Maybe I’ve just been busy but it seems like its been a bit of a slow for winter flying pics on BCP? I never contribute much and really enjoy all the pics so I thought I’d start a late winter thread, share some photos and create a little enthusiasm for upcoming spring flying, backcountry adventures. Please feel free to add your own pics from the winter!

The start to winter flying here was pretty slow. In typically west coast weather fashion, we had a good 6 weeks of low ceilings and storms in the mountains with very few VFR flying days. February and March however opened up into some amazing weather making for some nice pics.

Hunting for a spot to camp on a cold weekend overnighter. 8000’ elev doesn't feel like it looking up at the remaining mountain on top.


Sun rising on a cold plane and pilot, -26C.


Warming up the old girl in the morning sun after a snow shoe with a cup of hot soup.


Ready for a day of flying.


Apparently other people get sick of looking at pictures of the Scout all the time, I don't understand.


Doesn't look it in this sheltered parking spot but it gets pretty wild and wind lippy up here, shit skiing too but nice terrain for a snow shoe.




A hard morning slog snow shoeing, decent effort!


Look close, some talented locals with huge balls doubled sled's up the backside of this guy, dropped the peak and rode the spines to the bottom, super impressive, no room for error there!


Setting up for a day of touring and snowboarding.



Looking back at Rogue on a sunny afternoon setting up for a steep climb after a long morning touring. I was thinking, "I only come out here to fly why the hell aren't I flying, the planes just there, we went straight past it".


Not a bad day for it though, on the other hand its a good day to be flying as well!


Snowboarding with a view of the old girl, doesn’t get any better than that.


Sunday afternoon at 4pm, suns going down in an hour, smart move dickhead!


A night of snow shoeing and we’re good to go. Lesson learned, don’t leave your tent, pre-heater, covers and rations at home even if its just a casual afternoon flight!

No skis, but maybe this is close enough to count...

Awesome! Looks like that windblown stuff was a little rougher than indicated by the smooth surface. Challenging and fun, great post.

Nice photos! Looks like lots of fun, well, except for the snowshoeing, but that comes with the territory.

What skis are you running? Look kind of like Airglas GLH?

Thanks for sharing.

MTV

The severe lack of snow down in my corner of the state, along with family obligations, has kept me off the snow this year. But I did get out to the EAA fly in this year. A banner day for me!

That be Alaska? Sweet pictures. I have yet to camp out while ski flying, too big a pussy, and have not HAD too yet. I carry everything needed though all the time.

Awesome post! Thanks for sharing.

Not Alaska; Canada but both are beautiful, thanks for sharing

Mapleflt

rw2 wrote:No skis, but maybe this is close enough to count...

Hell yeah it is! You've gotta have the heavens align to get any ice flying in around here, looks awesome!

mtv wrote:Nice photos! Looks like lots of fun, well, except for the snowshoeing, but that comes with the territory.

What skis are you running? Look kind of like Airglas GLH?

Thanks for sharing.

MTV

They're old fixed Kehler 3000's MTV, similar shape to the GLH's I think, aluminum construction. I really struggled trying to find a set up that worked for me and nearly gave up on ski flying, a lot of your ski flying posts and discussions helped a lot to figure it out, so thanks for that! I really need straight ski performance when getting deep, up high and or sticky which is a lot of the time here but straight skis were a bit skinny and a total pain in the ass to get in the hanger. Also they cut the season really short when the snow in the valley disappears and it's still awesome up top for months. This style of ski allows me to deflate the tire and slide a plug in cut to fit the exact size of the wheel penetration for straight ski performance, no compromise apart from being a bit heavier. In a couple of minutes I can pull em out, air up and roll back in the hanger. Once the snows gone in the valley I can either stick to areas and conditions where wheels hanging out is no problem or transition with the plugs at a lower elevation somewhere above the snow line if I need the performance. It works amazing for me, but I don't know much better either.

courierguy wrote:That be Alaska? Sweet pictures. I have yet to camp out while ski flying, too big a pussy, and have not HAD too yet. I carry everything needed though all the time.

British Columbia, Coast Mountains, Canada. Closer than AK if anyone planning a trip from the south wants to save gas money and support our tourism! Invest in the best sleeping bag you can get then buy two is the only advise I got.

Chris In Marshfield wrote:The severe lack of snow down in my corner of the state, along with family obligations, has kept me off the snow this year. But I did get out to the EAA fly in this year. A banner day for me!

Better a couple of great days than parked in a hanger for the winter, looked like great conditions in the vid. You need to venture North with that bad boy, looks like a great set up!

Yesterday. Deep fluffy pow.

Squash wrote:

Yesterday. Deep fluffy pow.

Sweet photo, Greg! Beautiful snow....

MTV

Rogue wrote:

mtv wrote:Nice photos! Looks like lots of fun, well, except for the snowshoeing, but that comes with the territory.

What skis are you running? Look kind of like Airglas GLH?

Thanks for sharing.

MTV

They're old fixed Kehler 3000's MTV, similar shape to the GLH's I think, aluminum construction. I really struggled trying to find a set up that worked for me and nearly gave up on ski flying, a lot of your ski flying posts and discussions helped a lot to figure it out, so thanks for that! I really need straight ski performance when getting deep, up high and or sticky which is a lot of the time here but straight skis were a bit skinny and a total pain in the ass to get in the hanger. Also they cut the season really short when the snow in the valley disappears and it's still awesome up top for months. This style of ski allows me to deflate the tire and slide a plug in cut to fit the exact size of the wheel penetration for straight ski performance, no compromise apart from being a bit heavier. In a couple of minutes I can pull em out, air up and roll back in the hanger. Once the snows gone in the valley I can either stick to areas and conditions where wheels hanging out is no problem or transition with the plugs at a lower elevation somewhere above the snow line if I need the performance. It works amazing for me, but I don't know much better either.!

Good strategy. Those kinds of conditions are common (great snow conditions nearby, but little or no snow where the plane lives) so good on you for persevering and finding a way to make it work! Looks like a nice setup. And Scouts actually have some cabin heat.

X 2 on the sleeping bag comment. Winter camping does build character I’m told. But if I get much more character, I could be a real asshole.....or so my wife suggests.

Thanks again for sharing your adventures.

MTV

Good stuff Rogue!

mtv wrote:Sweet photo, Greg! Beautiful snow....

MTV

Strange. Does everyone see the photo abnormally rotated?

I should have given photo credit: Josh Overturf

Squash wrote:

Yesterday. Deep fluffy pow.

Right on, that's a beauty shot! Tail and belly right down in there, awesome. Maybe I do need to plan a trip to AK.

Squash wrote:
Strange. Does everyone see the photo abnormally rotated?

I should have given photo credit: Josh Overturf

Just delete the original from originalphotos in the URL, should be the right way round above. We all need friends nice enough to hang out in the cold and take photos, nice work Josh!

mtv wrote:X 2 on the sleeping bag comment. Winter camping does build character I’m told. But if I get much more character, I could be a real asshole.....or so my wife suggests.

Thanks again for sharing your adventures.

MTV

Haha so that's what people mean when they call me a real character!

Great post, Rogue. Nice shots. jealous here as usual.

You're on my list of ozzicanucks to visit.

It's a short list.

Sunday afternoon at 4pm, suns going down in an hour, smart move dickhead!

So did you stay warm by spending all night stamping down a departure path? Plane looks a little frosty too. Tough to be learning it all at the school of hard knocks, but you’re enjoying the outdoors like very few others on the planet. And the rest of us can live vicariously.

Any advice on turnarounds? Some say to drag a double length if you have the room, like at Thomas Lake, then come around and land short in your tracks so you can takeoff again without turning around. Heard it’s easy to get stuck in the turn - no different than mud or sand.

I spent five years flying a DH6 north of 60 on skis, as the season dictated. While it is a much heavier airplane its always wise to cool off the skis and then stop on your own tracks for the departure, it will mitigate the risk of adhesion.

Mapleflt

It's good to see another snowboarding skiplane pilot! I logged 2.5 hours ski flying today, and almost exactly the same time boarding, it makes for a very satisfying day.

Great to see you out Rogue. We'll have to meet one day. I'm across the rocks near Grande Prairie AB.
I'm sure missing my old 7GCBC with the nice winter flying we've had this year...