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Idaho Back Country

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lcfitt(at)sbcglobal.net
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Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 6:02 pm Post subject: Idaho Back Country

My apologies if this post surfaces again.  I posted it early this morning 

and am trying again as I will be out of town again, this time for two weeks.



A quick report on the Idaho trip.



The California contingent left at first light on the 17th, or close to first 

light. AT 0530, Wray, (Model IV 912) got an early phone call telling us that 

the two from Westover - Larry, (Model IV 912) and Ken (Rans S-6 912S) were 

running a bit late. We got a heads-up at 6 that they were ready and we 

taxied up to our runway which put us about 10 minutes behind them and as 

usual it wasn’t until Carson City - about an hour - that we made first 

visual contact. This part of the trip is always a tough one as we are 

Eastbound and as the sun rises it is right behind the compass, or should I 

say right beside the compass.



This trip it was all business as our first night was to be at Smiley Creek 

so we did not fly the Rye Patch Dam outflow at tree top level preferring to 

make time to Winnemucca for a fuel stop. The FBO there is under new 

management the last couple of years and it is a nice place with good people. 

We are always remembered there even though we buy less than ten gallons of 

fuel each. With four airplanes to fuel and the normal potty stops it is 45 

minutes until we are off again for the stop at Caldwell for fuel and the 

hook up with Mark (Model IV 912) from Caldwell, Danny (Model V 912 ULS) from 

Tuskarora, and Hal (Rans S-7 912 UL with the high comp piston conversion) 

from Elko. As we taxied into the fueling area we heard Mark making pattern 

calls and he and Hal arrived from a local flight as we were fueling. Danny 

was already tied down and fueled. The trip from Cameron Park to Caldwell put 

just shy of 5 hours on the airplane and a bit more than 27 gallons through 

the engine. For the bean counters, this was at close to 5500 rpm the whole 

way with the first hour climbing from 1300 to 10,000 ft.



Now we were a flight of seven and off to Smiley Creek. This 7,100 ft 

elevation airport is on the Salmon River in the middle of the Sawtooth 

Mountains. http://www.ruralnetwork.net/~smileyck/airport.html This is one 

nice grass strip. The State of Idaho provides a full time caretaker that 

takes his business seriously. Showers and a nearby restaurant provides all 

an air camper needs. We lined up in the tiedown area near a Bonanza and a 

C-206 and others and pitched our tents. Night time temps were in the low 20s 

with frost on the tents, windshields and wings by morning, but a little 

sunshine in the AM took care of that and after a great breakfast at the 

Lodge we were on our way.



Departing Smiley Creek airport, we fly low over the meandering Salmon River 

practicing our tight turns as the river flows north. As we flying north, the 

valley tightens into a canyon with the rim rising above us a thousand feet 

or more with peaks to 10,000 ft. on either side. About 20 miles north of 

Smiley Creek, still on the Salmon, the Stanley airport - grass and gravel - 

marks the eastern turn of the river as it follows the canyon eastward 

another 20 miles where the river again turns northward to Challis. Challis 

is in more open country, grass land rather than timbered, with lots of 

irrigated farmland touching the river's bank. Challis is a fuel stop where 

we once again top off the tanks.



A note here, The Kitfoxes in the group have never used more than half their 

fuel on any leg as the Rans airplanes have smaller tanks and the fuel 

management is usually to their needs leaving the Kitfoxes with lots of 

reserves. Discussing this design difference, we arrived at the conclusion 

that the Kitfox is a western creation with lots of wide open spaces and the 

Rans out of the Midwest with an airport around every corner, hence fuel and 

lots of it is designed into the Kitfox.



Challis is a fun place for me as I once had a dental assistant who had grand 

kids there on a farm near the river and trying to find it from the air is a 

nice diversion.



We follow the Salmon northward from Challis about 35 miles, past Lemhi and 

North Fork where the river turns westward where it will eventually merge 

with the Snake a bit above Hells Canyon on it’s way to become part of the 

Columbia River outflow. Twenty miles north of North Fork we fly over 6,900 

ft. Gibbons pass where we enter the Bitter Root watershed and follow that 

river to Hamilton where we will once again spend the night.



A friendly competition between two FBOs there gives us great fuel prices, 

and a 24 hour FBO with computer, TV, hot showers and would you believe a 

restaurant. Also enough lawn to pitch seven tents and courtesy cars to boot. 

When we got there the restaurant was closed and we learned later that the 

afternoon cook was the owners wife and she walked that day because as he 

explained, she was divorcing him - at least that is the way he told it. 

After tying down our airplanes, again on grass, we grabbed the courtesy cars 

to try to find a restaurant in town where most of us got sick the last time 

there. That time the flight was in reverse order and after eating there and 

barfing all night from both ends we flew to Smiley Creek where those 

affected did the rapid quick step to the johns as soon as the airplanes 

rolled to a stop.



Anyway we found the restaurant and I ordered the same thing I had last time, 

the 12 oz hamburger special with about a half pound of sauteed mushrooms. 

Nearly too much to eat, but it got et. The next morning we had breakfast at 

the FBO’s restaurant as payback for the great night’s sleep. No one got sick 

this time and it was while there that we heard of the Polson Fly-in at a 

great little airport on the southern edge of Flathead Lake near Polson, 

Montana. This is a great fly-in. Lots of airplanes flown by common folk like 

you and me. On registering we found that PICs got a free breakfast for their 

trouble so by ten 0'clock we all had our second breakfast of the day. Good 

too.



 	  Quote: 	
		  From Polson it was across the mountains to the west to Thompson Falls 

another fuel stop then to Elk River for the night.
	




http://terraserver-usa.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=12&Z=11&X=703&Y=6476&W=1 (you 

may have to copy and paste this one.)



Elk River is a grass? strip with enough length to accommodate rather healthy 

certified singles. We were the only ones there this day however and 

proceeded immediately after tying down to walk the 100 yds to Huckleberry 

Heaven for that legendary huckleberry milkshake. On a walk looking for a 

cabin that was advertised to sleep 7 for forty bucks somewhere on E. 3rd 

street we found the city park and seeing the grass under a couple of shady 

trees, I knew where I belonged and that is where we spent the next hour 

hangar talking and gossiping. (Larry and I were coming home early - we both 

had family obligations - and it occurred to both of us that we would be fair 

game for just such a lazy time under another tree after we left. We love 

each other, but we all have done things that make us notorious in our own 

right and anyone not able to defend himself - and sometimes even if he can - 

is attack fodder) We never found the cabin, but we were able to get rooms in 

town for $40 a night per two pilots with a bathroom down the hall so that 

was the plan. Dinner was at the restaurant across the street that managed 

the rooms. We all had rib eye steaks, fresh corn on the cob, - the farmer 

came peddling the corn as we were killing time in the closed restaurant - 

baked potato, and raspberry-rhubarb cobbler. All this, and it was a big 

steak, for$12.00. With bulging bellies once again we went down to the 

airport for our pajamas and settled into our rooms. That evening after the 

air outside cooled a bit we hiked up the street to an old abandoned school. 

It was huge, three stories with a bell tower and lots of gables. I guess 

built when the logging industry was booming, but sadly in a very poor state 

of preservation and a multimillion dollar project if anyone was interested. 

A bit of history that will eventually fade from the scene.



Sleep was good and early the next morning I was in the shower expecting the 

commotion to rouse everyone else, but as I walked back down the hall, I saw 

Larry look up and wave and that was that for another hour. I was back in bed 

shortly and got another wink or two between mental projects that always come 

up during a long adventure like this. When we finally got everyone up it was 

back to the restaurant for everyone’s usual breakfast and after packing the 

airplanes it was a take off to the south.  We made one low pass over the 

airport with Larry and I continuing south and the others headed up to 

Cavanaugh Bay on Priest lake. http://www.airnav.com/airport/66s



Some pictures: http://www.nwaac.com/flyout_cavanaugh_bay_2004.htm



For those old timers on the list it was to Cavanaugh Bay that John McBean 

led a group after the 2005 Cameron Park fly-in.  Larry and I didn’t make it 

this year, but the place deserves some recognition. It is one gorgeous 

place. A fairway-like grass strip that you approach over the lake with one 

tall pine right were it shouldn’t be, but a long enough strip that the tree 

really isn’t a problem. Great grass for pitching a tent - last time there we 

were told that our camp spot became a lake when it rained and it was raining 

at the time - and a 50 yard walk to the lake and a great outdoor restaurant 

right next to the runway threshold where we could eat good food while 

watching the approaching traffic and the float planes coming and going. I 

haven’t heard from any of the guys that stayed, but I know it isn’t raining. 

Their plan is to go to Port Hill where there is a neat grass strip that is a 

POE with customs office. You have to see it to believe it..



While the guys were off to Cavanaugh Bay, Larry and I were navigating 

between the fire fighting TFRs back to Caldwell. We had great skies on the 

Eastern side of Idaho as we flew north and smoke after smoke as we headed 

south on the western Side. We stayed in Caldwell for the night at Mark’s 

house and at first light we were on our way home with a ten minute stop in 

Winnemucca for fuel. We were home shortly after 1100 and it is great to be 

home.



Lowell

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john(at)leptron.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 6:34 pm Post subject: Idaho Back Country

Ah Lowell,

You talk so pretty. I am sorry I missed you guys again this year.



John....see you soon.



--

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kerrjohna(at)comcast.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:46 am Post subject: Idaho Back Country

Lowell, great narrative in an area we enjoy. Every year my buddy and I say next year.  John Oakley, lets do it, I'll stop buy IF to link up and we can join them in Challis.

  

 John Kerr

  

 [quote]-------------- Original message -------------- 

From: "John Oakley" <john(at)leptron.com> 



[quote] --> Kitfox-List message posted by: "John Oakley" 

 

 Ah Lowell, 

 You talk so pretty. I am sorry I missed you guys again this year. 

 

 John....see you soon. 

 

 --

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john(at)leptron.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:15 am Post subject: Idaho Back Country

John Kerr,  

I have been in the same mind set. We will do it next year. My girl friend and I are also talking about Alaska, any one in a mind set for that trip?  

   

John Oakley  

         

  

From: owner-kitfox-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-kitfox-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of kerrjohna(at)comcast.net

 Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2006 10:46 AM

 To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: RE: Idaho Back Country  

  

     

Lowell, great narrative in an area we enjoy. Every year my buddy and I say next year.  John Oakley, lets do it, I'll stop buy IF to link up and we can join them in Challis.  

    

   

    

John Kerr  

    

   

  [quote]  

-------------- Original message -------------- 

 From: "John Oakley" <john(at)leptron.com> 

 

 > --> Kitfox-List message posted by: "John Oakley" 

 > 

 > Ah Lowell, 

 > You talk so pretty. I am sorry I missed you guys again this year. 

 > 

 > John....see you soon. 

 > 

 > --

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