Yes, they were. Most people going there talk to me if they are looking for any information about the place. Still have to see if we can line up some of this ridiculous weather and get a fly-in overnight camping adventure for Cedric.

Troy, excellent pictures!!

That was a great write up, good decision making about the landing. It's amazing how much water some of the ground up there can hold even when it looks to be dry. Spring and fall are my two least favorite seasons up there because of how much change can happen so rapidly (though I still like them over a lot of the season "changes" in the Southeast lower 48!).

Thanks for putting me in the right seat while I read this!

Talk about deja vu...

The weather has been so stunning that I decided to go back to Aniakchak...almost the same flight in some ways. But a few differences. I talked a different friend into accompanying me, so I got to gab about the place the entire time again without repeating myself. Except, of course, I sort of felt like I was repeating myself. Most irritating wasn't my comments though, it was the fact that I left the camera in the car. Thank goodness for smart phones. I really wanted to see the Painter Creek Lodge strip again, so our first stop was there, and I decided we needed another photo for the fueling thread...



Had a good west wind this time, so we landed right into the wind instead of with a cross wind. Of course, that doesn't matter much, always good to land into the wind. But the strip is a pretty good slope...so the question becomes which direction to take off. I decided to takeoff downhill with a tailwind. The strip is long enough that I knew it would be a non-issue, but I wanted to see how well I could judge my liftoff point. I was about 200 feet off, so will have to file that away so I can do a better job next time. Climbed out over this ridge, riding the up elevator air that was also climbing the ridge, so we could cross over to the Pacific side.





Mostly the passenger was taking the photos this round, so hopefully they are as good as the flight was. I got a photo looking south down Aniakchak Bay though, as we started heading up the river.



The beach down Aniakchak Bay is not known for being a happy airplane spot...a bit soft. So no, I wasn't tempted. There is a spot on the north side of the river that I have walked a lot and know really well. I would have been tempted to land there but the tide was not out as far as I wanted, so we didn't do that either...

The wind was a bit more this time, and I kept thinking that we would get beat up somewhere, but it really wasn't bad. A few bumps here and there.

As we flew up the river, some of the cinder blows along the river started calling my name. I saw tire tracks on one, briefly thought about landing there, but kept going upriver. But pretty soon we were passing the huge cinder blows along Albert Johnson Creek and I couldn't help myself...I've walked across those multiple times, I know what they are like with boots on the ground...so I set up for landing and came in to drag it. I was expecting it to be a little softer than the ones down on the Pacific Side, and as we touched down the wheels grabbed a bit and my expectations were born out. I kept it rolling for a five count then added power and took back off. Would have been fine to land, but I wanted to feel it, think about it, and I didn't need to stop right then anyway...so we headed up the river.

Got a bit of bump behind Pinnacle Mountain, and found a slope with the up elevator assist to get some altitude so we could enter the caldera above The Gates. Going through The Gates is not part of my plan when the wind is blowing...it gets crazy in there.



We took a bunch of turns around the caldera, and I had a good hard look at my preferred landing sites again. Still some dark spots, but getting fewer...I actually considered doing a roll-and-go just to get a feel for my favorite one. But the wind was coming over the caldera wall from the west, I would have been landing west pointing right at the wall, and should have had about a 20kt pile of sink air pushing me down...not very good for the liftoff...so I took a pass. I did a pretty decent 500 ft inspection though, and while it was blowing, it wasn't bumpy like I feared as I transitioned from high above the caldera down into the bowels of the thing. We climbed back up to make our escape out over the rim and head downriver.





We investigated the waterfall on Lava Creek, one of the most perfect falls I've ever seen. I still have never taken a photo of it. Always getting somebody else a shot, by the time I get down where the perfect photo is on that creek, I'm usually headed downriver and the passenger is getting that one. Going to have to get one sometime.

About a mile from the falls is a cinder blow that invited inspection, so I set up into the wind, in configuration, and had the passenger time it while I did a low approach. It looked pretty good, and I'm sure we could have landed fine...but it is still similar in elevation to the caldera floor so I didn't have a real desire to touch down until a few more weeks have gone by and the hidden ice and melt pockets are gone...

Have I mentioned that I am a bit leary of spring?

We got down to the lower elevations and found a good spot to land though, and took another photo for the fueling adventures thread.



This cinder blow was so long that we pushed back so we could start rolling in our tracks, then I ran my pre-takeoff process on the roll and went straight into the takeoff, and we lifted off in extremely short order, at which time I realized that I had failed to put on the headset before firing up...

On the way home we landed at the old Ugashik Bay runway, then at the outlet of Becharof Lake, but both were just touch and go and skedaddle landings.

Rocket was just telling me we need some hard IMC weather for a few days so we can get some rest.

Which sounds about right. What a string of summer we are having this spring.

Awesome!

I feel weird with a one word response to another one of your amazing write ups but it's the best way I can describe my feeling of "was there with you in your words!"

Been to Aniakchak a few times, have not had the opportunity to sit and rattle on about it, so I am just going to post a few of my favorite photos from those trips and call myself caught up...hopefully will have time to relate some stories to go with the next round of photos...