Grant awarded to study backcountry airstrips

Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) Liaison Wendy Lessig has been awarded a grant to help fund five studies on backcountry airstrips in Utah on Bureau of Land Management land.

Known as cultural studies, the studies are designed to “help the BLM in their required review process to officially recognize these airstrips,” according to Lessig.

Three of the five airstrips are among the most popular and visited backcountry airstrips in Utah — Nokai Dome, Piute Canyon, and Wee Hope Mine. The other two are less well-known — Red Canyon Meadow and Castle Creek.

“All five Monticello airstrips offer stunning red rock panoramic views, with incredible hikes to explore mining camp ruins, dinosaur tracks, a tin can tree, canyoneering, a nearby arch, and more,” Lessig said. “There are also mountain biking opportunities, as well as primitive camping under the vast Milky Way at night.”

The RAF is working with the BLM toward official recognition of these airstrips to clear up a gray area on the airstrips’ continued use, according to foundation officials.

“Without BLM recognition and approval, these airstrips could be lost permanently,” Lessig said.

“BLM archaeologists are backlogged with work, and this grant will expedite a third party to conduct the cultural surveys,” she continued, adding a “generous donor” is also contributing to the cost of the surveys.

Recently, the RAF partially funded cultural surveys on five Moab area airstrips, along with support from a generous donor. The same archaeologist who is conducting those surveys is handling the Monticello surveys as well.

Several RAF supporters have volunteered to fly the archaeologist to at least three of the airstrips. This will further reduce the time needed for the archaeologist to complete the cultural survey field work, and will help reduce the cost of the cultural survey.

“Completion of the cultural surveys will be a big step toward approval of these five Monticello airstrips. Our earnest participation will further the preservation of other existing backcountry airstrips in Utah by establishing a precedent and model for other BLM offices to follow,” Lessig added.

For more information: TheRAF.org, BLM.gov/Utah