I look at this peak every day out the house windows and from the deck, and have for around 30 years now. Just part of the view until this morning. Like some other peaks in the area that I can see from the place, I started to feel that it was taunting me , today I did something about it.

Getting closer, it's a bit shy of 9K.
Many passes later, I decided to land to the left of the truck tracks. The big patchs of brush were just high and thick enough to maybe be a problem, so I avoided them. I find judging the depth of brush from the air to be the most difficult thing, once landed here it was indeed high and thich enough to be a concern so a good call on avoiding it. Nice view of course, not visible are a few swales that I didn't see from the air (another hard thing to judge airborne) but I was all slowed down so they didn't re-launch me. This pic is the money shot, taken from the actual summit, and I have direct line of sight to my property, including the rear deck. So, when on the deck, that means I have direct line of sight back at it. Note: it was 10:30 AM, and the cap is still on the beer, so this is a staged shot but you get the idea, every day from now on for years to come I can look across the valley and think "BEEN THERE, DONE THAT"

Nice work CG!

I see Idaho has little vegetation on the high slopes? Compared to Oregon, Washington, California and other areas West. Is it the lack of moisture being East of the Casacades? It is amazing you can land up that high. Turbo only club.

Nice Tom... Great photos an story.

Those shots sure do make me want....2 airplanes!

You diamond-plated your deck railing?

kevbert wrote:You diamond-plated your deck railing?

More likely he took the running boards off his truck to make the railing.
Nice work on the summit landing!

I framed the deck walls up to the required 3', sheeted them and used the same siding as the rest of the house (cedar shake siding but of course metal roof) On the inside deck walls and the deck ceiling I used metal roofing. Then it occured to me that the aluminum deck plate would be a simple way to WX proof the top and more importantly a place to set beer or coffee cups down on. All this was also cheaper then some kind of fancy iron work I'd have to paint or otherwise screw with, and provides shelter from the wind. The view is all above the top so nothing lost there. The steel spiral staircase I got for $100.00 out of a local Taco Bell (basement) that was being re-modeled, I was hired to lift it out with the crane, and tried to buy it at that time, (house still unbuilt). But a local electrician beat me to it, a couple years later after flying by his place and still seeing it laid down in his backyard (like having your own private spy satellite ) I stopped by his place (drove) and bought it from him for what he paid for it. With no mods whatsoever, it turned out to have the correct rise and spiral to match up to my deck! Cheap and practical, is how I roll

piperpainter wrote:Those shots sure do make me want....2 airplanes!

Heck Bryan, if we were closer together we could work something out, trade airplanes every few days. I like the way you rub it in about your flight times getting home from JC, that is one practical airplane but it sure looks out of place at some of the Frank strips!

kevbert wrote:You diamond-plated your deck railing?

Given the amount of usage my deck railing gets for the pictured purpose, i.e., holding beer, I might oughta consider diamond plating mine too!

courierguy wrote:

piperpainter wrote:Those shots sure do make me want....2 airplanes!

Heck Bryan, if we were closer together we could work something out, trade airplanes every few days. I like the way you rub it in about your flight times getting home from JC, that is one practical airplane but it sure looks out of place at some of the Frank strips!

I think she looks good there though! If only, that'd be fun. I mean I could only imagine what I could do with a plane made for that kind of flying after making one work that isn't made for that kind of flying!

Nice pics. It's stunning scenery, I would love to fly it. Mooney's make a reasonable rough(ish) strip machine! I've hammered an E and a J model around outback QLD quite a lot. Fantastic aircraft

Tom.... I think you have the true spirit and freedom of flying the mountains around your place! I think it's great! Enjoyed the pictures!