Camping at Johnson Creek

DAY SIX - EIGHT:


Tied Down at Johnson Creek


Camp under the trees or under your wing

At Johnson Creek, the State of Idaho has provided facilities including showers, toilets and a telephone. Just bring a tent, sleeping bag and food. You must arrive by airplane, you are not allowed to camp if you arrive by road. There are several vans available to drive into Yellow Pine. There is even a webcam on the field (http://www.ruralnetwork.net/johnsoncreek/) to check conditions.


Johnson Creek - Extreme Camping for Pilots

It is a good idea to phone ahead and confirm that there isn’t a fly-in scheduled at the same time you plan to visit if you want peace and quiet. Each year type clubs including the Cessna Stationairs, Maules, Supercubs and others organize fly-ins at Johnson Creek. During the weekend of the annual International Harmonica Festival at Yellow Pine, there could be 80 aircraft parked on the field and the camping sites around the perimeter will be full. If you want a quiet time sitting under the trees, you will not find it at Johnson Creek during those fly-in weekends.


The Airstrip at Johnson Creek

Dave goes to Idaho when everyone else in North America goes to some fly-in near Oshkosh. We had Johnson Creek practically to ourselves. We settled into our camp sites. Darryl had a Turbo Cessna 206, an airplane ideally suited for backcountry camping. Darryl had removed the back seats and outfitted the back as sleeping quarters. He could haul several hundred pounds of camping gear. He had more stuff in the back than that Canadian Tire guy. He pulled a camp fridge, reclining chairs and power tools out of his airplane.

I met Mike from Arizona. Mike is a coffee consultant – he makes his living showing people how to run coffee franchises. Mike had a beautiful Stinson, and it was his first trip into these mountains.


Mike Lands the Stinson

Finally, I met Ward, a friend of Dave’s from his Navy P3 days. He had flown up to Idaho in his Cessna 310. Ward lives in Austin Texas where his wife runs a large company and Michael Dell is his next-door neighbour. Ward brought his twin Cessna in with great style on his first approach.

Our plan for the next few days was to wake up early, pick a destination to fly to for breakfast, fly out, walk around the new strip, eat a great breakfast and fly back to Johnson Creek before noon. In the afternoon, we washed and polished our airplanes and then went hiking around Johnson Creek. We either cooked supper over the grill at the campsite, or drove into Yellow Pine in the van for a healthy burger and ale at the local general store/tavern. This is pilot heaven.


Yellow Pine, Idaho


The International Harmonica Festival is held in Yellow Pine

There were several airstrips nearby that serve outfitting camps. I don’t hunt, but elk hunting is very popular here in the Fall. The local outfitting camps all have their own back-country airstrips and will serve breakfast or lunch to anyone who flies in. Big Creek and Sulpher Creek are two popular resorts, both within 20 minutes flying time of JC.


Hiking Above Johnson Creek

Day Six through Day Eight: Camped at Johnson Creek (3U2) Idaho, 27 Jul