For most pilots under normal flying conditions, locating the runway is as obvious as staying on a paved road while driving. This is not the case when flying in the bush. It is not uncommon for me to make several passes at VERY low altitude in order to pin-point where exactly the runway is. The first thing I look for is where I am going to touchdown and the second is to locate the actual run-out area. There are several strips I have used hundreds of times but are virtually invisible until I am within a couple of feet. It is very important to have a mental landmark and a concrete plan in these situations because at 40 mph headed up the side of a mountain it is important to get it right the first time.
Apparently, some other pilot scared the beans out of himself on this strip because they spent the time to mark it very well. We have a general rule to not mark strips in this manner simply because it looks so unnatural. This is in the Talkeetna Mountains and is an excellent spot to spend time hiking around gazing at the scenic landscape, wildlife, and flowers.