It’s ironic that an airstrip in the driest place in North America — Death Valley — could be damaged by floods.
But that’s just what happened to the Chicken Strip, when a deluge of rain created washouts that closed the airstrip in Death Valley National Park in Southern California.
In early November, 15 volunteers “braved hours of rutted-out roads to come help rebuild Chicken Strip,” reported Recreational Aviation Foundation California Liaison Katerina Barilov.
Some volunteers worked the airstrip with two drags while others used hand tools to divert water flows away from the runway, she added.
“The runway is smooth with a few natural bumps remaining, but it is as good as it has ever been,” Barilov said.
The campsite and tie-down areas were also cleaned and dragged, and volunteers put up a new windsock.
The group of volunteers included RAF members and supporters, and volunteers who were not pilots but enthusiasts of the airstrip and aviation, she noted.
The RAF also provided a box with a pilot log at the airstrip. The pilot log provides information for pilots that is critical for the preservation of the airstrip, RAF officials noted, adding it is important for pilots to sign the log book when they visit the backcountry strip to show it is being used.
For more information, check the RAF’s Airfield Guide.