My wife advises me her family has planned a week-long family reunion in Frisco, CO this July. So you know what I'm thinking; No to the car, and no to the silver tube. Let's take advantage of the airplane we keep throwing money into.

So I'm looking for any helpful advise from our Colorado friends on BCP that have experience running around up top in the hills there.

The plane is our 170 (180hp). I'm aware of the DA, and how to not ask too much of the plane up there (get in and out early....). I'm looking more for good airports to keep it at, and your recomendation on how to store it (ramp vs hangar). What's the wx like up there in mid July? Does all GA flying stop by noon every day on a good day, or does wx permit afternoon flying once and a while?

I've looked at Lake Co. and Eagle Co. they seem to be OK, but that puts me at about a 45min. drive away which could be too long if crazy wx develops without warning and I need to move it out of the elements. I'll probably just end up hangaring it, but if you guys had any input on wx expectations (wind, hail...) I would like to hear it.

Roughly I plan to leave home (Roseburg, OR) and fly to Afton Wy the first day, then SE towards Yampa Valley and thread my way in the next morning (if I'm successful getting the family up and to the plane before sunrise).

On the fun side of things, if I get a chance to sneek away from all the visiting and go fly one moring, tell me what's the hot spots to go see while I'm up there. I did see on google earth where it looks like Breckenridge used to have a strip. That would have been handy. I'm guessing the do-gooders got it run out of town.

As the time get's closer, I'll probably come up with some more specific questions. Until then I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,

Tom

i wouldn't worry to much about a hanger, in july you should be fine.
Crappy part is fairplay really doesnt have any real handy airports. You can fly in the afternoon but on most days its not that fun. With the exception of marble the middle of colorado is kind of lacking in fun BC strips.

The old strip in Breckinridge is now the free parking lot for the ski area. There isnt alot of options for airports near Frisco, you could do Eagle or Kremmling which are both about an hours drive and aren't up as high as Leadville. Leadville is still an hour drive as well. I would pick Kremmling because there seems to be less terrain to deal with.

I agree with robw56..Kremmling is about the closest for Frisco. Eagle is over Vail Pass to the west..kind of a spendy place! I think it all depends on how far you want to drive to and from the plane. Options..Leadville (10,000), farther south..Buena Vista, Salida..northwest, Steamboat Springs..all quite a drive.
HC

I would DEFINITELY pick Kremmling over Eagle. Fuel is cheaper, plus Eagle has a ramp fee (yes even for single engine piston). Eagle really caters to the Jet crowd (I was at the FBO there this summer and was the only pilot w/o epaulettes) while Kremmling is truly a GA friendly field. As far as where to fly, there are some pretty cool passes to fly over, plus there is always the mandatory landing at Leadville (highest public airport in the US). I am based out of Steamboat, and would love to sit right seat and show you some of the CO sights. As far as WX goes in July, yes some days are good all day, but some will have Tstorms,it is kind of hit or miss. July is probably the best times in the summer as the spring moisture will mostly be gone, and the Monsoon moisture will probably not have arrived.

Maybe even Granby airport. Like everyone else said, there arent many airports there but it fun flying during the summer. you should do it but be prepared for a bit of a drive. still worth it in my opinion.

Thanks everyone for the info. Never even looked up at Granby, or Kremmling, I'll check them out as well.
Stagecoachco, I'll definately keep your offer in mind, incase I escape the house without dozen's of "I want a ride" requests.
Look forward to this adventure.
Tom

X3 on Kremmling (quickest drive time).

Mid July offers great flying as the weather is pretty predictable. I would expect some turbulence no matter where you are or what time of day, in the mountains. But, the wx gurus usually get he wx right that time of year. Kremmling also offers a pretty easy in/out and you don't really have to cross any major passes.

If you are a backcountry guy, Marble is a wonderful airstrip (permission required). Other than that, Leadville offers a certificate for landing at North Americas highest airport. If you want to do some scenic mountain flying, SW CO and the area around KASE offer great views, but you will want to be around 14000ft.

Sounds like a great trip! Have fun and take lots of pictures.

For your first trip to the CO mountains, I would actually land at KBJC (Rocky Mountain - Jefferson County Airport). It's in the Northwest corner of the Denver metropolis. Fisco is only an hour's drive. Mountain flying around here is all about the weather. It's safe, but you have to time it well. Planning a long trip and landing at KBJC eliminates the "chance" problems with weather, and the drive is about the same as the other airports folks have been talking about. Plus, unlimited supply of FBO's, rental cars, etc. Of course, this eliminates the mountain flying fun. For the fun part of your trip, schedule a day to drive back to KBJC. Get an instructor (the Colorado Pilots Association Website will explain the mountain training process and there are many instructors and BJC) and spend a day flying. I would suggest loop up to Cameron pass, over to Steamboat, down the Yampa valley, maybe a touch n go at Eagle, then on thru Hagerman Pass to Leadville (get your certificate for landing at the highest altitude airport in the conti US) then south via Buena Vista and Trout Creek pass and back to BJC. You'll love the trip and taining. The Colorado DOT Aeronautics division also supplies a "preferred routes" planning map. Invaluable, because it covers all the mountain passes and weather stations necessary for flying here. I'm not an instructor, just a satisfied mountain trained customer. You don't want to venture into these mountains untrained.

goosenmaverick wrote:For your first trip to the CO mountains, I would actually land at KBJC (Rocky Mountain - Jefferson County Airport). It's in the Northwest corner of the Denver metropolis. Fisco is only an hour's drive. Mountain flying around here is all about the weather. It's safe, but you have to time it well. Planning a long trip and landing at KBJC eliminates the "chance" problems with weather, and the drive is about the same as the other airports folks have been talking about. Plus, unlimited supply of FBO's, rental cars, etc. Of course, this eliminates the mountain flying fun. For the fun part of your trip, schedule a day to drive back to KBJC. Get an instructor (the Colorado Pilots Association Website will explain the mountain training process and there are many instructors and BJC) and spend a day flying. I would suggest loop up to Cameron pass, over to Steamboat, down the Yampa valley, maybe a touch n go at Eagle, then on thru Hagerman Pass to Leadville (get your certificate for landing at the highest altitude airport in the conti US) then south via Buena Vista and Trout Creek pass and back to BJC. You'll love the trip and taining. The Colorado DOT Aeronautics division also supplies a "preferred routes" planning map. Invaluable, because it covers all the mountain passes and weather stations necessary for flying here. I'm not an instructor, just a satisfied mountain trained customer. You don't want to venture into these mountains untrained.

X2
Bravo goosenmaverick
Best advice yet!

I absolutely agree--if you haven't any mountain experience, you need some training before venturing into the rocks. I'd give Rocky Mountain (formerly Jeffco) a lot of consideration, as being as close as any airport to Frisco, but with much better services available than at Eagle or Kremmling.

Incidentally, Kremmling has a very nice little airport, and people in Kremmling are very friendly--there's a great little cafe on the west end of town, too (closes at 2 p.m.).

My airplane probably has the same performance as yours does--mine is a 1963 P172D with CS prop and a 180hp Lycoming conversion. The engine is in perfect shape, with only 350 hours on it. I've been into Marble 3 times and to Leadville once (when I left Leadville, the density altitude was 12,300' on the ground), and I truly enjoy flying the mountains. But it's a lot more risky than flying in flatter country, and even with a "hot rod" 172, I have to watch the weight I carry. If you're carrying enough baggage for a vacation for 2 (unless your wife is better at packing lightly than "mah woman" is), you're going to be relatively close to gross, and your airplane will not have much spunk left. For instance, going into Marble, on 2 of the trips, I've been alone with my 70 lb dog and camping gear, and slightly over half tanks. On the other occasion, I had a friend along, dog, and no camping gear. I always carry a survival kit, which weighs about 40 lbs. So I'm at what I would call medium weights. Coming out of there is interesting--maybe a 300 fpm climb. When I took off from Leadville, again just dog and me and half tanks, the climb rate was between 150 and 200 fpm.

The weather in the Colorado mountains can change very quickly, and it can trap you unawares. July is as OK a month as any, although I prefer the early Fall. Afternoons can bring T-storms--morning flying is best--but experienced Colorado mountain pilots find the later hours OK, too--after the T-storms have dissipated but before dark.

As for your route from Oregon, you don't say how you expect to get to Afton, but from there, I would not recommend going southeast into the Yampa valley. Stay with southern Wyoming, and turn south from Medicine Bow to Laramie, then down over Fort Collins to BJC. Much safer with a heavily loaded airplane.

Cary

Hi Tom, lots of good advice. I have lived in Frisco for 40 years and flew out of the old Breckenridge airport for a number of years before it was closed. Flew out of Leadville for eight years and bought a hanger in Kremmling in 1983 and have been flying out of there since. My sons and I built a new hanger in Kremmling in 2003, They have had a 57 182 for 20 years and a Super Cub before that. I'm flying my 1971 185 that I've owned sine 1976. I owned a couple of 170s back in the late sixties, great planes. Depending on when your here in July we might have room for you in our hanger. I have an old friend that flys his 180 up every year from Phoenix area, in July," he has family and property in Kremmling" and we hanger his 180 while he is there, usually a week. Last year he and family drove up, don't know why. If we can't get you in our hanger the FBO "Alpine Wings" has a hanger that they lease from Bill Elliot, the Nascar driver and can put you in there. They also have car rentals. Kremmling is a laid back neat airport and we love it.
Frisco is a great place for a family reunion, lot's to do and see in this area. Last July, wife and I hosted a family reunion on my mothers side of the family and we had people from all over the USA. They had the best time and didn't want to leave. I took the ones that wanted to go flying all over this area and took them all jeeping around the old mining areas and thru the Breckenridge Ski area to the top of Peak Ten at around 13,000 feet on a challenging jeep trail. they loved all the wildflowers that we have in July. We are blessed to live in such a beautiful area, Only problem is you must like winter if you live here. As I type this it's snowing again, thats all it's done this winter, We've got 5 foot of snow on the level in the yard. Our hanger rent is a couple of cases of beer. Ron

Thanks again everyone, for the continued information. I haven't been back here for a while to see your input, probably cause the trip seems so far off.
The wife says were pot committed though since the $$ has been put down on a rental for the week.
Great advise in the posts; sightseeing routes, looked up and learned about Marble (looks intriguing), Cary, thanks for providing A/C performance on your similarly equipped plane. And Ron, I will definately keep your information and offer in mind as time gets closer, thanks. I hope that snow melts soon for you.
Hopefully I'll get to meet and talk to some of you in person at Johnson Creek before I head out to your neighberhood.
I will keep my preflight findings updated here as I gather more information.
Thanks,
Tom

Well it's finally time. We blast off tomorrow for our trip to Colorado. I wanted to say thanks again. The posts, PM's and phone calls from you BCP'ers have been amazing!
Looks like Kremmling will be our destination airport, and still hopeful for a day of flying around while were there.
I'll post a small trip report when we get home.
I'll post a nice trip report if I ever learn how to post pics.
See you soon.
Tom

Tom:

Probably throwing fuel on the fire, but .... You are not too far from Marble strip (see Colorado Pilot Association and calendar for good info on Marble). You need to get prior permission from family to land there if you haven't before, but it would be a great spot for a quick visit (maybe even be able to throw the fly line in the Crystal River). Good information on the CPA website on how to get permission and info on the strip, what the conditions are like and what you need to know to go in there.

If your flying skills are marginal, probably not the ideal choice. However, it is my favorite fly-to spot in Colorado and if you could arrange some instruction or feel competent on your own, it is really an amazing place.

Echo earlier comments about going early in the morning and not bucking weather.

Food for thought. Have a great time!!

Regards, Larry

Hi Tom, have a great trip! Tell Davis I said Hi.

Cheers...Rob

Tom,
Have a great time in Colorado. Let us all know the trip is going.

Brent

Have a safe flight Tom and I hope to see you soon.

Kremmling.

It has better weather and is closer than Granby. Services are fine. Courtesy car and rental is available. Nice cafe just to the west of the Western Motel, and nice dinner with both kinds of beer (Bud *AND* Bud Light) at the place in the town park. The guy that runs it has a heart of gold. Hangar available cheap too. Fuel is reasonable. Nice drive to Frisco from there. Near Kremmling, there is quite a bit of interesting fossil hunting from two epochs if you are into that sort of thing. There is also the Hot Springs between Kremmling and Granby. And there is rafting in the area (tons of it, actually, if you have a day to spare).

At Granby, there is a newer courtesy car, and rental is available. There is a nicer restaurant in the middle of the main drag on the south side, or there is Winter Park down the road. There are never any tie-downs when I am there, and the altitude is higher. The courtesy car was never available when I was there in the summer, but who knows. Granby will get socked in a few to several hours before Kremmling in the typical afternoon buildups. Kremmling has "escapes" to the north and south to depart out of weather as well as east to Granby, while Granby really only has west to Kremmling or sometimes north to Laramie.

Marble is nice, and has camping. You need permission. Just Google Marble, CO.

Meeker is nice for a (full) day trip. The Meeker Caves are unguided and interesting- a few miles are available. The valley is some of the best scenery there is in Colorado, near the edge of the Flat Tops wilderness.

Telluride is nice, the tie down fees will set you back $20 or less, but bring your own bikes. The shuttles to town are a complete ripoff for $40 each. Nucla has a nice strip by town as well- it is private, but folks do land there for coffee occasionally in town. The county field is too far from either Nucla or Naturita.

If you do have bikes, Grand Junction is nice. Mack Mesa is very close to a grassy reservoir with camping, and a few days' worth of great mountain biking trails a dozen miles away. Of course, there is a lifetime's worth of biking if you rent a vehicle from GJ (and bikes).

There is a nice grass strip near Durango if you call ahead.

Steamboat is also nice. They have bus service from the bottom of the hill the airport is at. Lots to do there, of course. Including a great hot springs (Strawberry).

Having a blast with the airplane in CO. Snuck out yesterday and visited Granby, and Leadville airports while logging 2hrs. flight time touring around. (Couldn't get any of the family out of bed, so I went at it solo). After showing the pics I took, the wife's interest peaked (so she's getting ready right now) and were going to fly up to Steamboat in a few minutes for some sightseeing. Off to Frisco this afternoon for the reunion. Hope to get out for a little more flying mid week before we head home this weekend.
Have a great day.
Tom