Just got back from a great weekend flying and camping in the Utah backcountry sponsored by the Utah Back Country Pilots. Unlike Idaho where most of the backcountry airstrips are up in the mountains, many of Utah's backcountry airstrips are down in the canyons. Here are a couple of samples of where we landed:

The first two photos are Mexican Mountain. Located in a deep box canyon with Mexican Mountain in the middle of the canyon at the end of the box. Fly to the end of the box canyon about 1,000 feet below the rim, make a 180 degree turn behind Mexican Mountain between the mountain and the side of the box canyon and immediately land on the airstrip. The strip is fairly soft, narrow and has trees on both ends and along both sides. Makes your heart pump!




These next two photos are of Hidden Spendor airstrip. You fly over a 6,000 ft canyon ridge line, then drop into the canyon about 1,000 ft and fly just above the river thru a couple of tight S turns. Then you come to an opening and land, now! Blind approach and you better be low, turn fast and land on the uphill strip. Again, a real heart thumper.