Sky Ranch, Original Site location?

[supercub]

Where exactly was Sky Ranch......is there still a strip there?

[Box A35]

Re: Sky Ranch, Original Site location?

It is/was right in the middle of the current day Spanish Springs, NV. Google a map of that area and some of the street names are Sky Ranch Blvd, etc.

The current day Nevada Flyers Airport seems to be about a mile away. Referenced from Stead, it is 8-10 miles due east.

No obvious remains of an airfield, just subdivisions......

[t-dub]

Re: Sky Ranch, Original Site location?

Where the Save Mart supermarket is on the corner of Pyramid Hwy and La Posada/Eagle Canyon is pretty damn close to the original location.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Sky Ranch, Original Site location?

Where the Save Mart supermarket is on the corner of Pyramid Hwy and La Posada/Eagle Canyon is pretty damn close to the original location.

That just about meshes with my memory of the location when we ... almost ... rode our bikes out there in '64....

In the attached Google Earth capture, I think within the lower circle would be where they were held, the current airport is within the top circle...

My recollection where we could see the cars parked and airplanes flying in the distance, is that it was off the highway *pyramid way* to the west a bit. Not as close as where the market is today... Anyone who was there remember better??

If I drove out there, based on elevations, I could pinpoint it better... maybe... things are SOOO different out there now!!!!

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Sky Ranch, Original Site location?

I think Tegler's book mentioned high power lines running across the old racecourse, did it not? If those lines and poles (or towers) are still running along the same path, then that may be a good physical clue to the original location.


Here's a scan from the book. Perhaps there's some visual clues some AAFO member may spot (image is credited to the Reno Chamber of Commerce :





Q: Are Pyramid Lake Road and Highway 33 one and the same? The text says the unlimited course crossed the highway.


.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Sky Ranch, Original Site location?

I took the liberty of locating the site on Google Earth, then altered viewing location to match the old B&W photo.

Surprisingly, I spotted several visual clues with the new perspective that should give a better reference of where the old site was. Judging from what I can see, the race site was roughly east of the new airport.


Have a look at what I have spotted and indicated on the photos and see what you think:











I see a few more clues too, like the dirt road leading from "dark object" to the highway is still visible in the Google photo, where it can be seen terminating near that white "440" sign and the large white rectangular building.

[supercub]

Re: Sky Ranch, Original Site location?

Anyone have any pictures of the original unlimited course at Stead. Was I believe an oval course with the straight aways in front of the grandstands and the turns in lemon valley and out to the west where the T-6's start from. I remember if you sat at the east end of the bleachers, the planes were very close headed out to lemon valley. What year did they change to the course used now?

[supercub]

Re: Sky Ranch, Original Site location?

I think maybe you can see remants of the "light plane runway" and a small segment of the "heavy plane runway on the current google earth shot.

[Big_Jim]

Re: Sky Ranch, Original Site location?

Anyone have any pictures of the original unlimited course at Stead. Was I believe an oval course with the straight aways in front of the grandstands and the turns in lemon valley and out to the west where the T-6's start from. I remember if you sat at the east end of the bleachers, the planes were very close headed out to lemon valley. What year did they change to the course used now?

The original course from 1966-1970 at Stead was an oval, but it was closer to the runway/grandstands than the course is now. It extended almost to the cliff at Lemon Valley to the east, and to what is now the 'fenceline' on the west end/Valley of Speed.

The general shape of the course used today was implemented in 1971...I believe it was almost 9 1/4 miles. Over the years it has gradually gotten smaller.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Sky Ranch, Original Site location?

Tegler's book says the old course was an 8 mile oval, with no deadline. It also states that this was changed after "a couple of years" but doesn't get more specific than that.


Ummmm, I think I can see a trace of the light plane runway, but I see nothing of the longer one: I marked a few landmarks seen in both pics for reference:

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Sky Ranch, Original Site location?

Fascinating thread! Really like the old photo, did not know it existed.. wonder if there are more?

Wish I could replay that day when I was 13 on my bike!

Better yet... .wish I could reLIVE that day!!!

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Sky Ranch, Original Site location?

Just went on MS's Virtual Earth and you actually can see the entire old light plane runway in their 2D satellite view! Now if I can just figure out how to grab the images, it would make going to the site extremely easy because the landmarks are clearly visible for reference....

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Sky Ranch, Original Site location?

Well I can't figure usage rights but.... on some of the map programs, and on the usgs site, you can really see it well... I've put a white rectangle around it, looks like the old light plane runway for sure, long straight line with a "teardrop" at the south end for turnaround.. It really shows well on some map sites, I'll dig up links unless someone beats me to it..

IF, this is for sure the old runway, then it would be completely possible to visit the old site... WOW...

PS via edit.. the "dark spot" if you look on some of the sat photos, appears to be some sort of open reservoir or pond or some body of water.

PPS via edit.. http://www.bing.com/maps/default.asp...4&lvl=17&sty=h look just below Calle de la Plata, on down to the dirt road at the bottom... the diagnal erosion line appears to match the old photo as well.. Man, this would be hallowed ground if we actually can nail it down, exactly!!

[Leo]

Re: Sky Ranch, Original Site location?

My guess is that when development starts up again, that area will be covered in some manner. Years down the road but inevitable.
Considering the historical significance (well, at least to us) of the site it would be cool to place a marker there. Some well placed lobbying could probably cause a park or open space area (development there will probably be large lots with lots of trails and open area as per the housing to the south) to be in the vicinity, allowing a marker to be preseved.
Just a thought.

[Apteryx]

Re: Sky Ranch, Original Site location?

For us amatuer historians who haven't seen it, this is a site with old maps (including sectionals)
http://historicalcharts.noaa.gov/his...rical_zoom.asp
Seems their data base is missing some charts, that it has listed, don't know what's happening there...
(Couldn't find Skypark)
There is also "Abondoned and Little Known Airfields"
http://www.airfields-freeman.com/

Any one know of other good sites? (I love this stuff)