Legendary backcountry pilot Ray Arnold of Cascade will continue to fly his famous central Idaho airmail route this summer, after a decision to cancel the service was reversed.
Under a contract with the U.S. Postal Service, Arnold has delivered mail and supplies to about 20 backcountry ranches, all private inholdings in the middle of the 2.4-million acre Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, for 34 years. The flight, which leaves from an airstrip in Cascade, is the last backcountry airmail route in the lower 48 states.
During the winter, Arnold attaches skis to his trusty Cessna 185 so he can land on snowy runways.
However, budget cuts at the Postal Service had threatened to abruptly stop the year-round flights beginning July 1. But, with the help of members of Idaho's congressional delegation and a little education about the realities of travel in Idaho's remote hinterlands, the federal agency has decided changed course.
On Thursday, Postal Service officials notified the Arnold family that they will renew their contract with Ray, who wasn't able to be reached because he was midway through his mail route. The $46,000 annual contract was set to expire June 30.
"Their decision has been reversed," said Mike Arnold, the son of Ray and Carol Arnold. Mike is a co-owner of Arnold Aviation and provides maintenance for its airplanes.
The decision will certainly be a pleasant one for the residents of the far-flung residences Ray serves throughout the year in the middle of the Frank Church region, the largest contiguous wilderness area in the lower 48 states. The private inholdings were in existence prior to the designation of the wilderness area in 1980.
"The people along the route have all been informed," Mike said.
Prior to yesterday's reversal, the Postal Service had told the backcountry residents that they would provide them with free post office boxes in Cascade. However, many of the residences are 50 miles or more by trail from the nearest road.
During a recent conference call between Idaho's congressional delegation and Postal Service officials on the East Coast, it became clear the officials were unaware of how large and inaccessible central Idaho can be, said Brad Hoaglun, director of communications for Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho.
"They did not have a concept of Idaho's backcountry," Hoaglun said.
In an April 29 letter Idaho's two senators sent to Postmaster General John Potter, they reminded him of recent testimony he gave before a U.S. Senate subcommittee in which he said the Postal Service must serve every customer and every community in the United States equally.
The senators quote Potter as saying, "We must make our services available at the same price—in both easy-to-serve locations and locations so remote they can only be reached by mule, by swamp boat or by bush plane."
Jason Kauffman: jkauffman@mtexpress.com
Ray Arnold’s airplane, shown here flying over Taylor Ranch in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, will continue to deliver mail under contract with the U.S. Postal Service.
Photo by
