This is a plan where the citizens proposed that this airstrip is an important resource for pilots who come from all over the country to land at this runway, campout and enjoy the scenery. Automobiles and other vehicles are kept away at the trailhead. “We proposed to the BLM that we have to make the runway safer for pilots. Over the years the Back Country Pilots Association has built up a budget for this project. The project has gone through the required processes. The BLM wrote an environmental assessment. The proposal has gone through the public scrutiny of hearings and comment periods and finally the BLM said you could move forward with this project. They also said do not do anymore than you said you would do” said Durtschi.
MEXICAN MOUNTAIN AIRSTRIP LIKE NEW
The Mexican Mountain back country air strip over the years has grown in with weeds and debris. The Back Country Pilots Association with the help and support of the Recreational Aviation Foundation started a project to make repairs to the strip. Steve Durtschi, President of the Back County Pilots Association and RAF Utah state liaison hired Bonner Brumley and his crew to work on the Mexican Mountain Airstrip repair project. Durtschi, three years ago started working to get permission from the BLM to repair the Mexican Mountain airstrip and make it safer for pilots landing there.
The Brumley crew traveled to the trailhead three and half miles from the Mexican Mountain Airstrip on Sept. 20. There the crew unloaded equipment, sorted out their equipment and made up heavy packs that were then loaded on the mules for a short journey to the airstrip. They camped and worked at the airstrip for 10 days. The Brumley crew is made up of Professional Trail Builders. Bonner Brumley, Tyler Bransford and Tagge Viter of White Bird Idaho arrived Friday evening September 19 at the Huntington Airport pulling a horse trailer hauling two mules, two Airedale dogs along with a pickup load of camping gear and trail construction equipment to restore the Mexican Mountain Airstrip.
Bonner Brumley said he and his crew usually work for the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management in Idaho and Montana building and repairing Wilderness trails.
The reason mule drawn equipment was used for this project is because the airstrip is in the Mexican Mountain Wilderness Study Area. The mules were used not only as pack animals but they pulled the equipment to plow up and smooth the soil of the airstrip
The big Belgian mule Ellie was used to pull an implement known as a Trail Ace (developed by Bonner Brumley) to break up mountain soil. Other parts of the runway material had to be broken up with a pick and shovel before it could be moved around. The dirt was generally moved from place by members of the crew carrying two buckets filled with dirt suspended from a wooden yoke across their shoulders. The men also used grubbing hoes, mattocks and their hands to remove tamarisk and other shrubs from the runway.
Durtschi said Wilderness Study Areas are part of the Federal Land Policy Management Act of 1976. This little airstrip was built in 1975 and predates that law and is allowed to continue to exist. There is no road to the airstrip. The nearest road is three and a half miles away. The Wilderness Study area is being managed as if it was wilderness and is controlled by wilderness guidelines and work ethics. Bonner Brumley’s specialty is working in wilderness areas.
Bonner estimated they moved the equivalent of six to eight dump truck loads of material. This was all accomplished with two mules and three men.
The work of restoring the runway was similar to a two-foot wide trail 20,000 feet long. Or like two miles of trail two foot wide. He also estimated they leveled out about 20,000 square feet of surface removing the lumps that would ruin an airplane. Part of that restoration was to repair 500 foot of the airstrip that had gone back to nature with shrub like vegetation.
Lee Jeffs of Castle Dale was on hand to offer horses for carrying people and supplies from the trailhead to the airstrip. A week or two before this event Jeffs took Durtschi, Brumley and Leon Defreiz to the airstrip using horses. There they were able to review what was going to be needed. Durtschi reported he and his wife Cathy flew down on Friday morning to the Mexican Mountain Airstrip.
Then on Tuesday flew to the Huntington Airport to get supplies and back to the Airstrip on Wednesday. They were there for eight or nine days. Durtschi said we brought the trail team in and they cleaned the existing runway. Part of the runway had been unusable. They widened the runway to its original full width. They removed the weeds, the clump grass and tamarisk off of both sides. They graded the two parking areas and filled in two low spots that get muddy with fill from the side. The runway used to be over 1,450 feet long and is about 1,800 feet long now. The cost of this project to the Back Country Pilots Association was approximately $13,000.
“We felt this project was very worth while because Mexican Mountain is one of the premier back country landing strips. Pilots come from all over the country to land there. Our object was to not only make it safer, but to make it better,” said Durtschi.
Submitted on October 27, 2014.
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Join the excitement as the RAF continues its momentum Expanding The Map, making these the most exciting years in our history! We encourage you to explore the growing number of destinations where you can share the joys of recreational aviation with family and friends. This time, we’re announcing the reopening of Keg Knoll Airstrip in central Utah, closed years ago by the designation of the Labyrinth Canyon Wilderness Area. Thanks to RAF efforts to gather widespread support from pilots and RAF allies, the BLM has allowed this airstrip to be reopened for public access. RAF Utah Liaison Wendy Lessig has led the effort over the past three years in advocating for the reopening of Keg Knoll airstrip. Various meetings were organized with the BLM to explore whether the airstrip could be reopened as allowed by the Wilderness Act. After the BLM prepared an environmental assessment of the airstrip, they issued a final decision to approve Keg Knoll airstrip for reopening, subject to a set of reasonable conditions that protect the wilderness area. Keg Knoll Airstrip has outstanding recreational value and offers pilots ready access to a true wilderness experience. Visitors can experience dispersed primitive camping next to their airplanes, hiking around Horseshoe Canyon, and stargazing under the dark skies at night. “One thing that makes Keg Knoll airstrip unique is the accessibility of the relatively easy two-mile hike to Colonnade Arch, also known as Five-Hole Arch,” RAF Utah Liaison Wendy Lessig points out. Keg Knoll is now open, with a cooperative work party to further improve the airstrip and install a windsock planned for the fall that will include volunteer pilots and the BLM. Since Keg Knoll airstrip is in a Wilderness area, no motorized or mechanized devices are allowed, so volunteers will be limited to the use of hand tools to perform maintenance. Current reports state the airstrip itself is in good shape, but pilots must be aware that the south 700 feet of the original airstrip is closed, and will be marked with rock X’s. What remains open is 2,000 feet of runway length. “We will need help from all the pilots who visit Keg Knoll airstrip to be good stewards to help protect and preserve the Wilderness environment for this special airstrip,” Lessig said. For more information about Keg Knoll, visit our dedicated web page . Submitted August 15, 2026 By Carmine Mowbray
When a few New Mexico backcountry pilots observed the closure of a backcountry airstrip on public land, they understood the need for a goal-focused group to preserve these valuable recreational destinations — places in the high desert where you could land your own GA aircraft, pitch your tent with panoramic views of ponderosa, piñon pine, and Rocky Mountain juniper, and easily hike into the Gila Wilderness area. New Mexico Liaisons Ron Keller and Larry Filener started the New Mexico Backcountry effort in 2009 and the New Mexico Airstrip Network partnership formed in 2014. “With their vision and a bit of organizing, we got a lot accomplished,” New Mexico Pilots Association former President Joyce Woods says. Their work brought about a historic MOU, formalizing “the collaborative partnership of federal and state agencies, aviation groups, landowners, and other stakeholders to preserve, promote, and enhance New Mexico’s growing inventory of recreational airstrips and related airports.” This document was signed at the USFS Regional Headquarters in Albuquerque in 2016. Thanks to these visionaries, access to choice flying destinations is available to pilots, nearly 20 in number. The RAF has provided grants for improvements at several New Mexico airstrips, and has formal agreements with the Gila National Forest to maintain and improve airstrips within the Forest. Additionally, NM Liaison Ron Keller has put in many hours and weekends organizing RAF and New Mexico Pilot volunteers for work parties. Joyce credits Keller as a “real workhorse", mowing the airstrips and leading work parties. Plan your New Mexico flying adventures, and bring your camping gear and hiking shoes. Lining the trails are 1,500 different plant species like the Wright's silktassel, Apache plume, cliff fendlerbush, mountain snowberry, and manzanita. You can access sites with prehistoric rock art. Spring visitors might hear the sweet song of the warbler during its migratory stop in the Gila. Night brings the darkest skies you’ve ever seen, sparkling with the Milky Way. Enjoy the warmth of a campfire as the desert night cools, and thank those wise and determined pilots who worked to preserve these New Mexico gems among the New Mexico Airstrip Network. Find more about these airstrips using these valuable resources: RAF Airfield Guide New Mexico Pilots Association Submitted August 15, 2026 By Carmine Mowbray
As a career pilot, Thread and Error Management (TEM) has been ingrained in how I fly. I’ve become convinced that Threat and Error Management matters more in backcountry flying than just about anywhere else. Not because the principles are different but because the timeline for decisions is. In “normal flying,” a poor decision often gives you time to recognize it, correct it, and move on. In the backcountry, the chain gets compressed. Threats are closer, mistakes can compound quickly, and options disappear in a hurry. By the time you realize you're behind the airplane, there may not be enough runway, climb performance, or room to recover. That's why TEM isn't about avoiding mistakes. It's about breaking the chain before the situation starts making decisions for you. Most of the threats are familiar. Density altitude. Winds that don't behave as forecast. Narrow strips, rising terrain, soft surfaces, visual illusions, and airplanes that perform a little differently than they did last time. Add a little fatigue, a little confidence from yesterday's success, or an eager passenger, and the margins start shrinking. The interesting part is that accidents rarely begin with one big mistake. They usually begin with a series of small decisions that seem reasonable at the time. "The tailwind isn't that bad." "We'll climb out fine." "The approach will come together." In the aftermath of a near accident or a survived accident, we’ve heard all of these testimonials…sometimes from the voice in our own headset. The best backcountry pilots I've flown with all seem to have one thing in common. They're willing to change the plan early. They don't wait for proof that something is wrong. If the approach isn't shaping up, they leave. If the takeoff isn't developing as expected, they abort. If the conditions don't match what they planned for, they wait or go somewhere else. That's TEM in its simplest form: anticipate the threats, recognize when reality no longer matches the plan, and act while you still have options. One thought has stayed with me over the years: backcountry accidents rarely begin with bold decisions…they begin with delayed decisions. The RAF Safety, Education, and Etiquette team is looking at practical ways to apply TEM in the backcountry, including personal decision gates, arrival and departure briefs, and recognizing the traps that catch even experienced pilots. Let us know by sharing your own tips and ideas in “Comments” below. Until then, ask yourself one question before every approach and every takeoff: If this doesn't work exactly as planned, what's my next move? If you have a good answer, you're probably ahead of the airplane. Submitted August 8, 2026 By Robert Miller, RAF West Virginia Liaison & Safety, Education, and Etiquette Committee member
Irene was born and raised in Los Angeles but eventually found her way to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where she quickly fell in love with the slower pace of life, the endless outdoor adventures, and the welcoming community. After spending a few years between Mississippi and Los Angeles, she knew Marquette was where she wanted to be and returned to make it home. Travel has always been one of Irene's greatest passions. Her mother once joked that she needed to find a career that could support her expensive travel habit—and she did. As a full-time flight attendant, Irene has had the opportunity to experience incredible places and cultures around the world. About five years into her airline career, a pilot casually suggested, "You should be a pilot!" Just one week later, Irene took her first flight lesson and discovered a passion for flying she never knew she had, and hasn’t looked back since. In addition to working as a full-time flight attendant, Irene is a Certified Flight Instructor (CFII/MEI) who is passionate about helping aspiring pilots achieve their aviation goals while developing the skills and confidence to become safe aviators. She is also preparing to begin her second year as a part-time high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) aviation teacher, where she enjoys introducing students to the various opportunities aviation has to offer. When she is not in the air, Irene enjoys spending time with family and friends, cheering on motocross/supercross races, and now volunteering with the RAF. Irene looks forward to contributing to the mission of supporting recreational aviation for future generations and cannot wait to meet the members, volunteers, and aviation enthusiasts who make this community so special. Submitted on August 11, 2026
