Backcountry Pilot

[ETAV8R offline]

I posted this over on Expedition Portal where another member tipped me off about it. I think it is pertinent for discussion and attention here since one question explicitly deals with the beloved Chicken Strip.

For all who love the Saline Valley Warm Springs and the surrounding area there is currently a question and comment proposal from the National Park Service with the following:

Description:
Death Valley National Park is pleased to announce the initiation of the public scoping process for developing the Saline Valley Warm Springs Management Plan and environmental impact statement (EIS). Your input and engagement are important to this planning process.

The purpose of the Saline Valley Warm Springs Management Plan/EIS is to:
• Provide a framework for natural and cultural resources management at the Warm Springs area;
• Provide a framework for administration and operations at the Warm Springs area;
• Provide a framework for managing visitor use at the Warm Springs area;
• Provide guidance for Death Valley National Park managers as they work with various stakeholders of the Warm Springs area; and
• Balance management of natural resources, ethnographic resources, and visitor use.

The National Park Service is seeking public and agency input in order to help define issues and shape alternatives for this planning process.
Comment Period: 05/25/2012 - 07/31/2012
Topic Questions Instructions:
Please consider these topic questions as a starting point for focusing your comments. When responding, please number your response to match the corresponding question.
Topic Questions:
1. What types of recreational use of Saline Valley Warm Springs are important to you?
2. What visitor activities do you feel are appropriate in the Saline Valley Warm Springs area?
3. What are your thoughts on management of feral burros in Saline Valley?
4. How do you feel about the camping situation at the springs?
5. Do you have suggestions about how the National Park Service can best manage the anticipated increase in visitors to Warm Springs over the next 15-20 years?
6. Do you have any concerns about the use of the Chicken Strip airstrip?

Please use the following link to log your comments for the questions posed. It is important the NPS hear from those of us who get out that far and also for those who plan to visit in the future. This area is truly special for any number of reasons and unless you have visited, possibly more than just once, you know how special it is.

Link:
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?documentID=47178

[flynengr offline]

Comment logged. These guys won't stop until they get this treasure closed, will they? Even the wording "Do you have concerns...." Is a leading and ridiculous way to ask the question. Hopefully there are enough libertarian, non-pilot types using the Warm Springs area commenting that will save the day in the end......

Flynengr

[rick offline]

Libertarian pilot comments made. I have been going there for more than 21 years now, I stopped counting at 55 trips.

[Glidergeek offline]

My answer to #6 "It should be maintained as to its present condition. I think the RAF is doing a fine job".

[OregonMaule offline]

Comment added

[SkySteve offline]

Comment added

[hotrod180 offline]

A little off-topic, but what is the NPS doing to manage the feral burro's (#3)? Back in the day, I guess it was accepted practice for people to go out & hunt them, kinda like varmint hunting but conducted more lke big game hunting. Kept them wary & thinned out pretty good. I read about it in the PO Ackley books, I understand that unchecked they competed too much with native critters (desert sheep deer etc) for available waterholes. Nowadays due to PC considerations I can't inagine that hunting them is legal, although the game dept or NPS might try to deal with them (shooting, poison, trapping, etc) on a covert basis.

[hotrod180 offline]

Just googled up the NPS's " Death Valley General Management Plan". NPS sez that introduced species such as horses & burros compete with the desert sheep for resources, so burro management consists of trying to get rid of them by trapping, & by "direct reduction" (aka shooting) when trapping doesn't get the job done. Not too much shooting being done, as volunteer groups have stepped up to take over trapping when NPS gets tired of it & loads their rifles. Like most people, I have a soft spot for wild horses & esp burro's so although I realize that they're a problem I hate to see them all killed.
I couldn't find any reference to the Chicken Strip in this document.

[Grassstrippilot offline]

Done. Thanks for posting.

[Noe Flightrisk offline]

Comment filed:
The 1/4 mile long "Chicken Strip" airstrip is much less intrusive than the many miles of roads required to travel the the valley by vehicle, or than the low-flying jets in the military's R-2508 Special Use Airspace complex overhead, so it should be considered a low-impact trailhead for the area, as is the case with primitive airstrips in the Frank Church--River of No Return Wilderness in Idaho. The airstrip should be maintained, but not be improved from its primitive state; instead it should be preserved and used as a working historical artifact from half a century ago. The RAF (Recreational Aviation Foundation) is currently doing a an excellent job of representing aviation safety concerns and voluntarily providing necessary maintenance.

[stratobee offline]

I've commented as well.

[Fred54 offline]

Do you have any concerns about the use of the Chicken Strip airstrip?

Topic Question 6: This is a strange wording for seeking input on the Chicken Strip airstrip. As a pilot I have concerns about any airstrip I use, whether it be a Denver International or a wonderful small strip like Chicken Strip. As pilots we must understand the airstrip environment, ourselves, and our airplanes to operate safely. The Chicken strip is not a dangerours strip nor does it impose a heavy impact on the area. I suppose the only palpable concern is that after many years of historic use, there are some that feel managment needs to go in a different direction. I respectfully disagree.

[soyAnarchisto offline]

Do you have any concerns over the use of the Chicken Strip airstrip?

Yes. I am concerned that the NPS would consider closing or limiting it. I am an avid aviation enthusiast - and vehemently feel that maintaining backcountry airstrips is an acceptable and encouraged use of our wilderness lands. This airstrip sees limited use - and is of far less impact to the overall area than hiking and the roads that are cut all over the park system. I think the pilot community and RAF are doing an exceptional job representing pilot concerns, and would greatly appreciate protection of what amounts to limited access to users with a long history of community service and stewardship of our lands - the bush pilot.

[ETAV8R offline]

Good to see this thread still getting attention. Not sure if anyone made it to any of the public meetings but I know the turnout was low. The following link is to a Death Valley forum which tends to be less organized than this one but it does have good info.

http://www.deathvalley.com/dvtalk/dvtalk.shtml

Have a look.

[rfinkle offline]

Thanks for the post. I have made my comments on their web site.

Rich