THE TUWEEP AIRSTRIP IN ARIZONA HAS BEEN CLOSED

Tuweep The Grand Canyon Secret

Few things are more disappointing to pilots than an enormous white “X” marking the threshold of their favorite recreational airstrip. Such is now the case at Tuweep (L50) airstrip on the north rim of the Grand Canyon.

Update: The RAF has been participating in the potential lease and reopening process of the Tuweep airstrip (near Grand Canyon) from the State of Arizona and stand ready to create a Tuweep Fund to receive tax deductible donations directed toward its future maintenance. See additional update from 17FEB06 at the bottom of this page.

Midway between the coniferous forests of the North Rim and the broiling canyon bottom, Tuweep lies at an elevation of 4600 feet on the western, red-sandstone shelf known as the Esplanade. This is high desert country with mild winters and light snows. Paiute for “barren valley,” the Toroweap valley offers a variety of plants including juniper, pinyon pine and, of course, sagebrush. Cacti and agave are more prevalent as you approach the canyon rim and during the wet years, wildflowers paint the ground and surrounding hillsides.
Wildlife is also abundant and the area offers some of the finest habitat in the nation for heavy antlered mule deer. Coyotes keep the jackrabbit population in check and the occasional rattlesnake adds excitement to day hikes.
The Toroweap Overlook of the Grand Canyon allows an experience vastly different than the south rim. Unfettered by guardrails, signs and crowded trails, there is nothing between you and a dramatic 3000 foot drop to the Colorado River below. The serpentine trail of green water is slowed by massive lava flows before it cascades over Lava Falls, the most famous rapids in the canyon. On a still day, the roar of the falls can be heard at the canyon rim.

Visiting Tuweep requires self-sufficiency and an adventuresome spirit. It’s just the type of remote destination recreational pilots look for.

Just a few years ago, nearly twenty airstrips dotted the landscape north of the Grand Canyon. They have been methodically plucked one by one from the charts and just a few remain today. The state of Arizona cites liability concerns and lack of pilot interest for these random closures. Tuweep is the most essential remaining public strip offering access to the unspoiled areas of this vast National Park.

Without History…We’re History

On January 11, 2000, a gaggle of helicopters including Marine One and four Hueys descended on the Toroweap valley. President Clinton stepped forth and announced the formation of the new Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument. In a symbolic gesture, wearing a brown suede jacket and cowboy boots, Mr. Clinton sat at the dusty airstrip and signed four Presidential Proclamations on the kitchen table of Tuweep Ranger Clair Roberts. The section of state school-trust land containing Tuweep airstrip is also encompassed within the new National Monument.
The purpose of the executive order was to prevent mining and future development and to preserve the rich history of the area. Mr. Clinton was acting under the Antiquities Act passed by congress in 1906 to protect “objects of historic and scientific interest.”
That history should certainly include the life of John Riffey.
For 38 years, Riffey served as the NPS Ranger at Tuweep. He and his beloved Super Cub “Pogo,” aptly named for the short hops it took, served the visitors of the Arizona Strip and the Park as only a pilot and his airplane could. Aviation was important to Riffey. Not only for the enjoyment he felt while flying, but also for the access it offered to remote areas of the Park.
Ironically, just yards away from the table where the president signed the executive order, lies the grave of John Riffey. His date of birth and date of death do not appear on the gravestone. When he lived wasn’t important to him; how he lived was. The stone bears the image of his trusted “Pogo” and his epitaph: “The man who could spend a lifetime on the rim and not waste a minute.” Nothing else was necessary.

There Is Still Hope

Tuweep sees an average of three private aircraft landings per week during the busy season and has been used extensively by the Bureau of Land Management as a staging area during firefighting operations.
Mike Ebersole, former Tuweep Ranger, commercial pilot and airport manager for the Tuweep strip, contacted State Land Department Manager Chuck Hudson. When asked if it was too late to reverse the closure, Mr. Hudson stated that “they (the state) would not be averse to resurrecting the project and trying to keep the airstrip open.”
Although he was transferred to Sitka, Alaska in 2002, former Tuweep ranger Clair Roberts’ love for the Toroweap valley has never waned. Like Riffey, he also flew his own airplane out of Tuweep. Roberts believes the short-term solution to keep the strip open is by generating a grass-roots effort to mount a writing campaign on the state of Arizona and the FAA. He remains committed to spearheading this effort because he believes it is worth saving and that proper notice was not given to the public. Ultimately, a land swap may be the best long-term solution for keeping L50 open. Interest in the strip among pilots has always remained high and there has been no history of noise complaints. Encroachment into the Grand Canyon SFRA has been rare and largely unintentional.

Letters protesting the closure of Tuweep (L50) should be directed to the FAA and the Governor of Arizona, Janet Napolitano with carbon copies to ADOT Aeronautics Division (Ray Boucher) and Arizona State Land Department (Charles Hudson).

Clair Roberts
liznclair@att.net

The Honorable Janet Napolitano
Governor of Arizona
1700 West Washington
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
http://www.governor.state.az.us/Contact.asp

Charles Hudson, Manager
Environmental Resources & Trespass Section
Arizona State Land Department
1616 West Adams Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007
chudson@land.az.gov

Ray Boucher
ADOT Aeronautics Division Program Analyst
255 Osborn Rd, Suite 101
Phoenix, AZ 85012
rboucher@azdot.gov

Update from our friends in the Utah Back Country Pilots’ Assoc. : 17FEB06

This last month has been an exciting one in the quest to obtain the lease of the Tuweep airstrip. For a while it looked like we would not be able to get anyone to underwrite the required general liability policy of $5 mil. One of the people associated with the Recreational Aviation Foundation found us a supplier so now we have that. the next step was to get the State Land to work with us in minimizing our cost exposure and give us the property that we need to get to the edge of the section eliminating the need for a right of way and the costs associated with that and this has been accomplished as well now. Our next step is having a Cultural Resource survey done by a SHPO permitted contractor. I have selected one for this and that work shall start early February. I’m hoping to get the lease finalized by the end of Feb.

On another note………..

Several APA members and back country activists have been attending this week’s public meetings in Kingman, Phoenix and Flagstaff regarding the BLM Draft Plan for the Arizona Strip. We have counted 21 strips up there and in the proposed plan only 8 are to be recognized and would remain. Tuweep of course is one that wasn’t recognized but after letting them know the status of our lease negotiations that will change. However there is a written comment period now underway and all comments are due by March 17. Your Recreational Airport Committee will be drafting a comment from the APA and will also provide a letter of comment in a template for each of you to use in your own comments to the BLM.

There will be a large push for this in February and the only way we will preserve some of these back country jewels is to come at them with a large number of comments.

Please contact me via email if you would like to be listed as one interested in saving these strips and are willing to send in your comments.

Thank you in advance

Mark Hawkins

Recreational Airport Committee

Submitted on April 5, 2005.

Posted in News

Recent Posts

HOW TO USE IRA DOLLARS FOR CHARITABLE GIVING BEFORE THE AGE OF 70 1⁄2

March 25, 2026
Many people are familiar with Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), which allow IRA dollars to go directly to charity tax-free — but QCDs are only available starting at age 70 1⁄2. If you’re between the ages of 59 1⁄2 and 70 1⁄2 and charitably inclined, there are still several effective ways to use IRA dollars strategically. Why Plan Charitable Giving from an IRA? Strategic Planning can help: Offset taxable income Reduce long-term RMD exposure Improve tax efficiency for heirs Align giving with long-term legacy goals Strategies to Plan Charitable Giving from an IRA IRA Distribution + Charitable Deduction: Take a taxable IRA withdrawal and make a charitable gift. If you itemize, the deduction may offset some or all of the taxable income. Best for clients who already itemize and have large charitable intent. Donor-Advised Fund (DAF): Take a larger IRA distribution in one year and contribute it to a Donor-Advised Fund. This allows you to bunch deductions into one tax year while distributing to charities over time. Best for higher-income earners and tax planning years. Roth Conversion + Charitable Offset: Convert IRA dollars to Roth and use charitable deductions to offset some of the taxable income. This may reduce future RMDs and create tax-free growth. Best during early retirement or lower tax bracket years. Best for larger IRA balances and legacy-focused planning. Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT): Use IRA distributions to fund a trust that provides income to you for life, offers an immediate charitable deduction, and leaves the remainder to charity. Leave IRA to Charity at Death: IRA assets are taxable to heirs but not to charities. Naming a charity as an IRA beneficiary can be one of the most tax-efficient estate planning strategies. Side-by-Side Strategy Comparison:

RAF OUTFITTER FEATURED VENDOR: PAMELA COX OF DAWGMUFFS

By Carmine Mowbray • March 24, 2026
Pamela Cox is a designer. Professionally, she practiced architecture for a boutique firm in Dallas that was known for its roster of award-winning projects like libraries, the Dallas Zoo Veterinary Hospital, the Visitors Center at the Dallas Arboretum, and an array of beautiful private residences. She retired from that architectural firm and continued designing upscale Texas ranch homes. Now Pamela and her husband John live on, and manage the ranch that John’s great aunt and uncle homesteaded in west Texas in 1907. When the current generation expressed no interest in the ranch, John and Pamela bought them out. They run cattle, “and lots of wildlife. John has tamed anything with a heart,” she says. Pamela was raised in Indiana, where farm animals need little space to graze the abundant forage. But on their Texas spread, their nearest neighbor is five miles away. John flies their Cessna 185 off their grass strip, and as is not uncommon in Texas, uses it to keep an aerial eye on fences, water sources, and their widely dispersed herd. Like the Old West, cowboys come in to help John round up, brand, and work the cattle seasonally. John has always loved flying in the mountains. The wedding gift he gave Pamela was a custom fly rod and one week of fly fishing instruction in Livingston, Montana; then a week of plying her new skills in Idaho’s Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. “That’s where we spent our honeymoon,” Pamela says. They’ve enjoyed fishing as far away as Argentina, and many flying adventures throughout the US for the last 33 years, adding campouts in Idaho’s Wilderness airstrips, Montana, and Alaska. Developing DawgMuffs “I never even knew I loved dogs until John and I got our our first one thirty-three years ago, and twelve more have followed,” Pamela explains. They were heartbroken to learn that their beloved dogs had become deaf from flying with them. “We used ear protection on them, but did not realize our dogs were going deaf until it was too late,” she says. John encouraged her to put her creativity toward a better solution. “I’m a designer at heart,” Pamela says, “If I’m not designing houses, I’m designing these,” she adds. She began researching the physiology of canine hearing and built her own digital sound chamber. She experimented with different materials, each with unique sound-suppressing characteristics. She then reached out to the Veterinary College at Purdue University to help obtain empirical data. The results were earth-shattering, as her prototype demonstrated a solid 70db reduction in noise. During testing, a behavioral veterinary doctor commented on the additional benefit that the cap acts like a therapeutic weighted blanket, and can ease a pet’s anxiety while cutting the noise. Test results were received by an appreciative audience at the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum in June of 2025. “Then I worked on designs that would fit and stay on the dog,” she said, leading to a study of the varied shapes of dogs’ heads and ears, so unlike a human head. “My aim was that the cap was comfortable enough for the dog to sleep while wearing it.” The result is her patented two-strap design that prevents slipping or removal. After the laborious patent process, Pamela needed to find the right domestic manufacturer. She was delighted to find an innovative “mom and pop” sewing shop in Wichita Falls, Texas, that was willing to gear up for production. DawgMuffs have now come to market – with a growing number of satisfied customers – and the RAF Outfitter is proud to offer them. The DawgMuff website really sums up Pamela’s goal: “Elevating pet comfort through thoughtfully crafted hearing protection that fosters serenity and joy for dogs.” See the RAF Outfitter to order yours! Submitted March 24, 2026 By Carmine Mowbray

KARSEN KRAMER

March 15, 2026
Karsen Kramer has a passion for both aviation and backcountry exploration. Growing up in Colorado, he developed a love for the outdoors through hiking, camping, fishing, and off-roading. His interest in aviation began at a young age after flying with his grandfather in a Cessna 180. Karsen moved to Montana in 2022 to pursue aviation and earned his Associate’s Degree in Aviation in 2024. He is currently working toward a Bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing at Montana State University while also working as a flight instructor in Bozeman. Karsen holds his CFI, CFII, and MEI certifications and teaches an instrument ground course at Gallatin College. He has a great passion for teaching and highly values providing instruction to the next generation of pilots.  Active in the aviation community, you can count on Karsen to attend EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin each year. He is excited to volunteer with the RAF and help support its mission of preserving and promoting backcountry aviation, which he hopes to enjoy himself someday, in the same C180 that started it all.

PAUL "FUZZY" CARELLI

March 15, 2026
Idaho Ambassador

RAF GRANT TO REHABILITATE SILETZ BAY, OREGON CAMPGROUND

March 12, 2026
RAF Oregon Ambassador Sarah Brown and RAF Oregon Liaison Richard Mayes have been awarded an RAF grant to rehabilitate the campground at Siletz Bay State Airport (S45), near the small community of Lincoln Beach on the Oregon coast. “Once an extremely popular place for pilot gatherings, this campground saw up to twenty-five airplanes at a time for weekend camping in its heyday,” Brown said. However, the campground has become overgrown and nearly forgotten over the years. Local RAF supporter Bruce Dunlop suggested the recreational potential to Brown. She and Oregon Ambassador Kevin Johnson explored the feasibility of reviving it; they envisioned the rehabilitation with the help of RAF funds and volunteers. Efforts include clearing brush and removing and chipping dead trees, removing rotten platforms, fire rings, and picnic tables. Volunteers will replace picnic tables and fire rings, lay gravel to help improve drainage, and build a firewood shed. The airport is owned and managed by the Oregon Department of Aviation (ODA). “Director Kenji Sugahara is an enthusiastic proponent of the RAF and its mission,” Brown said. RAF's Oregon team has successfully worked with ODA to improve safety and facilities at several other airports with recreational potential, particularly McKenzie Bridge (00S), Owyhee (28U), and Toketee (3S6). Other ongoing collaborations between RAF and ODA include discussions to improve the facilities at Nehalem Bay (3S7). Repaved in 2025, the Siletz Bay airport is a 15-minute walk from beautiful Gleneden Beach, what Brown says is “a great place to walk in the sand, look for agates, fly a kite, surf, or whale watch in the spring and summer.” A 40-minute walk north of the airport takes you to hiking trails at the Alder Island Nature Trailhead. Highway 101 parallels the runway and is known for its scenic cycling. Golfing is another recreational opportunity at the Salishan Coastal Lodge Resort, which is adjacent to the airport. Several nice restaurants are located within walking distance. See the Siletz Bay Airport listing in the Airfield Guide . Submitted March 12, 2025