We’re planning a VFR flight from Oregon to South Carolina at mid-May, returning mid-June. Previously, we have crossed the Rocky Mountains up North around Rogers Pass and down South by El Paso.

This trip we would like to cross around Salt Lake and Denver. I would enjoy hearing from the assembled knowledgebase your route recommendations and suggestions of places to visit along the way.

Leadville is kind of cool... highest airport in the US.. you get a certificate when you land there

Around the SLC area he best place to cross is the Bear Lake to Kemmerer/Rock Springs Wyoming route. Not to high and can be crossed in a minimum of time. Wyoming is high and at times a bit of wind . Choose your crossing time carefully.

If you want to hit it early in the morning, you can stay the night in Buhl, Twin Falls or Pocatello. Buhl has mogas,Twin is the largest town and has shuttles to a few of the hotels.

The described route crosses https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornado_Alley. The central US has extreme tornados (more than most areas) that time of year. Be careful when/where you fly/tie-down in the Plains and traveling eastbound etc. Getting in a hangar is always better.



Being flexible adds safety to an itinerary.

Good storm prediction site: http://www.spc.noaa.gov

You can cross the Wasatch Mountains at Parley's Canyon, just east of Salt Lake City. The elevation at the pass is 7150', so get your altitude early (do NOT try to out climb the canyon!), and plan to cross at about 9500' or above. Early in the day is best, because if the winds pick up like they often do later in the day, it can get pretty bumpy, like in awful!

Then follow I-80 eastbound all the way to Laramie. That will take you past Evanston, Rock Springs, Rawlins, and Medicine Bow. Don't turn south until after you pass Elk Mountain east of Rawlins, in other words, don't try to take a short cut by turning southeast sooner than that. If you're not familiar with the country, it's easy to get discombobulated. At Laramie, you'll continue southwards essentially along US 287 over the ridge to the south and on toward Fort Collins and Denver, if that's where you want to go.

What sort of sight-seeing are you interested in? I know Wyoming and northern Colorado well, but everyone's interests are different.

Cary

From Salt Lake go direct to Laramie... Done it a bunch of times and it's really no big deal.

Send me a message if you want to talk it through!

Jim

Travelling east - I'm a little more comfortable recommending some of the higher passes - if the wx is reasonable. Look at Milner or Rollins passes coming east out of Grand Junction. The divide is a one and done affair with spectacular scenery. And you have outs to the north with much lower terrain as an out to the north of Kremmling.

Soy x2.

Telluride is a nice easy diversion in good weather if you want to go that far south. Really high DA, and a small landing fee, but if you book ahead online, you can get a rental car for 30 bucks or so for a day of sightseeing. Crossing the mountains from there to Eagle/Kremmling/Rollins is one of the best views in the lower 48. It will make the rest of your trip pretty ho hum by comparison.

Consider joining many of us at the Mack Mesa fly in May 20-22 (just outside of Grand Junction). They join up as we fly, weather of course permitting, back over Rollins Pass. If weather is really favorable other options too, i.e. Leadville (Mosquito Pass; Kenosha Pass). 18V generally has least expensive gas around once on the E side of the rocks.

Try to include Leadville as an overnighter, well worth it. Silver dollar Saloon is where Doc Holiday shot his last man, and they will point out the chair where he was sitting. Also Quincy's Steak and Spirits is worth the dinner, they only have two items, prime rib and sirloin, and there will be locals and such lining up early evening for them to open, quite a treat. If you even say the word chicken, they will berate you.

Silver Dollar Saloon



Inbound Leadville, 9,927 elevation from the south

soaringhiggy wrote: ... Wyoming is high and at times a bit of wind . Choose your crossing time carefully. ...

Haha, "a bit of wind" I'm laughing out loud at that one!

I've been pummeled there many times.