Volunteers with the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) spent some time in May 2023 tackling annual maintenance at the primitive airstrip next to the Rager Ranger Station in Ochoco National Forest in Central Oregon.
Volunteers brought in a tractor and rotary mower to mow the airstrip, the turn-around areas at each end, the aircraft parking area, as well as clearing out about six feet of obstructions on each side of the airstrip, RAF officials reported.
The 2,800-foot runway was left clear of obstructions for a width of approximately 50 feet, they added.
Volunteers also repainted the picnic table, collected and removed trash, stockpiled firewood, and replaced the windsock donated by the RAF.
The RAF supports the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) in protecting and maintaining the airstrip. The Rager Ranger Station served as the administrative site for the Paulina Ranger District for more than 105 years. While the administrative functions of the station were relocated to Prineville in 2013, the airstrip remains a popular destination for backcountry pilots, RAF officials noted.
Information on Rager airfield, including a safety briefing, can be found in the RAF Airfield Guide.