PIREP request: Eagle Lake, 5108' (Floats) and/or Spaulding Airport (1Q2) 5116'

I am thinking of flying South to California. I have flown the high desert before.

Have been there numerous times over the years. Last time was last year. Lake is low and a bit of a walk to the shore. Just across the street from the airstrip is a RV/campground/general store. Also has rental cabins. Reasonable prices. Air strip is paved and in good condition. Across the street from the N end of the airstrip is a newer log home. Owner is a pilot and very friendly to talk with. It's a good place to visit and walk around but, if you want to fish, with the lake being so low it is not very good most of the time right now. A 1/2 mile walk n/w on the paved road is another store/gas station.

Hawk wrote:Have been there numerous times over the years. Last time was last year. Lake is low and a bit of a walk to the shore. Just across the street from the airstrip is a RV/campground/general store. Also has rental cabins. Reasonable prices. Air strip is paved and in good condition. Across the street from the N end of the airstrip is a newer log home. Owner is a pilot and very friendly to talk with. It's a good place to visit and walk around but, if you want to fish, with the lake being so low it is not very good most of the time right now. A 1/2 mile walk n/w on the paved road is another store/gas station.

That's exactly what I wanted to read! Thank you "Hawk" for the PIREP. It's definitely a pretty place.

Lake was very low last spring when I flew by. I don't think there has been much rain to fill it over the summer.

GregA wrote:Lake was very low last spring when I flew by. I don't think there has been much rain to fill it over the summer.

Hi Greg: Thank you for the PIREP!

The below photograph is from Sunday. The water is low. However, it looked good enough to touchdown. The area is gorgeous (I love the high desert)

FYI the lake has a high alkaline content similar to pyramid lake and Walker lake in Nevada .We used to go there a lot when we had our amphibs on the 185 . Definitely worth splashing down in for a camp out . If the lake is too rough the airport is also a good spot to put up a tent.

low rider wrote:FYI the lake has a high alkaline content similar to pyramid lake and Walker lake in Nevada .We used to go there a lot when we had our amphibs on the 185 . Definitely worth splashing down in for a camp out . If the lake is too rough the airport is also a good spot to put up a tent.

LowRider: Thank you for the guidance! Great to know you had ops there! Also, I will do a good **wash and lub if I get there.

** Eagle Lake is definitely endorheic. Solids do no exit the lake and evaporation is a good way to leave salt and "Other" deposits.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_Lake_(Lassen_County) wrote:Eagle Lake is a lake at 5,098 ft (1,554 m) elevation[1] in Lassen County approximately 15 mi (24 km) north of Susanville, California. An endorheic alkaline lake, it is the second largest natural lake entirely in the state of California, United States.

I overflew a few weeks ago, and while low, there appears to be enough depth for a water landing and taxi to the campground and store on the south shore.

I have a place on nearby Lake Almanor with an empty mooring buoy. Depending on when you're coming, I hope you can stop by and say hi. Send me a message.

Plumas County requires float plane pilots to call the non-emergency sheriff's office number prior to landing on waters in Plumas County.

Pierre

Pierre_R wrote:I overflew a few weeks ago, and while low, there appears to be enough depth for a water landing and taxi to the campground and store on the south shore.

I have a place on nearby Lake Almanor with an empty mooring buoy. Depending on when you're coming, I hope you can stop by and say hi. Send me a message.

Plumas County requires float plane pilots to call the non-emergency sheriff's office number prior to landing on waters in Plumas County.

Pierre

Hi Pierre, good to go! Thanks for PIREP and invite! Definitely I envy your private seaplane base! Beautiful.

PPR with Sheriff...Do you have telephone number to call him?

Mahalo!

Just to be clear, Eagle Lake is in Lassen County, which does not have the same requirement to phone ahead. Almanor is in Plumas County, which does.

Plumas County Sheriff non-emergency number is 530-283-6302.

Pierre

Pierre_R wrote:Just to be clear, Eagle Lake is in Lassen County, which does not have the same requirement to phone ahead. Almanor is in Plumas County, which does.

Plumas County Sheriff non-emergency number is 530-283-6302.

Pierre

I was aware of Plumas being a separate county and the requirement of calling. Thank you. Lassen County owns-operates Spaulding Airport, (1Q2).

A while back on wheels I fueled at Rogers (O05). Flew South over Lake Almanor and noticed the fine estates onshore. Hard to forget how pretty it is.

Have you tried "Butt Valley" and or "Mountain Meadows" Reservoir?

Not yet. I don't think I would land Mountain Meadows. Too shallow and nothing there. Butt looks good though.

If you land west side of Almanor, you can beach (it is a coarse "beach", so if you baby your floats, you might not want to) next to Plumas Pines Resort. They have a good restaurant/bar with an outdoor dining deck and homemade desserts!

If you land east side, where my place is, I don't make desserts, but I'll offer a soda pop!

Pierre

Pierre_R wrote:Not yet. I don't think I would land Mountain Meadows. Too shallow and nothing there. Butt looks good though.

If you land west side of Almanor, you can beach (it is a coarse "beach", so if you baby your floats, you might not want to) next to Plumas Pines Resort. They have a good restaurant/bar with an outdoor dining deck and homemade desserts!

If you land east side, where my place is, I don't make desserts, but I'll offer a soda pop!

Pierre

Really appreciate you giving me the guidance. I like Coca Cola, will bring you a (6) pack

Pierre_R wrote:I overflew a few weeks ago, and while low, there appears to be enough depth for a water landing and taxi to the campground and store on the south shore.

I have a place on nearby Lake Almanor with an empty mooring buoy. Depending on when you're coming, I hope you can stop by and say hi. Send me a message.

Plumas County requires float plane pilots to call the non-emergency sheriff's office number prior to landing on waters in Plumas County.

Pierre

Very cool! I grew up on Lake Almanor (West Shore) but haven't been back in years. Need to get there again soon!

Kato

PM me when you're visiting.

We used to take our catamarans over to Eagle Lake and camp every year. We had a nice grassy area on the east shore (desert side of the lake). Felt like we were in Baja with the water color and the desert around us. The conditions were great for sailing, glassy water every morning, then the switch would flip and it would blow all afternoon, then die off just in time to cook dinner. The water has really dropped in recent years, there is a mud flat about 100 yds wide between the grass and the water now...sad to see. The lake is still very beautiful though, and there are still some nice beaches further west. Just be prepared for the afternoon winds, they come up fast and hard! Good burgers and a cool little store in Spaulding.

My buddy had a ski boat and I had a 22' sailboat. He had a home and dock at Stones (N. shore).
We would ski in the AM and when the wind came up about 1PM we would sail. Now the lake is so shallow there that I would drag the keel. It is better from Spaulding south still. It was always too far in the Cub on floats to get there before the wind.so I never did. Took the Citibria to Spaulding many times.
The Lake still has much to enjoy. I had a lot of good times there.

You're exactly right. Almanor is the same pattern: calm, flat water in the morning for rowing, standup paddling, or water skiing, frequent good stiff winds in the afternoon for sailing. Oh, and squeezing in a little floatplane flying now and again!

Decided to drive up to Lake Almanor and get a look at the beaches, coves, and Chester Airport. I have been to Chester, for AvGas, on conventional landing gear and flown over but, never had my boots on the ground.

It's a beautiful place. Definitely the upper class have a strong hold at the Lake. Above my pay scale. On the next trip to Torrance I will definitely do some touch downs and get fuel.

Below freezing this morning. Sea smoke on parts of the Lake look unreal. Note: lots of birds


Possible cove to moor a seaplane if winds from the North aren't to bad. Note: Mt. Lassen covered in fresh white snow.