All Airstrip Reports
The runway was nearly completely dry, but the softer dirt was just damp enough to keep the prop-induced dust away. As has been mentioned before, the runway is pretty badly rutted. There is an especially treacherous place with very deep crossing ruts right about midfield where a car track intersects the runway. In the past, I have landed 32 and stopped before the midfield crossing. Having noticed that the ruts on the approach (south) end of 32 have gotten worse, this time I elected to touch down beyond the midfield crossing. This worked just fine -- since I was going uphill in dirt that was slightly soft there was no problem at all stopping. Taking off downhill on 14 was easy too, but it is really important to be airborne before the midfield ruts. I think this means about 1800 feet or so of usable runway. Boulder could be so much more accessible if we could somehow just run a blade over it or roll the biggest ruts out.
This airstrip sits on a bench below Monogram mesa and above the Dolores River, right outside the wilderness study area in Bull Canyon. Runway direction SW/NE If landing to the SW, beware of where a two track road crosses the runway about 100ft from the NE turnaround. It doesn’t look like much from above but is big enough to launch you back in the air if you touchdown before the two track. Might be wise to land right past the two track road if landing SW. Landing to the NE is no issue. Windsock coming soon.
Fun spot to land, walked in and saw the petroglyphs. Soil was pretty soft and runway a bit rough. The south end of the runway was in pretty poor condition and soil was even softer and more growth. There is the remnants of a base of an old windsock, so maybe an addition to consider? Walked the runway and pulled quite a bit of the larger brush and moved some of the cactus'. All in all cool place, and got some confused looks from passers by as the runway is barely perceptible from the ground.
Stopped in to visit Erik and Lisa. Very nice field and great hosts. The runway is a little sandy on the north end but otherwise good condition, packed dirt, mostly smooth. Parking area loops around the large hangar and back to the runway allowing plenty of parking. Windsock is abeam the hangars on the west side. Be careful for deer and lots of migrating birds. Bring your bike it only 3 miles to the Dinosaur National Monument visitor center.
Thanks for the update Jeff...its on my list to check out this spring in my Sportsman!
2 weeks ago