Plane + Pilot Podcast: Heart X Outfitters

In the second episode of the Plane + Pilot podcast, editor-in-chief Cayla McLeod sits down with Gus and Courtney Thoreson of Heart X Outfitters to explore the unique intersection of aviation and remote land-based outfitting.

Operating out of Salmon, Idaho, the Thoresons manage a family brand that provides hunting trips, fly-fishing, and summer ranch stays in the state’s rugged backcountry. For the Thoresons, flying is an essential lifeline required to keep their remote operations running.

Gus Thoreson’s journey into aviation was driven by his career as an outfitter. He initially purchased a Cessna 182 to learn the ropes of mountain flying but eventually transitioned to a Cessna 206, which he describes as the “backbone of the backcountry.”

“I always said I wanted to be a backcountry pilot,” Gus said during the episode. “And I ended up becoming an outfitter first. Well, I bought a horse so I could become an outfitter, and then I became an outfitter so I could buy a plane.”

Listeners will get an inside look at the high-stakes world of mountain aviation, from Gus’ first backcountry flying experience in a Highlander with STOL legend Steve Henry to the rigorous demands of operating a Cessna 206 at max gross weight in narrow canyons.

The episode also breaks down the backcountry training mindset, the technicalities of blind canyon turns, and the unforgiving reality of density altitude in the Idaho wilderness. Beyond the stories, the Thoresons offer critical technical insights into aircraft maintenance in the bush, the physics of short-field operations at Lower Loon Creek airstrip, and the vital role of standard departure procedures in high-traffic remote strips.

The Plane + Pilot podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever podcasts are consumed. Stay tuned each Wednesday for new episodes.