JRBAF Acquires 136 Acres for New California Backcountry Airstrip

Foundation launches $200,000 capital campaign to fund site improvements.

Parris Clarke

Wednesday, September 30, 2026 at 11:24 AM ET

Verified

Edited By: Travis Tingle

[Credit: Jim Richmond Backcountry Aviation Foundation]

Key Takeaways:

The Jim Richmond Backcountry Aviation Foundation (JRBAF) has acquired 136 acres in Plumas County, California, to establish a new public backcountry airstrip along with day-use and camping facilities.
The purchased property, known as Meadow View Peak, is an "inholding" surrounded by Plumas National Forest, strategically located near the popular High Sierra Fly-In site.
JRBAF has launched a $200,000 capital campaign to cover the property costs and fund site improvements, aiming to open the facilities to the public by next summer.

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The Jim Richmond Backcountry Aviation Foundation has purchased 136 acres of property surrounded by a national forest in Plumas County, California, where the organization plans to establish a backcountry airstrip, along with day-use and camping facilities.

Announced by CubCrafters vice president and JRBAF executive chairman Brad Damm on Monday, the Meadow View Peak property is an inholding, meaning it is privately owned piece of land surrounded by federally managed areas. In this case, the newly acquired JRBAF property is surrounded by Plumas National Forest, which is known for its mountain meadows and ponderosa pines.

In an area already familiar to many backcountry enthusiasts, Meadow View Peak is situated along the California-Nevada border, just 15 miles from Dead Cow Lakebed, home to the popular High Sierra Fly-In.

“We’ve closed on the land, and now we have the opportunity to create an amazing new public backcountry airstrip,” said Damm in a news release. “Our goal is a place where pilots can land, camp, and experience this landscape for years to come. We’ve already had encouraging conversations with Plumas County, and we’re ready to begin the planning and approval work needed to bring that vision to life.”

[Credit: Jim Richmond Backcountry Aviation Foundation]

As part of the land acquisition, JRBAF is launching a Phase 1 capital campaign aimed at raising $200,000 for the project.

The first half of that goal will go to paying off a seller-financed note on the property. The second half will be used for site improvement, including airstrip development, camping facilities, and spring-fed water system, among other plans.

The JRBAF hopes to make the property available to visitors by next summer.

“Acquiring the property is a major step, but opening it to the public will take a community effort,” said Joe Dory, chair of JRBAF’s board of directors. “This capital campaign gives pilots, aviation businesses, and everyone who values backcountry access a chance to help build something lasting from the ground up.”