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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Our many RAF supporters have such vast and varied experience, and we’re capturing some of their words of wisdom to share with you. This guest editorial is by Steve Johnson, former RAF Director, Supercub.org founder, and Gold Seal CFI/MEI.
Lock Haven Airport, or William T. Piper Memorial Airport (KLHV), has a legendary past. From 1937 to 1984, it was the home of Piper Aircraft, where the Cub was born. The vintage aircraft community celebrates to this day with its annual “Sentimental Journey” pilgrimage fly-in, and fills the parking areas along both its paved and turf runways. For recreational pilots, it’s a great base location for fly-outs, including scenic flying opportunities over the mixed hardwood forest along the Susquehanna River. The year-round camping area has working restrooms, a pavilion to escape the elements, and a bath house that had deteriorated. RAF Pennsylvania/West Virginia Liaison Chip Vignolini and RAF Pennsylvania Liaison Andy Turner assessed the deteriorating bath house and decided to do something about it. They have been awarded an RAF grant for upgrades and refurbishment. “Our goal is to bring the bath house back to full operational capacity and improve the site’s utility,” Vignolini said. “By replacing damaged siding and applying fresh paint, the project halts deterioration. The other planned bath house and campground improvements ensure that the environment matches the prestige of the aircraft that visit.” The Sentimental Journey Board organized an initial work party in April. Volunteers have provided the specialized machinery and tools to complete the structural work and site preparation. Vignolini and Turner are now ready to line up volunteers to replace an insufficient water heater, install privacy dividers, and integrate an RAF fire ring and RAF information box. CAP volunteers will help with the project. Volunteers will be the primary workforce, bringing their own tools and expertise to the field, from licensed plumbers to seasoned handymen. “Lock Haven has always been built by the hands of those who fly there,” Vignolini said. Work will continue in May, with the goal of being completed for the 2026 season. “The campground and fire ring serve as the ‘social hangar’ where elder pilots pass down knowledge and stick-and-rudder skills to the next generation of aviators.” Vignolini added. Lock Haven Airport can be found in the Airfield Guide . Submitted May 14, 2026
“Wow, did they ever get lucky!” When something good happens to a person or an organization, how many times have you heard that phrase? Or maybe even said it yourself? When, in reality, there’s been long term effort building skills, cultivating a growth mindset, expanding networks, and building relationships. When all is added together, this preparation creates a situation where opportunities are likely to arise. Or said another way, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” It may appear to the casual observer that the RAF is about to get real lucky real soon. We think we are about to have the year we have been waiting for – well, maybe not waiting for – but rather preparing for. Over the course of the next 12-18 months, we will be announcing more airstrip possibilities and projects than we have ever experienced in a similar period. Leadership has been thinking about this for a good long time, and we have worked hard to be ready. What does that mean? It has meant building what I believe is one of the finest groups of people in aviation. People who are ready to step up and who bring and invest the skills needed to make things happen. It means having saved some money, which gives us the ability to say “Yes” and accept opportunities and the responsibilities they bring. It means having the relationship capital with our partners, be they private or public, that is required to make progress. We want you to know that we will be calling on all of us to give our best effort so we don’t miss our chance to get “lucky.” We will need people to take charge of projects just like you have in the past. We will need people to give some time – or maybe a lot of time – if they can spare it. We will need financial resources to meet the demands that we will be called upon to provide. I think we are ready, and I further think this is going to be one of the most exciting periods we’ve seen in the RAF timeline. I hope you are all in. Since the RAF was founded out here in rodeo country, it only seems appropriate that just before the chute is opened, a simple nod of the head throws it open and signals that big action is about to happen. Here’s to a little “nod of the head.” - John McKenna, RAF Chairman Submitted May 13, 2026
RAF Virginia Liaison Paul Kosubinsky organized volunteers the weekend of May 8-9 to clean up the campsite and install new amenities at Front Royal Warren County Airport, Virginia, KFRR. Assisting were the Warren County Airport Commission and Friends of Front Royal. “Together, we accomplished an amazing amount in a short time. From removing loads of trash to installing the beautiful new RAF-branded fire ring, entrance sign, and flag pole, the campsite has already been transformed into a welcoming destination pilots and campers will enjoy for years to come,” Kosubinsky reported. The team also cut and stacked enough firewood to last several seasons to benefit future visitors. The volunteers also set up an RAF table and greeted visitors during the airport Wings and Wheels event. This public-use airport has a paved 3,000-ft runway and offers camping with access to a porta-potty, indoor restrooms, and a courtesy car. It’s known as a gateway airport to the Shenandoah National Park and the Appalachian Trail. “Thank you again for helping make the KFRR Stokes Airfield Campsite something we can all be proud of. I look forward to many future gatherings around that new fire ring,” Kosubinsky added. Find more on Front Royal Warren County Airport in the Airfield Guide . Submitted May 13, 2026
RAF New York Liaison Doug Turnbull organized a work party at Great Valley airfield, N56 near Salamanca, in southwestern New York on Saturday, May 2. The group of volunteers cleaned up the riverbank, performed seasonal maintenance, and added a new RAF windsock. They removed encroaching brush along the 3,200-ft turf runway to make the approach more visible. The airfield is privately owned but open for public use. “Owner Anna Northrup was very appreciative of the fellowship and that she didn’t need to worry about these things. She generously provided morning donuts and coffee and lunch from the adjacent Katy's Fly-In restaurant,” Turnbull said. “The many hands made quick work, and it was good to spend time with other RAF volunteers out in the field working on this strip,” Turnbull added. Find more on Great Valley in the Airfield Guide . Submitted May 11, 2026
