If you’ve been to Island Park, you’ve noticed the “big ball” up on top of Sawtelle Peak.  If you’ve asked yourself (or others) exactly what it is, I’d say you’re about average.  The problem is, very few people know exactly what it is.  There are no indications on the door.  No signs telling you what it is — only onerous warnings to stay clear under penalty of the government.

I’ve heard people explaining to their friends that it’s part of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) line of defense radar.  I’ve heard it’s a listening post, where the government eavesdrops on cell phone conversations (interesting, since it predates cell phones by several decades.)   I’ve heard it’s a secret government laboratory where they do experiments many stories underground and use the radar dome to beam results to other secret locations in the world.  Finally, the funniest one.  I heard someone telling a flatlander that it was a site the government used to contact UFO’s.  She went on to say that UFO’s land on top of Sawtelle all the time.

Whatever.

So what is it really?  At the risk of a big disappointment to many, I’ll come clean.  It’s a remote FAA radar site used by Billings, Boise, and Salt Lake City to track aircraft movement across the northern tier of states (you didn’t think they could see planes in Montana from Salt Lake, did you?)  If you’ve ever flown over the area from St. George, Utah to the Canadian border and from Minot, North Dakota to Pendleton, Oregon your plane was tracked by our radar.

Sorry if I’ve let the wind out of your sails.  FAA radar isn’t nearly as impressive as aliens from outer space.  But hey, if you can keep a secret, a friend of a friend told me she was up there late one night when the sky lit up with UFO’s tracking inbound to the U.S. government contact portal on Sawtelle Peak.  Hey.  Seriously.  It could happen.

Yeah, right.

A lot of people think the best time to visit Island Park is in the summer.  While the summer is indeed beautiful (especially in the spring time with all the flowers,) the beauty of the winter is equally stunning.  You don’t have to be a snowmobiler or skier to have fun here in the winter.  You can bring sleds, or tubes, or garbage bags to fill with snow and slide on.  You can build snowmen.  You can make snow angels.  You can visit Yellowstone in a heated snow coach (not to be missed.)  You can just go on a photographic junket.  Or you can rent a snowmobile.  Or you can . . . well, you get the idea.  There is plenty to do here for everyone.  Rentals are available at Macks Inn, the pines, Island Park Village, and a host of private cabins.  As you can see from this photo, this is a great time to visit Island Park.  Dont’ wait for summer.

I got a call the other day from a friend I hadn’t talked to in awhile.  He indicated he was coming to Island Park to go snowmobiling with some friends from  –  well, let’s just say another state (known for producing the world’s best carrot snappers.)  There would be four of them on high-powered, back-country sleds.  They wanted to know the very best, top-secret spots to go riding.

Now, here’s the dilemma:  I like this guy (I don’t know his friends so I can’t vouch for them but I like him) and I’d like to help him out.  But what do you really do in a situation like this?   Do you roll over and give them the top-secret, most favored spots (you want them to think — when they’re done — that you know a good spot when you ride on it) or do you give them the good spots, but not the best spots?

This is an age-old question.  Fishermen have been dealing with it for years:

“Hey, Bob.  That’s a beauty.  Where’d you catch him?”

“Oh, on the Henry’s.”

“Really?  Where at?”

“Oh, you know.  Kind of down there by the big rock.”

Yeah right.  Even your best friends will never know where you caught that lunker.  And they won’t be bummed you didn’t dish with the info.  They know some things are sacred.  You might tell them enough to get them within a couple of miles.  The rest is up to them.

So there’s my answer.  As in fishing, little white lies (or minor mis-directs) are part and parcel of the culture.  Were I to give away the location of my favorite spot, I’d be breaching a cultural protocol that has existed for years.  Heck, I’d probably have my snowmobile permit revoked — or worse.

So I did it.  I got my friends within a few miles.  The rest was up to them.  Do I feel good about it?  Of course.  I’m an upholder of the traditions of my fathers and their fathers before them.  I can only hope my sons will honor those venerated traditions the same as I have.  So when somebody asks you for your favorite riding spots remember, “Shhh!  It’s a secret.”

Okay.  Airport might be too strong a word.  Airstrip is probably more like it.  But the fact is the grass strip at Henry’s Lake (on the North end of Island Park) is in good condition and a great starter-strip for those looking to make a foray in back-country flying in Idaho.

The runway runs East and West (note: the North / South runway is closed due to serious deterioration, so use the East / West runway) and has a much easier approach than many back-country strips.   Unlike many back-country strips that are only suitable for supercubs and 180 / 206 type aircraft, the Henry’s Lake strip is regularly used by a wide variety of aircraft, from 172 / 182 styles to warriors and bonanzas.

If you’ve been looking for a great place to launch a sightseeing trip to Yellowstone National Park, Henry’s Lake is the place you’ve been looking for.  The airstrip is situated about 10 nautical miles from the boundary to the park and Old Faithful and the rest of the attractions are less than 10 minutes away.  If you will need fuel, etc., West Yellowstone is just over the hill and gas is available May to October.  Like Henry’s Lake airport, West Yellowstone airport is closed in winter.

If you plan to fly in, come early in the day.  Density altitudes on a hot summer afternoon approach 11,000 feet.  Even in the morning density altitudes may be 7,500 feet, so if you haven’t flown much in the mountains pack light and don’t try to get out at gross until you see how your airplane functions at this type of altitude.

Flying into Island Park is a great way to enjoy the scenery from a vantage point most people will never know.  If you are an experienced pilot, give Henry’s Lake Strip a try.  You’ll be glad you did.  And I predict you’ll make return trips as often as possible.  See you there.