By Carmine Margo Mowbray, Recreational Aviation Foundation
Have you ever wanted a little island paradise all to yourself?
That is very possible now, thanks to a group of hardworking pilot volunteers who partnered with the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) to reclaim the North Fox Island airstrip from years of neglect.
Just 23 nm north of Charlevoix, Michigan (KCVX), this 820-acre gem lies in the clear blue Great Lakes waters.
Accessible easily by air now, a meadow-like airfield stretches 3,000 feet between the trees. It offers trails to Great Lakes sandy beaches.
It’s now open for public recreational use, and its identifier, 6Y3 will start appearing on charts and apps — tangible evidence of the Recreational Aviation Foundation mission to preserve, maintain, and create airstrips for recreational access.
The State of Michigan purchased the island in 2000 from real estate investor David V. Johnson, who had owned it since 1994. Years passed while frustrated pilots saw the lovely turf airstrip become overgrown and trees encroach on the runway and trails.
Pilots stepped up, offering to provide preservation maintenance. Understandably, the State Department of Natural Resources needed some sort of agreement, preferably a lease, before allowing citizen volunteers to take on maintenance. Their fear was that volunteer enthusiasm would wane, allowing the facility to become hazardous, leaving the state with the liability.
The RAF mission resonated as relentlessly as the breakers on the shore of Lake Michigan with RAF Michigan Liaison Brad Frederick. He and some dedicated local pilots gained valuable assistance from the Michigan Department of Aeronautics, and began negotiations with the State of Michigan.
To demonstrate their dedication to providing on-the-ground maintenance, the group organized an airlift of mowing equipment and tools. Beginning with a homeowner’s tractor-mower, they began to reclaim the field.
“Restoration of the airfield, cones, windsock, hauling and use of mowing equipment have all been done by a group of tireless volunteers,” Frederick said.
Volunteers will be tapped to assist with ongoing maintenance, another successful model the RAF employs to keep backcountry airstrips safe and desirable at minimal expense to public entities.
By mid 2015, a lease was executed, the three-letter identifier (6Y3) was issued, and the group proudly announced that North Fox Island was open for public recreational use.
Anyone curious about the history of North Fox Island will no doubt uncover its sordid history, so in full disclosure, yes, prior to Mr. Johnson’s purchase, it had been the location of a disreputable fly-in boys retreat. Cases of abuse were reported and prosecuted.
Most evidence of that tawdry enterprise was removed after its collapse. What remains is a pristine place surrounded by great beaches from which to view beautiful sunrises and sunsets, enjoy plants and flowers seldom seen anywhere else, and maybe cast for some small-mouth bass.
Frederick reports that within two months of the reopening, 35 planes had visited. He asks, “Let us all use North Fox Island with the greatest respect that it deserves and transform its dark times to wonderful, memorable adventures for all future visitors.”
Tall trees hide aircraft movement from view, so announce your intentions on the North Fox CTAF at 122.9.
“This is a wilderness area with an emphasis on primitive,” Frederick emphasizes. “What you take in you must take out.”
He also ticks off sensible safety recommendations when flying over open water.
“Take life jackets and/or a life raft and a satellite phone if you have one,” he advises. “Cell phones don’t work on the island. Let someone know when you go and when you expect to return. Weather can be wicked — check before departing and for your return.”
Beaver Island (SJX) is a public airport, with AWOS at 118.075; Charlevoix (CVX) AWOS is 120.00. The RAF website contains more North Fox Island safety information.
“The template has been forged with the North Fox Island project,” Frederick said.
He’s now turning his attention to Two Hearted airstrip in the eastern Upper Peninsula.
Not the first state-owned success
Anyone familiar with the RAF and its past accomplishments will recall the successful reopening of another state-owned airstrip, in Florida’s Blackwater State Park in 2013.
The airstrip had been closed for many years.
Blackwater “offers access to this beautiful, feature-rich campground with swimming lake, hot and cold showers and hiking trails,” said RAF Florida Liaison Jack Tyler. “After much effort, we could announce that Blackwater Airfield (8FD3) is now open to the public in cooperation with the Blackwater State Forest.”
The RAF has developed a projects list with the Blackwater Forest staff that will increase amenities available at the airstrip.
The Recreational Aviation Foundation, a nonprofit organization formed in 2003, preserves, maintains and creates airstrips for recreational access.
Boys retreat? Really? That’s incredibly disrespectful to the families of the victims. I understand wanting to create a “new image” of this island but don’t sugar coat the deplorable acts that occurred, it was not a “boys retreat” by any means and it wasn’t just “some” cases of abuse, every child there had to be flown in and each was brought there deliberately to satisfy selfnproclaimed “boy lovers” it was a child pornography ring that lead to several arrests and is thought to be connected with the disappearances and murders of several children in the time it was active. It was owned and operated by a monster (and other monsters who contributed to its operation) most of whom were allowed to escape without so much as a slap in the wrist and flee to other countries including the sick mastermind Francis Duffield Algers Shelden. Interesting how George Stevens flew onto and out of the island during its peek child pornohraphy days to “transport deer” along with Jim Neissink and others and never noticed anything going on there? Then he was dying to Fly back to the island for years… It’s one thing to cover evidence up but at least be honest about the islands history out of respect for those families who have suffered… “Boys retreat” with “some” cases of abuse… You all must be apart of those boy loving paedos if you think it wasn’t that big of a deal to admit what it was, a giant child porn and pedophile retreat where graphic child pornography was filmed, and children were abused, harmed, and violated against their will for days, weeks, months, and some years, at a time by some very wealthy and high power figures from Michigan, the Midwest, D.C. and elsewhere…many whose names still have not been made public and probably never will.
I cannot comment on all that has taken place in the past and do not plan to dig up all the has happened or things that may have happened on the island and elsewhere.
Out of respect for those who were victims of these hideous acts we will ,going forward, do our best to make North Fox Island a place to visit to create good memories for those who enjoy its natural beauty and solitude. Our writer on the original articles purpose was to promote the “new ” North Fox Island and to let others that may want to visit know there was a past without going into details . With the advent of the internet they will find all and more than they will care to know about the past.
North Fox Island itself has no fault in the crimes committed in the past, the sins were of the people of those times, luckily or hopefully those who did these unthinkable crimes are all dead.
Our respects and prayers go out to the victims of these past crimes, but our purpose for the Island will dwell on the future, and better times without the monsters ,demons and ghosts of the past.
The article was intended to promote Recreational Flying to the island and nothing more, those wishing to look up the past will find “it’s past”.
Thank you to all who helped on this project.
I visit North Fox by boat. Is there anything I can do?
Hi Jon
As you may already know N.Fox is a State Game Area and DNR rules state no camping anywhere on the island during the summer months with an exception:.
The RAF lease allows camping on the airstrip (sides). If you come by boat hike up to the airstrip and you are welcome to camp. There is a fire ring there and you may meet some new friends. What you bring in must go out with you. As far as what you can do, well a donation to help cover the cost of the required insurance the RAF pays( about $1,100 per yr.) and or a few bucks for fuel to keep the runway camping area maintained would be great.
Work parties start in June for cutting brush along the airstrip sides, you are more than welcome to help. Also depending on the size of your boat we are in need of transporting the new portajohn ( new ,unused and not assembled ) to the island. We also started picking up all the trash on the beach that has probably washed up from Wisconsin ,help with that would be great also.
Give me a call for details.
Brad Frederick- N.Fox Island Airport Mgr. and Mi. RAF State Liaison cell 1 248 761 5615