What I did on my day off. FLY!

Ok so you all know I fly fires for the season. Well my airplane was
hangared at home base in Oregon and I am in Boise, ID. I asked my boss
if he could fly my plane down when he comes to relieve me. Every thing
worked out. He even filled it up with Av-gas! Nice guy. Of course I had
to buy dinner the other night.

My days off started a little early since I timed out. Too many fires too
few pilots.

Got up late headed back out the the airport, where everyone said "isn't
it your day off?" Yeah but I am going flying. My bosses significant
other was sitting there in the lobby so I asked here if she wanted to
go. Girls day in the airplane! We head up to McCall for some pancakes at
the The Pancake House. As good as I remember. I wanted to head out to
Johnson Creek for some fishing. One problem there was a fire near by
with a TFR and the smoke was laying in the valley. The TFR was passable
if you called on the right freq. The airport was buried in the smoke.

We headed south to Warm Springs Creek. River close by and Hot springs to
boot.

There happened to be a new fire (one I will be flying today)
near Warm Springs Creek. Once we got closer we saw an fixed wing
circling. I thought it was a recon flight but once we saw the helo
dropping water we realized it was air-attack. They called us on 122.9
and we told them we we just headed into the airport. They had set up a
helibase there fortunately they had not closed the airport yet. The
airport was closed yesterday due the the heavy activity and size of
helos in and out of the airport. We check ed wind sock and had to land
SW. Went up one valley dropped to 1000 AGL (about 6000 MSL) turned
around and made my approach. Dragged it through a gap in the trees, a
little left turn to line up with the runway and touchdown. A perfect
back country landing (of course).

We parked on the NE side of the airport since they were running Helo ops
on the other end. Not knowing exactly where the springs were we starting
off on a trail marked Warm springs trail. Bad choice. It is a horse
trail that heads up the mountain. Back to the end of the runway. We
stood there for a minute. The road turn in the wrong direction. The
airport diagram confirmed it. There was a fire pit in front of us. Went
went over and had a look. A trial went down the hill towards the creek.
We took it. It took us to a road that leads to a camping area. This was
the camping area we saw on the way in. I had been previously told the
springs were near the campground. Once in the camping area there were
signs to the hot springs. The hike was about a mile from the airplane to
the springs. Well worth the walk. Some one or many ones went to a lot of
trouble to fashion several pools from the creek where the hot springs
enters. The mix was perfect! Pool temps a little above 100. The view
magnificent. The company was good, the pools were outstanding,
priceless. Un-fortunately after a couple of hours we had to leave. But
not until I got a little fly fishing in. A very nice afternoon.

Our take off was un-eventful and has us headed back to Boise. It was a
day I did not want to end but weather and time made the decision for us.

Once back in Boise we tied the airplane down. Within a half hour the
storms hit....

Once I stopped moving realized how tired I was and I must say it was a
good day off..

Michelle P

An outdoor writer in our midst to rival the likes of the urban Honeck!
Get writeup Michelle! Keep'em coming!

Fly Safe!

Michelle P wrote:

We parked on the NE side of the airport since they were running Helo ops
on the other end. Not knowing exactly where the springs were we starting
off on a trail marked Warm springs trail. Bad choice. It is a horse
trail that heads up the mountain. Back to the end of the runway. We
stood there for a minute. The road turn in the wrong direction. The
airport diagram confirmed it. There was a fire pit in front of us. Went
went over and had a look. A trial went down the hill towards the creek.
We took it. It took us to a road that leads to a camping area. This was
the camping area we saw on the way in. I had been previously told the
springs were near the campground. Once in the camping area there were
signs to the hot springs. The hike was about a mile from the airplane to
the springs. Well worth the walk. Some one or many ones went to a lot of
trouble to fashion several pools from the creek where the hot springs
enters. The mix was perfect! Pool temps a little above 100. The view
magnificent. The company was good, the pools were outstanding,
priceless. Un-fortunately after a couple of hours we had to leave. But
not until I got a little fly fishing in. A very nice afternoon.


Went to Warm Springs a few years ago. The description in the Fly Idaho
book is not very good on how to get to the hot springs. Did the same
thing as you, started up the mountain. There's also a hot spring at
Atlanta. We got there a little late in the morning, would've been stuck
there all day. So we walked into town and had a Coke at the bar and
then walked back to the airstrip. I'd like to get back there.

Michelle,

Thanks for the write-up! It's very enjoyable and makes me want to kick
off from SLE to go find this place (probably next year, before the fire
season really kicks off again).

Chris G., PP-ASEL
Salem, Oregon


Michelle P wrote:
Ok so you all know I fly fires for the season. Well my airplane was
hangared at home base in Oregon and I am in Boise, ID. I asked my boss
if he could fly my plane down when he comes to relieve me. Every thing
worked out. He even filled it up with Av-gas! Nice guy. Of course I had
to buy dinner the other night.

My days off started a little early since I timed out. Too many fires too
few pilots.

Got up late headed back out the the airport, where everyone said "isn't
it your day off?" Yeah but I am going flying. My bosses significant
other was sitting there in the lobby so I asked here if she wanted to
go. Girls day in the airplane! We head up to McCall for some pancakes at
the The Pancake House. As good as I remember. I wanted to head out to
Johnson Creek for some fishing. One problem there was a fire near by
with a TFR and the smoke was laying in the valley. The TFR was passable
if you called on the right freq. The airport was buried in the smoke.

We headed south to Warm Springs Creek. River close by and Hot springs to
boot.

There happened to be a new fire (one I will be flying today)
near Warm Springs Creek. Once we got closer we saw an fixed wing
circling. I thought it was a recon flight but once we saw the helo
dropping water we realized it was air-attack. They called us on 122.9
and we told them we we just headed into the airport. They had set up a
helibase there fortunately they had not closed the airport yet. The
airport was closed yesterday due the the heavy activity and size of
helos in and out of the airport. We check ed wind sock and had to land
SW. Went up one valley dropped to 1000 AGL (about 6000 MSL) turned
around and made my approach. Dragged it through a gap in the trees, a
little left turn to line up with the runway and touchdown. A perfect
back country landing (of course).

We parked on the NE side of the airport since they were running Helo ops
on the other end. Not knowing exactly where the springs were we starting
off on a trail marked Warm springs trail. Bad choice. It is a horse
trail that heads up the mountain. Back to the end of the runway. We
stood there for a minute. The road turn in the wrong direction. The
airport diagram confirmed it. There was a fire pit in front of us. Went
went over and had a look. A trial went down the hill towards the creek.
We took it. It took us to a road that leads to a camping area. This was
the camping area we saw on the way in. I had been previously told the
springs were near the campground. Once in the camping area there were
signs to the hot springs. The hike was about a mile from the airplane to
the springs. Well worth the walk. Some one or many ones went to a lot of
trouble to fashion several pools from the creek where the hot springs
enters. The mix was perfect! Pool temps a little above 100. The view
magnificent. The company was good, the pools were outstanding,
priceless. Un-fortunately after a couple of hours we had to leave. But
not until I got a little fly fishing in. A very nice afternoon.

Our take off was un-eventful and has us headed back to Boise. It was a
day I did not want to end but weather and time made the decision for us.

Once back in Boise we tied the airplane down. Within a half hour the
storms hit....

Once I stopped moving realized how tired I was and I must say it was a
good day off..

Michelle P