We are doing this trip, and need float plane base suggestions and or route suggestions from folks that know...but I came to backcountrypilot anyway.

...but I came to backcountrypilot anyway.

I am sure that will get u lots of help A Bush Pilot with your experience should have no trouble finding your way to SEA.......

If you get lost and are heading into BC, give me a heads up.

Actually we are ferrying it up to Homer, so we will be coming through BC. "but I came to backcountrypilot anyway" was a joke, my sense of humor is a little dry, but my girlfriend always understands me.

I heard Victoria is outstanding, but can be a little tricky for newbies.

you may get different advice depending on whether you take mogas or not.

garth

The stretch from the eastern border of ND through eastern Montana is the tricky part, and there is essentially only one route available.

Best bet is to plan fuel on the Missouri River at Bismark. I believe the fuel trucks will meet you there, I can get more specifics.

Next fuel stop is Fort Peck, MT, on the Fort Peck Reservoir. There's a marina there, and I also have a friend there who'll assist.

Then, Fort Benton, MT, just north of Great Falls is the next stop.

From there, you're going through the mountains, and there are lots of options from there on. Seeley Lake, MT, or Polson, MT on Flathead Lake, then over to Couer d Lane or Spokane on the river adjacent Felts Field.

It's a long ways across between some of those points. And, most of the Missouri River in that part of the world is now officially closed to seaplane operations EXCEPT for those specific places, so don't plan on landing just anywhere along there to refuel from cans.

Fort Benton can be a little tricky depending on river levels--it can be a little shallow, and the wind doth blow throughout that country.

It can be done, but SPA really dropped the ball on this one, by refusing to participate in the Missouri Breaks National Monument EIS process, which closed a couple hundred miles of the Missouri to seaplanes.

Need more information, send me a PM, and I'll give you names and phone numbers of a few folks along the way.

MTV

Let's get to the important stuff.
What are you flying?

206 with aux wing tip fuel tanks, gives 108 usable. Garmin 430 and get this...an autopilot! MTV thanks for the info. PM inbound.

The trip so far.

We picked up N77206 a 206 on Aerocet 3500L up by Duluth MN, and ferried it down to Minneapolis.

First stop was Surfside Seaplane base just north of Minneapolis. Nice base, nice people $5 to take the plane out of the water overnight, and 100ll on site. They let us use their van to go into the city for the night.

Bismark ND was the next stop, landed on the river below the southern-most bridge and met the local Bismark Aerocenter's fuel truck at a marina, next time I will go to Fox Island boat ramp since there are 15' poles all around the docks at the marina which was a stomach turning endeavor in a new (to us) airplane. They charged us an additional $50 for off airport fueling, I think next time I will just ask for 5 gallon cans instead of the truck. The sand bars are easily seen from the air so it was pretty easy to find a channel to land on. Lot's of boaters came around to see the plane, it was kind of fun being the center of attention.

Fort Peck Mt was next stop. Landed below the dam on the river, sound exciting but it is more like a lake there, very large and deep. A guy there brought over 100ll in 5 gallon cans and let us spend the night at his house, we got to help herd cattle too. This leg had long stretches of no place to land a float plane, just part of the adventure I guess.

Next stop was longest leg so far into Coeur D'alene ID, we had plenty of fuel so we passed over Ft Benton which was a planned stop. The river there looked good from the air. Our leg was 4.5 hours, About halfway into the mountains there was an overcast layer around 6000' so we dropped into a valley on the east side of the ridge next to Flathead lake and followed it north and around south to Flathead lake. We flew towards its southern end and followed a river into the lake north of Coeur D'Alene. The lake is huge with an easy landing. Brooks Seaplane base had 100ll. Nice guys, great asian restaurant across the street.

CDA into Seattle wind was really blowing and we got down to 39kts ground speed. We flew up the Snoqualmie pass into Seattle and landed at Kenmore. Kenmore has 100ll and costs $25 per night overnight.

We are waiting for the registration to arrive so we can go north, it should have been ready yesterday but alas it didn't show up on the fax. On a no wind day we have the range to go direct to Ketchikan, but we would only have a half hour reserve....bold, or old? we are opting for old.

Since we are here anyway, we are going to fly to the San Juan Islands for the night.