always bought my fuel at KGEY. That price is not a lie. :D

KWRL (my home base) price unfortunately is also not a lie! :eek:
 
It's Cinqo de Mayo... Where is Vlad? Waiting to get off of work to suck down a cold Margarita spiked with Stoli's instead?
 
Marble CO

Marble, Colorado is an airstrip located in a valley 17 miles southwest of Aspen KASE. A pretty place at 7800 feet. You have to sign a waiver prior to landing there. Here is the link.

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I was trying to fly to Marble for couple years and finally made it. Approaching from the west at 11 thousand feet.

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I was early morning and I decided to land to the west. Plenty of space to turn around and descend to the east. There are some high trees on a hill which could eat some runway. Slip.

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Warning; it's not a golf course.

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Susan the caretaker met me and pointed to great hiking areas. Jumpstart the Dog marked the wheel fairing.

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Taxi the runway full length for takeoff seemed forever. Susan told me she had plenty of RVs landing here both training wheels and tail draggers. My hat is off to you guys that wasn't easy.

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Exited toward Aspen, checked in with approach and went to Leadville.

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Those who fly for living can imagine how busy is KASE on Sunday afternoon. One way in one way out.

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Solid Marble...

Vlad,
Like the stone quarried nearby from whence the small town got its name, Marble CO is indeed a gem in the rough. I ventured there with my wife in our then HR2 for a camping weekend in 2009 which was highly enjoyable. From walks on the dirt road "main street" to a small fox that visited our campsite all weekend, it was memorable.



Rocket rocking the Rock, or more precisely the Marble!
:)
Smokey
 
Atomic City and Fremont Island

Two more strips added to the pool recently. Atomic City, Idaho U37.

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and Fremont Island (upper airstrip) in Utah.

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Dolores Point next. Thanks Jerry Folkerts for a PIREP!
 
Green grass

Here's a bit of green for you from October.

Landing:

https://youtu.be/RTOTG56LLpY

Takeoff:

https://youtu.be/yQySntND9Y0

The grass at this strip in NL was amazing, and the ground underneath the grass was as smooth as a pool table. Very nice place to fly to, and the kind people there found me a hanger for a few days while I visited my daughter.

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I don't think I've enjoyed a piece of machinery as much since I got my first Yamaha JT-60 dirt bike in the early '70s. Thanks Van's!
 
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Here's a bit of green for you from October.

Landing:

https://youtu.be/RTOTG56LLpY

Takeoff:

https://youtu.be/yQySntND9Y0

The grass at this strip in NL was amazing, and the ground underneath the grass was as smooth as a pool table. Very nice place to fly to, and the kind people there found me a hanger for a few days while I visited my daughter.

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I don't think I've enjoyed a piece of machinery as much since I got my first Yamaha JT-60 dirt bike in the early '70s. Thanks Van's!

1971 JT-60 for me. I learned early how to quickly clean spark plugs. I was commenting to a friend today that we come across some machinery in our lifetimes that we really enjoy and make an impression. Van's aircraft is on the good list.
 
1971 JT-60 for me. I learned early how to quickly clean spark plugs. I was commenting to a friend today that we come across some machinery in our lifetimes that we really enjoy and make an impression. Van's aircraft is on the good list.
That little motorcycle taught me a lot about engines - I had to split the cases on that thing a couple of times. And thanks to that experience as a 12 yr old, I got a job at 16 in a machine shop as the motorcycle engine repair guy. And the owner of the shop introduced me to flying in his tripacer. Good times!

And in keeping with the thread subject, all use of these bikes was on unimproved strips (which are now shopping centers).
 
Sand Wash BLM airstrip Utah

I was salivating over this gem for several years. Today was the day to plant the wheels on this rocky surface. However, with full fuel and no wind I didn't have enough courage to apply brakes for a full stop. Two T&Gs on one approach first quarter and in the middle of the runway. It could be done in an RV. Sand Wash backcountry airstrip in Utah :D

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Afraid to use the brakes in an A- model? Were you worried about getting airborne again after a full stop? I'm sure a nose-over was not the issue. 3200 feet seems adequate even at that altitude...
 
Solo'd on grass in 1972. I'm now based at a regional airport (paved). I have no problem visiting my friends at their grass strip locations. Some of the "grass" strips I have landed on were actually cinder, rock or dirt.

The best operational tip for rock, cinder or dirt:

In order to keep from sucking up debris with the prop; do low power run up while taxing (no brakes locked high power run up), on take off, gently apply a small amount of power with brakes released, waiting until 20MPH (only takes about 75 to 125 feet) before smoothly applying full power.
 
Afraid to use the brakes in an A- model? Were you worried about getting airborne again after a full stop? I'm sure a nose-over was not the issue. 3200 feet seems adequate even at that altitude...

It would be very hard on propeller tips during taxi and takeoff Bill. A lot of rock chips there. Not the Hop-Along pool table :D

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Vlad, might be time to remove that ulcer below the nose and install a proper tailwheel ;)

Too late Dan. I am not gaining much prop clearance anyway. Not sure it's better some of my buddies with proper wheelies don't go places I invite them to :)
 
Vlad, Sand Wash is in beautiful and rugged country, doesn't look like a friendly FBO or self-serve fuel pump at the ramp area.

Do you carry a satellite phone with you, I'm sure that cell towers are few and far between out in the boonies?
 
Marble

Vlad,
Like the stone quarried nearby from whence the small town got its name, Marble CO is indeed a gem in the rough. I ventured there with my wife in our then HR2 for a camping weekend in 2009 which was highly enjoyable. From walks on the dirt road "main street" to a small fox that visited our campsite all weekend, it was memorable.



Rocket rocking the Rock, or more precisely the Marble!
:)
Smokey

I took my son camping at Marble around 2009 also. We did a lot of fishing in the ponds and the river. That fox was always around and would steal our fishing rods at night. We would find them all over the airport each morning.
 
U69 Duchesne

Duchesne UT U69 has a nice crosswind dirt runway. I was coming to this airport for a couple of years to get cheaper fuel but never landed on the dirt. Today was the day wind was gusting at 25 knots right along rwy 26 and my wheel pants were off.

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Left base rwy 26.

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Short final 26.

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Good groomed surface overall not much loose gravel.

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Rodney the airport manager flies a falcon :D

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Airport manager met me out at the fuel pump a couple months back just to make sure the fuel pump worked. Nice guy! TBH I don't even remember there being dirt runways. lol
 
Airport manager met me out at the fuel pump a couple months back just to make sure the fuel pump worked. Nice guy! TBH I don't even remember there being dirt runways. lol

Rodney is a cool guy indeed. Owns several planes but loves falconry. Got the bird from our forest. Once its GPS showed 120 mph in the dive :)
 

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Rodney is a cool guy indeed. Owns several planes but loves falconry. Got the bird from our forest. Once its GPS showed 120 mph in the dive :)

Yep that's him. I had no idea about the falconry. Flippin cool!
 
UT97 Happy Canyon

I was building my confidence for two years. Finally conquered Happy Canyon UT97. :D

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This backcountry airstrip has a beautiful location. It sits on a little peninsula in the bottom of a canyon. There are two intersecting runways.

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Landing to the east it's a bit uphill and there is a light tailwind.

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Runway is very soft and rather short I had to jump over couple spots before coming to complete stop near the shacks over exposed rocks. Then taxied to the end of the runway and deplaned.

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Spent on the ground about 20 minutes walking the runway and taking pictures. There is a registration book in one of the shacks I turned pages and didn't find any RVs. Let's keep it that way it's surely not for our types :)

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There are some cool tools on a stone table. There is a good supply of water and some dried/canned food for the campers. The surroundings are stunning.

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Takeoff is more challenging than landing.
 
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There are some cool tools on a stone table. ...

Those bring back bad memories from my youth working in the oil patch! At least it paid the bills.

Thanks for the photos - looks like it was an interesting experience!
 
Vlad that looks like one epic place to land! So epid that my RV will not be visiting. :D

Awesome pictures man
 
Wow, just wow

Vlad,
Always amazes me the places you go. Maybe in my next life I will come back as an Eagle just so i can get into those places you go.

Just wow.

I hope to be flying this summer. Hope you take me to some neat places. But I dont think have the talent for some of the places you have been......
 
Any gravel damage

I'm afraid I would sand blast the bottom side of my flaps and HS. I would love to go there
 
Just shows what an RV can do if your not worried about your paint job and wheel pants. The Carbon Cub of low wings…..
 
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