I'm planning an Alaska trip next month and want to fly the SE coast if weather allows. My plan is to fly my 172S from the Bay Area to the Seattle area in early June, then check the webcams and forecasts on the coast, and willing to hang out in Seattle or Vancouver island for a few days. Once I have a good weather window, I'd take off for Ketchikan, probably stopping in Port Hardy, then hang out there for a good weather window to follow the coast to Anchorage, probably stopping in Cordova. I'm willing to do some of the flying in IMC but obviously looking for the best scenery. My thinking is that even though the coast route has fewer outs in case of engine failure, it has lower terrain and MEAs so there's less risk of CFIT or icing encounters. Plan B would be to take an inland route from Seattle if coastal weather is bad and plan C is fly commercial from SEA/TAC and cruise back to Vancouver. Any thoughts on this? If I can't fly the coast what would you recommend as an alternative route to PANC? Thanks for your input.

PM me and I will share my experience. I have done the coast 3 times, the trench twice and the highway once. The coast is really nice this time of year. Whales, seals, bears, etc.

My usual stops on the coast are KBLI PAKT PASI PALH. They are long runs, but avoiding eapis and customs is worth it to me. I have have to run LOP to get from Bellingham to Ketch.

If I go inland I do KBLI CYXS CYQH CYXY PAOR PAGK PALH. Best places to overnight are Price George and Whitehorse.

SI

The coast is great if the weather cooperates. Take your time. No offense, please, to anyone, but eApis and customs are not a big deal. Follow the rules and it is simple.
If landing Cordova land at the city gravel strip. You can walk to town from there. The #1 place to eat there is "Baja Taco."

New fuel option at Yakutat run by same folks who run the WW-II museum there. Decent diner on the field too. Avoid Gustavus.

Ted

Thanks for the tips.

Not many airports on SE route so I checked Google Earth for potential emergency landing sites between Port Hardy and Ketchikan. This image shows a few that might be better than water or trees. If anyone who's flown this route has seen any of these spots or can suggest others, I'd appreciate the feedback.

tedwaltman wrote:The coast is great if the weather cooperates. Take your time. No offense, please, to anyone, but eApis and customs are not a big deal. Follow the rules and it is simple.
If landing Cordova land at the city gravel strip. You can walk to town from there. The #1 place to eat there is "Baja Taco."

New fuel option at Yakutat run by same folks who run the WW-II museum there. Decent diner on the field too. Avoid Gustavus.

Ted

Avoid Gustavus? I have no idea what you are thinking or referring to? Gustavus is a very nice stopover with an excellent( one of our own) members who will do whatever it takes to get you fuel and a meal. Hoping you are making some kind of inside joke


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slowhawk wrote:

tedwaltman wrote:The coast is great if the weather cooperates. Take your time. No offense, please, to anyone, but eApis and customs are not a big deal. Follow the rules and it is simple.
If landing Cordova land at the city gravel strip. You can walk to town from there. The #1 place to eat there is "Baja Taco."

New fuel option at Yakutat run by same folks who run the WW-II museum there. Decent diner on the field too. Avoid Gustavus.

Ted

Avoid Gustavus? I have no idea what you are thinking or referring to? Gustavus is a very nice stopover with an excellent( one of our own) members who will do whatever it takes to get you fuel and a meal. Hoping you are making some kind of inside joke


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Don't think I know tedwaltman but I can only assume he's been given the run around here for fuel. I'd be pissed too if that's the case. Atlantic Aero has had fuel out here for years but charged somewhere around 9.00/gal for AVGAS. Things are in motion to relieve that, but the process is slow. The local bulk supplier got the high hard one too, and has a couple thousand gallons of 100LL that's too old to sell. In the near future there will be a card lock and reasonable pricing. Also talking about stocking 91 unleaded, which is free of the corn squeezins here in SE AK. JetA is soon to be back on line, if it isn't already. I know the "new" truck is here.

Anyway, lots of hangar space, a ride, room, emergency fuel, whatever you need is here. Have a great trip.

coastalflyer wrote:I'm planning an Alaska trip next month and want to fly the SE coast if weather allows. My plan is to fly my 172S from the Bay Area to the Seattle area in early June, then check the webcams and forecasts on the coast, and willing to hang out in Seattle or Vancouver island for a few days. Once I have a good weather window, I'd take off for Ketchikan, probably stopping in Port Hardy, then hang out there for a good weather window to follow the coast to Anchorage, probably stopping in Cordova. I'm willing to do some of the flying in IMC but obviously looking for the best scenery. My thinking is that even though the coast route has fewer outs in case of engine failure, it has lower terrain and MEAs so there's less risk of CFIT or icing encounters. Plan B would be to take an inland route from Seattle if coastal weather is bad and plan C is fly commercial from SEA/TAC and cruise back to Vancouver. Any thoughts on this? If I can't fly the coast what would you recommend as an alternative route to PANC? Thanks for your input.

That's a good time of year, generally. I wouldn't count on not finding ice while IMC any time of year, so please be careful. Most guys I know who successfully do the coast are either in no hurry at all or get over the water and climb to 10K taking what's out the window. I'm a coward and not ever in a hurry so I stay over the road all the way to Prince Rupert then head for KTN. Make sure you use the radio at KTN, its busy as hell there. I'm fairly comfortable with the country after that. The Gulf coast is spectacular, keep to the right of the surf line just like driving a car. Anchorage has some unique airspace which I am not qualified to offer advice on so do your homework for that part too.

Have a great trip. If you need a stop at PAGS, let me know. 907-209-0514

I apologize for my Gustavus comment. I've been in there twice for fuel. Boh times there wasn't any available, and or no one around. So just no good personal experiences. Sorry...

The other key for the coast is to try to fly it at low tide. That way there are infinite emergency landing spots. You'll lose the plane when the tide come in, but at least you won't have to swim. Or at least it will be less likely...

If you're up for a short side trip, the old logging camp at the head of Bute Inlet has a very nice, smooth grass runway, Food and rooms available there too. I have a couple of YouTube videos from there online. It is a really neat place. There is a private paved runway half way up the inlet not on the charts. Some rich dude's place.

Once you get past Glacier Bay there are wide beaches to land. The strip at Yakataga is nice. Nothing there, but good stop to stretch. There are strips by icy bay too.

Google the 1959 (?) tsunami at Lituya Bay and check it out if you have time.

Ted

I've done both routes. If you go the inland route, there is camping on the strip at Quesnel, and it's an easy walk into town. Smithers fuel is only available during 8-5 hours, no self serve there. We are in Atlin (BC) in summer, just over the hill from Juneau and have a guest cabin if you end up going that way (best to email us a day or so ahead as we have no phone there). And access to fuel on the strip. Along the coast, a beautiful stop is Hagensborg, just east of Bella Coola. Nice little airport and beautiful scenery. A bit out of your way, though.

Greg

http://www.atmos.washington.edu/~ovens/ ... cp3+//72/3 This is probably the best weather site that I have found (I actually think someone posted it here on BCP) for the coast. I have flown the coast twice and it is really accurate for the big picture.

Went with plan B, flying up the trench, due to constant rain in Ketchikan. Cleared customs in Boundary Bay on 6/3. Nice airport, they loaned us a car overnight since all the rentals were gone, then we drove into Vancouver next day. Spent a night in Quesnel, then Whitehorse, before heading to Fairbanks, then a night of camping at Denali. Hint, if you land at McKinley strip (PAIN), cross the tracks and pick up the free front area shuttle (green bus runs 2x per hour). Will save you a walk to campground or Wilderness Center.
Made it to Merrill last night, and plan to do the 7-day cruise out of Whittier on 6/10. Hopefully, my plane will be waiting for me in Victoria on the 17th.
Will post photos and more trip details later.
Thanks to all who provided advice.

Pictures? Please?

Posted photos and discussion in Trip Reports section of this site.

https://backcountrypilot.org/forum/tag- ... aska-20830