Joe Corlett opens a window to a world that is rarely seen by most folks. For some, Corlett is a miracle worker. Because of his own passion for flying, Corlett can fly people with disabilities into Idaho’s backcountry to give them a taste of the outdoor life many thought they’d never experience again. In some cases, it’s a first: camping and soaking in all the backcountry has to offer.
Corlett is the force behind the Wilderness Fly-In (also known as Wilderness Within Reach) camping trip offered through the Boise Parks and Recreation Department’s AdVenture program.
A ROAD IN THE SKY
The fly-in originated because Corlett saw how it could benefit people who would otherwise never venture into the backcountry.
It has been offered through Boise Parks and Recreation since 1997, according to Emily Kovarik, the department’s recreation accessibility coordinator. Before Wilderness Fly-In came along, it was offered through the Alternative Mobility Adventure Seekers program (offered through Boise State University).
The AdVenture program is for youth and adults with disabilities. Participants come from all walks of life, all ages and all abilities. “There’s a mix of people who are outdoor lovers and those who have never done anything like this,” Corlett says.
Road access is limited in Idaho’s backcountry. It would take hours to reach a destination like Sulphur Creek, including driving time and miles of hiking. But its remote location makes it the kind of place you’re more likely to see moose and elk than groups of tourists.
Planes reach those places easier than cars. And the fewer cars out there, the better the chance such places will remain just as they are. “The program was developed to get people into the backcountry without building roads,” Corlett says.
At first it was a day trip, but it “morphed into an overnighter,” taking folks to places in the Idaho wilderness like Big Creek, Sulphur Creek and Johnson Creek. The idea is take people to places that are tucked away, off the beaten path. So it’s a natural choice to offer the fly-in camping trip to locations in the Sawtooth Wilderness, the Payette National Forest, or the Frank Church Wilderness area, where the Sulphur Creek Ranch is located. For the past few years Sulphur Creek has been the only location for the trip because it has so much to offer, including comfortable lodging plus outdoor activities.
Today the trip is so popular that it fills up immediately. The excursion includes 10 participants and two staff members. It takes three 200 Series Cessna airplanes to get everyone to the Sulphur Creek Ranch.
“He calls in all these favors and talks to everyone he knows,” Kovarik says.
It’s the chance of a lifetime, and the cost to each participant is just $36. The Idaho Aviation Foundation (Corlett is a board member) sponsors the program, and that partnership helps offset expenses. Without that support, it would cost thousands of dollars, Corlett says. But pilots donate their time, and the ranch provides meals and lodging.
‘FLY, MULE OR HORSEBACK, HIKE’
Getting to the Sulphur Creek Ranch isn’t easy, but it’s worth the extra effort. Guests can fish, ride horses or just savor the solitude.
“Sulphur’s a real gem,” Corlett says. “It’s the highest ranch up there, right off the Middle Fork (of the Salmon River).”
The ranch’s website cautions visitors that it is unreachable by motorized vehicles. Guests may reach the ranch by flying, riding a mule or horse, or hiking, according to the website. Cars can get as far as the Boundary Creek Campsite (near the Middle Fork of the Salmon trailhead). From there, the ranch is about 8 miles away.
It takes about 35 minutes to reach the ranch by plane.
Corlett says wilderness airports are like portals, or trailheads. “It’s a jumping-off point to get into the wilderness,” he says. “You can be deep in the backcountry within an hour and hike to a lake, and you can do it all in a weekend.”
Sulphur Creek Ranch offers campers the best of both worlds: They can enjoy the isolation, but when it comes to sleeping accommodations and meals, they aren’t exactly roughing it. The Sulphur Creek staff prepares delicious meals for the campers, according to Corlett. When it’s time to call it a night, they sleep in cabins.
In previous years, Corlett and his wife, Luann, would provide all the food for the trip. These days the ranch handles the cooking duties.
Corlett’s devotion to the program for more than two decades amazes Kovarik, along with his ability to find other pilots to help bring in participants.
“They’ve been absolutely wonderful,” she says.
Kovarik has, on occasion, had the opportunity to join the camp trip. She has seen the impact it has on its participants.
“I remember one year there was a guy in a wheelchair, and he was just sitting there playing cards,” Kovarik says. “He said if it wasn’t for this program he wouldn’t have camped like this. He had forgotten what it was like to relax on a camping trip.”
‘CALCULATED DAREDEVIL’
Corlett’s love of aviation began when he was a boy growing up in Boise. When he was 13, his dad offered to make him a deal: He could take flying lessons if he promised to stay off motorcycles.
Corlett started lessons that year (although he admits he eventually broke the promise and rode a motorcycle anyway). His attraction to adrenaline-fueled adventure never stopped. He flew a glider solo in Oahu when he was 16. He has been a downhill ski racer and was also a river guide.
Is he a daredevil?
“Calculated,” he says with a wink.
He spent some time working as a contract pilot, but his primary career has been in commercial real estate appraisal. He owns Mountain States Appraisal and Consulting.
But his head is often in the clouds, where he can shuttle passengers into some of the most beautiful and unseen country in Idaho.
“People generally just don’t know what we’ve got here,” Corlett says. “We feel very highly privileged as pilots to get to do that.”
