Idaho may be known for its seaplane and backcountry flying but one does not have to be a seaplane pilot or have a STOL airplane with Alaskan bush tires to visit Idaho. (Skis would be fun in the winter though.) Let me tell you about Stanley in Central Idaho, for example. Source: Google Maps Stanley, as you can see in the sectional, is in a valley surrounded by high mountainous terrain (the beautiful Sawtooth Mountains) although the airport is higher than its downtown. Like several airports in the state, the Stanley Airport (2U7) is owned and operated by the State’s Aeronautics Division. It is not maintained in the winter although it does seem like a great airport to visit with skis. The airport has one runway: 17/35, which is 4,300 ft by 150 ft. But there’s a trick, only the first 1,600 ft on the north end are paved, the rest is dirt. Keep in mind it sits at 6,403 ft Mean Sea Level (MSL) so check density altitude and weight and balance prior to departure! Source: FAA Source: Google Earth The Airport is only one mile away (up the hill) from downtown. While a courtesy car may not be available at the Airport, walking into town is definitely an option and so is a local taxi. During the winter, cleats/crampons/spikes and a snowmobile may be an even better option! =) The Airport does not have many facilities or amenities, but it does have a pilot shelter on the northwestern end. While the chart supplement does not say whether 2U7 offers fuel or not, I have seen an avgas tank at the Airport before. Don’t count on it though; check first! The Idaho Aviation Association offers great, up-to-date information about the status of airstrips around the state. Ramp pictures looking towards the north: Credit: John Bachman, on Google Maps, July 2020 Ramp pictures (and pilot shelter) looking towards the south: Credit: John Bachman, on Google Maps, July 2020 Once on the ground, the outdoor activities are endless! Stanley is surrounded by over 1,000 miles of untouched wilderness. Here are some of the area favorites:
The chamber of commerce website has more suggestions for ya. Even though Stanley is considered one of the coldest places in the country, winter is such a fun and beautiful time to visit. Here are some white pictures. Town of Stanley, from the Mountain Village Resort hot spring: Redfish Lake: Snowmobiling just south of town: Stanley Lake: Snowmobiling just north of town, with the view of an airliner up in the flight levels: The small town of Stanley has a few lodging options, but camping is also allowed at the Airport, according to the State’s 2023 Airport Facility Directory.
Let’s keep the Stanley secret between us! And, as the locals say, let’s also keep it weird!
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Although Priest River and Priest Lake are both great places to fly around in, no priest or prist (at least in the summer) are required to fly around Northern Idaho. I had heard wonderful things about “the Coeur d’ Alene (CDA) area” from fellow seaplane pilots. Some referred to it as “a mecca” for float flying. I had to check it out for myself. So, hubby and I jumped in the motorhome (having made reservations back in February) and spent a month in the area this summer. As many of you know, renting a seaplane isn’t as easy as renting a landplane, unfortunately. In fact, I don’t know any person/company who will rent you one without a flight instructor, checked out on the plane and acknowledged by the plane’s insurance provider. So, CDA Seaplanes is the company I flew with, using their Cessna 172 on straight floats (well, during the summer that is). I flew twice with them. I highly recommend them. Our mornings started and ended from a "beach" on the Pend Oreille River, east of Priest River. From there, we explored many pristine lakes, rivers, and even a waterfall. As much as I like lakes, river flying is much more fun to me. It’s more challenging. I enjoyed all the twists, turns, and obstacles (yes, including boats and logs) of the Pend Oreille River. Although I really enjoyed the Clark Fork area of Lake Pend Oreille as well. The landscape was beautiful and the Gauntlet (as Bob Del Valle referred to it as), a horseshoe shaped portion of the Clark Fork river, was fun. Can you spot the floatplane hanging out on the sand beach below? And now? As far as scenery, I really enjoyed landing on Sullivan Lake and admiring Pewee Falls (both in Washington State, actually) from the air. Although a local travel brochure said the waterfall can only be seen from a kayak on the water, we proved them wrong. Known as Idaho’s crown jewel, Priest Lake, beneath the Selkirk Mountains, is somewhat unspoiled, remote, and uncrowded as compared to others further south. (I promise you these are not pictures of the Bahamas!) If you are not (yet) a seaplane-rated pilot but want to join in the fun, you are in luck. Both lakes have awesome backcountry airstrips, you can camp out at them, and have direct access to the respective lakes (pack your swimming suit!). The first picture below shows Sullivan Lake State Airport (09S), which is owned by WSDOT’s Aviation Division and has a 1,765 by 100 ft grass runway. The second picture below shows Cavanaugh Bay Airport (66S), which is owned by ITD’s Division of Aeronautics and has a 3,100 by 120 ft grass runway. 66S even has a restaurant across the street. What a deal! As you may imagine, they are only open in the summer (probably June to September) as snow/ice is prevalent in the area. The Tanglefoot Seaplane Base (D28) is near 66S. Preeeetty cool! In addition, the area has multiple restaurants with docks where one can park a plane to grab some food. One example is Forty One South, by the Long Bridge, across from Sandpoint. Coming back... for a full stop :( But, seaplanes aren’t just “fun machines to fly,” they serve an important purpose in this part of the country where wildfires are all too common in the summer. It was not rare to see multiple aircraft (including helicopters) picking up water to dump it on active fires. In fact, we saw with our own set of eyes the positive impact these aircraft have in containing and extinguishing fires along the Snake River. Please be sure to look out the window, exercise situation awareness, and maintain visual separation from them. In the next two pictures, you can see a Sikorsky S-4 Skycrane actively picking up water from the Snake River and then dumping it on the side of the mountain where there was an active fire that burned many acres. The following picture shows three seaplanes departing Hayden Lake after loading up with water. We enjoyed our time so much that Central Idaho may be on our list for next summer. I appreciate any suggestions any of you may have regarding airstrips and bodies of water to check out. In the meantime, fly safe and fly often!
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