Just setting this up so I can post some pics while on this journey. Hoping to try a couple of new routes if the weather allows.

The trip starts tomorrow. There are two different routes to take initially, both ending up in Whitehorse for clearing Canadian Customs. One route goes to Tok for fuel, then past Northway and on to Whitehorse roughly following the Alcan.

The other route goes down the coast to Yakutat for fuel, then past Haines and Skagway to Whitehorse. Tomorrow morning's weather will determine which.





Once in Whitehorse the options I chose are to take either the Alcan route or the upper/lower Trench route, again depending on the weather. If the Trench route US Customs will be cleared at Kalispell.





If the Alcan route US Customs will be cleared at Whetstone International (H28). And then continue on to Missoula.

Wind has been brutal here the last couple days. Supposed to stay that way for a couple days. Hopefully is settled down for you a bit.

Yea, tomorrow is forecast 30-40 at Grande Prairie and high winds most of the Alcan. So as of now, with a double check in the morning, I’ll be flying to Tok, then Whitehorse, then taking the Trench to Prince George.

Made it to Missoula MT yesterday. Flew 9 hours the first day and 5 the second. From my place to Whitehorse went via Tok (roughly following the ALCAN) which was the first fuel stop and where I notified Canadian Customs we were coming and where I filed a flight plan (no discrete transponder code needed for leaving the U.S.).

Did eAPIS at home before leaving using FlashPass which is a web site and app to build and file eAPIS manifests. Haven't yet decided if it's better then the Fed site or not. It does have a cost.

As I have time I'll start posting pictures. These first three are in Alaska around the Wrangels St Elias National Park area.

We took about the same route in our C-180 from Chugiak and arrived at MSO yesterday about 0920 local. Started Saturday and took our time, spent a couple nights in Whitehorse. Cleared U.S. customs at Kalispell late Tuesday and flew down to Missoula in time to volunteer on the AOPA set-up crew yesterday morning.

7GC wrote:We took about the same route in our C-180 from Chugiak and arrived at MSO yesterday about 0920 local. Started Saturday and took our time, spent a couple nights in Whitehorse. Cleared U.S. customs at Kalispell late Tuesday and flew down to Missoula in time to volunteer on the AOPA set-up crew yesterday morning.

Sweet. Be sure and introduce yourself. Because of the rain forecast on Saturday we will fly an abbreviated demo Friday evening in case we can’t fly on Saturday.

Now we've crossed into the Yukon. In the distance in this photo is Beaver Creek airport.


These braids belong to the White River. There are so many cool places to play.


This is the Donjek River. More great places to play.



This is Burwash Landing airport.


This is Destruction Bay in Kluane Lake

Here is a screenshot from AeroWeather an app I use that really helps me determine which route I will take on trips such as this one. It gives me a quick overview of my route and the TAF for each station.

AOPA Fly-in is over. Left Missoula this morning scud running the mountains and after a bunch of detours finally made it to Bozeman. Resting before today before going fly-fishing tomorrow so thought I'd update this post a bit more.

This is the top of Kluane Lake. Alcan Hwy crosses the lake here.


Silver City Airport (without the city)


Haines Junction Airport


And Whitehorse Airport where I cleared customs into Canada. Always a pleasure to deal with Canadian Customs (except one time). And love this city, the only city in the Yukon.


Teslin Airport. Instead of going to Watson Lake I'm taking a bit of a shortcut to the top of the Trench,


Teslin Lake and headed to the Trench. Nice to be in the 185 high and fast,

That brings back good memories Phil. Thanks for sharing and have a good trip.

p.s.- I'm surprised to see those silt/mud flats touching the island at Kluane Lake. Did you get the sense it is low water levels, or does anyone know if it has extended into the lake in recent years?

-DP

Assuming 'top' is upstream meaning the south end, there was some river piracy a couple years ago.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/sli ... -1.3639472

The melt off a glacier is now feeding a different river.

Phil- if you don't mind a short 7500 about that island: over half-a-century ago my father-in-law filed a homestead application for it. A couple years in the service prevented him proving up on it, and the application lapsed. Prior to that he had been supporting research on the Kluane ice fields, using Helios out of the Silver City air strip. He'll be really interested to see the changes to the lake end. Thanks to Marc for the link.

-DP

DP, thanks for the story thats really something- too bad the government wouldn't give him a waiver.

I wondered why this trip the entire lake shoreline that I could see is landable- thanks for the info Marc, I surely wouldn't have guessed that.

This is what bypassing Watson Lake looked like.


And this where I came in to the top end of the upper trench.



Looking towards Alberta


More of the upper Trench headed south.



And Mackenzie where the lady (Vicki I think) who runs it gives you an ice cream cone. Nice after coming down the upper Trench, as is the fill up of course.

Hi Phil... nice trip!

I have a couple of questions about the 185.

How much range do you have? I see the leg down the trench was a bit over 500 miles. You stopped in Tok for fuel on the way to Whitehorse.. could you have non-stopped your leg to Whitehorse from Soldotna?

What cruise speed are you seeing?

Looks like the weather was pretty nice for your trip South. Hope you are having the same on the return.

Happy Flying,
Keith

Keith,

I fly LOP and I could have made in all the way to Whitehorse but I would have been at/near VFR Day minimums and I never go that low on fuel.

Whitehorse to McKenzie was my longest fuel leg (burned 56+ gal). I had an hour and a half of fuel remaining. But I landed a couple of times enroute and if I hadn’t done that I could have made Prince George, but then I’d have missed the ice cream at McKenzie.

This is the first plane I’ve had with a fuel totalizer and once I confirmed it was accurate I really liked it. Cessna fuel gauges suck, be nice to have them gone next year when I redo the panel.

Had nice Wx in the upper Trench but it went funky in the lower with rain/mist/turbulence/high winds/low ceilings most of it.

[I'm back home in Alaska now, but I'll keep adding to this trip thread until it's finished. A great first trip in the new 185.]

After spending the night in Prince George we head into the Lower Trench. Now flying against a pretty strong headwind, drizzle and rain, and lower ceilings. The countryside changes as well. Sure was beautiful.


Charlie Leake Airport


Somewhere along the Yellowhead Highway


Waterfall on Canoe Reach. Now things narrow up.


Canoe Reach



Land at Valemount to reaccess my planned route. Do I want to keep going down the Lower Trench against the headwind (notice the flag) and increasing drizzle and rain? Or head out a side canyon towards the flat country and no doubt get rotored like crazy as the wind spills off the mountains into the canyons? I decide to push on in the Lower Trench.

So here is a video of the trip. It's long but so is flying from Alaska to Montana and back to Alaska.

https://vimeo.com/278371636

Great TR, Phil.

Great video Phil. Man, I need to get some of them planes out of here... Haha. The 185 sounds awesome on takeoff. Love the snap.