Map Items–Airstrips, Routes, …
This page contains a variety of airstrips and routes which you can import into Google Earth, your favorite map program, or electronic flight bag (e.g. ForeFlight). I use the term “airstrips” liberally. Many of these spots are suitable only for large-tire, tailwheel, bush-type aircraft.
Since 2005, on a regular basis, I have scoured—at great detail and with many of hundreds of hours invested—numerous public domain sites seeking uncharted potential landing areas. My exhaustive, countless-hour searches, have, and continue to involve Alaska, British Columbia, Alberta and the Yukon (and U.S. States such as Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, Idaho, Washington and Wyoming).
I have personally flown over and/or landed at many of the SE Alaska strips. Not only did I originally locate these otherwise undocumented strips (in my personal KML/KMZ waypoint lists)—I also visited or flew over them to independently verify they exist.
Some “airstrips” change with the individual year. Beaches erode (or disappear altogether). Brush takes over meadow strips. Creeks/water imparts largely impassible ditches across otherwise seemingly “Ok” landing spots. Hence, please note: What is landable one day may not be landable tomorrow. What I land on one day may prove impractical for you in your plane, with your engine/tire/aircraft-configuration. Just because I show a “spot” does NOT mean you should try to land there. As always, use good judgement and please consistently fly conservatively, well within your individual pilot and aircraft capabilities!
Mountain Pass Charting Working Group
Interesting, and highly relevant, FAA-authored PDF about the use of VFR charts and waypoints when operating in areas of confined terrain (e.g. Mountain Passes). Link here
Google Earth KML files
Import these directly to ForeFlight (FF import guide) or Garmin Pilot (import guide) or to your prefered eFlight program.
FAA created GeoReferenced PDF’s (small file sizes)
Knik Reporting Points (PDF which you can import directly to ForeFlight) link
Matanuska Susitna Valley CTAF area link
Fly2AK created GeoReferenced KML Files
Alaska Highway airstrips & to the west: link
British Columbia (BC) strips: Generally West of the Alaska Hwy (coast and inland) link
Denali VFR Reporting Points (KML format) link
Airstrips/spots around Gulkana: link
Icy Bay area landing spots: link
Points (airstrips) North of Icy Bay: link
Juneau VFR Reporting Points (KML format)–smaller file link
Ketchikan VFR Reporting Points (KML Format)–smaller file link
Knik area reporting points: link
Lake Clark area reporting points: link
Matanuska-Susitna area strips: link
North Cassiar airstrips & points West: link
North Slope of Alaska landing spots: link
Southern BC & strips to the West: link
The Trench: Airstrips/emergency landing spots in & relatively near the Trench route: link
Fly2AK created GeoReferenced PDF Files
Ketchikan VFR Reporting Points (GeoReferenced PDF Topographic map)–LARGE file link
Juneau CTAF areas & VFR Reporting Points (GeoReferenced PDF Topographic map)–LARGE file link
Other KML & KMZ Files (Contributed by website users)
Greater Anchorage & central Alaska KMZ frequency chart; Thank you Anson Moxness link
Knik Reporting Points; Thanks to Anson Moxness (link)
Lake Clark Reporting Points; Thanks to Anson Moxness & Orin Bakal-Molnar (link)
North Slope Reporting Points; Thanks to Orin Bakal-Molnar (link)
Mat-Su Reporting Points; Thanks to Orin Bakal-Molnar (link)
Fairbanks Reporting Points; Thanks to Orin Bakal-Molnar (link)
Anchorage Area Reporting Points; Thanks to Orin Bakal-Molnar (link)
Potentially Helpful General Area References
Typography of Icy Bay link
Raised Relief Map: Wrangell-St Elias Nat’l Park link
Glacier Bay: Guide to Park Waters and Coastlines: link
Local Pilot Resources
You might consider touching base with knowledgeable local pilots prior to exploring specific areas. Please respect their time if you do contact these pilots–they make most of their income in an otherwise short summer season and are often busy for very long, no break in flying, days.
Mountain Flying Service (Haines, Skagway, Glacier Bay) link.
Skagway, Haines Glacier Bay Flight Seeing (FlyDrake.com) link
History of Selected Areas
Upper Tanana native history link
Valdez trail history from the late 1800’s link
Mining History Association (Kennicott Mines) link
Chitina Valley mining history link
Railroad History. The Copper River Northwestern RR: link
Copper Deposits in the Nizina District link
Misc Links to Interesting Spots
Alaska Hot Springs (some of them) link
SouthEast Alaska Hot Springs link
Interior Alaska Hot Springs link
Public Lake Cabins of Alaska. Excellent resource put together by Tom Bass (Thank you!); Now updated by RAF Alaska Liaison Jeff DeFreest and his wife Kari and maintained by Bill Rusk. Bill has many Alaska trips under his very experienced belt!: link to Alaska Public Use Cabins. This cabin resource is part of the Seaplane Pilots Association resource site (link here).
Wrangell St. Elias Public Use Cabins link