Phase one was led by Christopher Wilcox, Chief of Maintenance for the Wrangell St Elias National Park and included brushing by NPS crews in mid-June. “Phase two was nothing short of exceptional,” Goza said.
ALASKA’S NUGGET CREEK RUNWAY REHABILITATED IN COOPERATION WITH NPS
In July, the RAF continued cooperative work on Alaska’s Nugget Creek airstrip located near a US National Park Service public use cabin. “RAF Supporter Dave Cruz led a remarkable effort to bring Nugget Creek airstrip back to a safe and usable condition,” RAF Alaska Liaison Stef Goza said. Cruz and his crew drove 15 miles one-way up the rough and twisting trail hauling compact track loaders and UTVs to the strip. For two days they cleared turnarounds at both ends. They built up the runway crown to ensure proper drainage and graded the runway, leaving a firm, smooth surface well-suited for backcountry aircraft. “Something needed to be done to restore this amazing airstrip. Thanks to our collaboration with the National Park Service staff and an exceptional RAF supporter, it was,” Goza said.
The RAF interest in Nugget Creek began when RAF supporters and local pilots expressed safety concerns. The runway edges were overgrown, and harsh weather and use had caused ruts and washouts. RAF Alaska Liaison Al Clayton and Goza began meeting with NPS staff to discuss maintenance, and the rehabilitation project gained traction in early 2024.
“Thanks to Christopher Wilcox and the NPS brush-clearing crew, Dave Cruz and his team – including Lance Williamson, Mike Uher, and Mike Lackey – Nugget Creek remains a shining example of what’s possible when volunteers and land managers work together to preserve our backcountry airstrips. Thank you for ensuring this gateway to adventure remains safe and accessible,” Goza added.
To top off the project, on Sunday, July 13, Goza and her husband Randy, RAF Director Jeff Russell, Jim Stevenson, and Joe McDonough, all of Wisconsin; and Christina Young and Gerry Moriarty both of Alaska, flew six airplanes to Nugget Creek to see the completed project and to hang the RAF Supports This Airstrip sign.
Nugget Creek cabin lies at about 3,000 ft elevation and is a short walk from the strip. It offers four bunks, a wood stove, and what Goza calls, “jaw-dropping views of Mount Blackburn. From the cabin, adventurers can hike a trail that winds toward the Kuskulana Glacier, explore historic mining ruins, or simply sit on the porch and watch the evening light paint the Wrangell Mountains,” she added.
Nugget Creek does not appear on sectionals. Its coordinates are 61°37.28’N/143°42.59’W. It will soon be added to the Airfield Guide. It is approximately 18 nm east of Chitina, CXC which is on the Copper River.
Submitted July 31, 2025
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You’d have a hard time finding a more beautiful place to fly than Driggs-Reed Memorial Airport (KDIJ). The Grand Teton, Big Hole, and Snake River mountain ranges surround this eastern Idaho valley. Driggs has become a world-class destination for the pilot community. National Geographic magazine listed Driggs as “one of the ten best outdoor recreation destinations in the U.S.” Just a 45-minute drive over Teton Pass is Jackson, Wyoming, a famous Western destination. The airport, at an elevation of 6,257, accommodates aircraft on both its 7,300-ft paved runway and 3,000-ft turf landing area, marked with cones. Note: The SW 3,451 feet of the paved runway is closed until August for reconstruction. Check NOTAMS before landing. Fly-in visitors are welcome to camp underwing at its grassy tie-down area. It’s an ideal gateway to the Idaho backcountry. Enjoy views of the nearby Teton Range from the 12' x 16' cedar pilot shelter. There is potable water, a toilet, power, a gas barbecue, and a charging station nearby. Within walking distance of the campground is the Forage restaurant. A bike shed and loaner bikes, provided by the Idaho Aviation Association Borrow-A-Bike program, are available to ride into town. If you desire a more urban experience or wish to explore further, the airport has rental cars. “It’s a great destination for the pilot community, with access to hiking, biking, fishing, floating, golf and a small town with numerous shops and restaurants,” RAF Director and Driggs resident Tim Riley says. He and a local RAF supporter recently completed a spring cleanup to ready it for the season. The amenities were provided cooperatively through the RAF, the Idaho Aviation Association (IAA), the City of Driggs, and its Airport Board, with financial contributions from each. For more information on Driggs, see the Airfield Guide . Submitted July 1, 2026 By Carmine Mowbray
It’s bear grass season around West Glacier, Montana, and nearly a score of volunteers from three different states drove in to Ryan Field June 12-13 to complete seasonal maintenance, and enjoyed spotting the showy blooms throughout the woods. Bear scat was also seen in several places – a reminder that a clean camp protects both campers and wildlife. The airfield remains closed until the new runway grass has stabilized for landing, so watch the Airfield Guide for an announcement that the field has re-opened. As a result, there was no annual Ryan Fly-in this year. Volunteers removed downed trees, cleared and marked hiking trails, mowed around the buildings and part of the runway, cleaned bear boxes, the pilot shelter, cabins, and barn. “We welcomed new volunteers and continue to work hard maintaining the field. We are as eager as everyone for the grass to take good hold so the runway can open again,” Administrative Director Tricia McKenna said. Submitted June 30, 2026
RAF President Bill McGlynn met in mid-June with the US Forest Service, Idaho Dept of Aeronautics, and Idaho Aviation Association to evaluate steps to improve Magee (S77) airstrip, 23 nm east of Coeur d’Alene. On the way, Bill picked up Joe Sober, one of two airport engineers from Oklahoma City who have volunteered their professional services and have been instrumental in creating maintenance and remediation plans on Idaho backcountry airstrips. “The Forest Service engineering teams have too much on their plate just addressing roads, so having this resource to make airstrip engineering assessments and plans is instrumental to resolving challenges on USFS airstrips like Magee,” McGlynn said. The improvement project at Magee has been organized through a Cost Share Agreement that the RAF has with the USFS. McGlynn, Sober, Willy Acton of the Idaho Airstrip Network, along with USFS District Ranger Holly Hampton, Don Macintosh of IAA, Dan Conner of Idaho Aeronautics, and RAF Idaho Ambassador George Weaver investigated the sources of flooding that plague Magee airstrip every spring and analyzed means of redirecting the problematic water. Magee airstrip was created in the 1940s by the Corps of Engineers as a hidden fighter base in case of a Japanese attack on the western US coast. A dike that was built to channel water away from the runway has eroded over the past eighty years. Sober took numerous measurements and will develop a plan to submit to the USFS for approval. Work could begin over the next year or two to recover about 700 feet of runway. “We truly could not do this work without our volunteer engineers and are very fortunate to have their expertise,” McGlynn said. Weaver said, “The airstrip is a real gem, and the restoration work will make it a great backcountry destination.” Submitted June 28, 2026
“It was really nice to spend some time with Wyoming folks cleaning up a little piece of history,” RAF WY/UT Ambassador Karen Larson said of the May 30 work party at Medicine Bow airport, on the historic US airmail route. RAF Wyoming Liaison Joe Feiler organized the work and reports that about 15 people with a wide range of backgrounds arrived at 9 am to help. Attendees included RAF supporters, EAA Chapter 420 members, local residents, as well as Lee Cook, Medicine Bow airport board member and town council member.
