Late last summer, Brad Damm invited me to sample the 45 Ranch as it was ramping up to accept visitors through the Jim Richmond Backcountry Aviation Foundation efforts.
There was still work to be done finding sites for the camping spots, providing services for visitors, and myriad other things that have to happen to turn a private ranch into a welcoming backcountry destination. A lot of work had been completed, but there was still plenty more.
What was not wanting? The runway itself. Lush green and nearly billiard-table smooth, the strip is wide and welcoming. If the winds favor landing to the north, you’ll set up your downwind just to the west of the surrounding terrain, following a notch toward the south, turning a blind base along a tributary of…
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Plane & Pilot (Digital) - 1 Issue, January/February 2025