| Site Description:
Typical Southern Idaho canyon site, but with one
exception. CJ is located right on the reservoir, with a nice
wide-open view and generally very smooth soaring air in an East wind.
It is also flyable with South wind. Great camping, boating, off-roading,
motorcycling, bar and cafe nearby (Black's Creek Resort and marina).
Close to the Bruneau Sand Dunes, too. A great weekend destination for
the whole family. Camp below the dam in Idaho Power's very nice
park. RV dump station also there, and only an hour from Boise.
Great Place! THERE IS NO WINDSOCK-- BRING YOUR OWN LAUNCH & LANDING STREAMERS!!!
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Wind Requirements: Sets up best to fly when wind is East or South, or some combination thereof. If you go to CJ, bring your fishing pole and if the wind is wrong, go fish! It will turn around soon enough. I have flown it all times of the day and evening. | Preferred Rating: Recommended rating to fly solo here is P-2 or above. The air is generally pretty smooth coming across the water. Landing area is generous in size. Launch is semi-cliff, so your launching skills need to be solid. | Hazards: Cliff launch, rocky terrain, strong, rapidly changing conditions, thunderstorm activity, sudden hi winds. Weather is the biggest hazard here. Watch it closely, fly safely. | Restrictions: There are two things to be aware of. You are only a few miles from Mtn. Home AFB. Airspace should be checked by pilot for compliance if you decide to XC out of here. Also, this area is in the Birds of Prey area, so there may be some flying restriction or recommendation there. |
Directions to Launch: From Boise, go East on I-84 17 miles from Gowen Road to the Simco Road exit. Take exit, turn Right. Go 20.1 miles to Grandview Road. Turn Right, go 7/10 of a mile, turn left on the gravel road. Go about 6.5 miles to the top of the canyon rim overlooking CJ Strike. Road to launch takes off to the left about 200 yards before you drop down the side of the canyon, just before the cattle guard. Camping is further down the road, below the dam. Blacks Creek Resort is on around the reservoir about 3 miles. |
Access: from what I can tell, all launch and LZ areas are on BLM ground. No fences, no "keep out", no ask permission. Just show up and fly. Good road from top to bottom of hill, this is a "fly and drive" site. |
Vehicle requirements: 2wd vehicle is fine; high clear-ance would benefit. The last 200 yards to launch is a little rough.
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Landing: Generous LZ; below and to the South of launch. Land right in the road. Good takedown areas for hang gliders, too. |
GPS Launch coordinates:
42°57'40.47"N Lat. 115°58'26.05"W Long. Vertical: 275' Launch Elev: 2725' |
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Above is the Google map photo of the CJ launch area. To left is a topo of the area, showing launch & LZ areas. | |
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My old late friend Toby watching me fly. This photo looking to the South from launch. You can see the LZ area lower left. | |
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Soaring C.J., looking NE from launch. On a strong wind day, you can fly out quite a ways over the water; good lift band, and generally very smooth air. | |
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Looking South, Southeast from launch. | |
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In higher winds, just move down the hill a bit to launch. It is steep and a lot of loose scree on the hillside,though, be careful. | |
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John Barsness landing in the road below C.J. launch. Easy retrieve and back up the hill in the pickup for another flight. Note "fencepost streamer"... you will probably need to bring your own streamers and freshen up the launch and landing area streamers when flying here. | |
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I guess this speaks for itself... camped
1/2 mile from the flying site, below the dam in the Idaho Power camping
area. CJ is a great place to take the whole family. There's
fishing, boating, off-roading, paragliding, hang gliding,
camping, exploring... all in one spot. Nice bar/restaurant at
Black Sands Resort, too.
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