Motosix. That is the route I'm looking at.

Thanks a ton for the generosity if I need to make repairs. I will definitely take you up on that if need. Much appreciated.

I have the rental car all arranged and will be waiting for me at Elite. I hope to be there by noon. Thats all depending on how close to there we spend Tuesday night. Wednesday I take the car and head to the hotel where our meetings will take place, returning to the airports on Saturday. No plan on my return route yet.... And no decision on Tuesday night yet.

robw56 wrote:Owyhee (28U) is an awesome spot to camp! You won't regret it if you decide to stay the night there.

Rob,
Do you know of any issues or procedures for using 28U? It's in the Saddle A MOA...... I'm trying to reach the state airport manager to check in but have not gotten through to him yet.

Thanks,
Jeff

lesuther wrote:The route SE of Saratoga by Foxpark is another option, and is more scenic than up north and it saves a little time. The Zirkels and Rawahs are a nice addition to any trip after leaving the beige Wyoming flats behind, and you'll get to see a good part of Rocky Mountain National Park to boot along the front range.

Everyone has their opinion, but lots of people scoot around to Steamboat or other places with no problems while staying down low and going around things. I don't think a person is going to run into any challenges with your equipment with good planning and good weather mornings with really low winds aloft (say, <20kts@12k). 12k' is plenty to get over Cameron in those conditions. If you get to, I doubt you'll regret the junket if you like scenery. If the weather doesn't cooperate, or you cannot get there early in the day, you could run all the way around it as mentioned. For some, skirting the edges of the foothills like this was the highlight of their first trip through the higher Rockies.

That's definitely the king of scenic adventure I'm hoping for. I like the suggestion. Thanks. If I can get there early on Wednesday morning I will take a look at that. It fits what I hope to see on this trip.
Thank you
Jeff

The Saddle A MOA is from 10,000-17999MSL and isn't an issue. Even if it went to the surface it wouldn't matter. There's no requirement to contact the controlling agency of a MOA to operate VFR in its airspace. There's no need to contact the state airport manager prior to going there either, although he may be able to give you current runway conditions. You'd probably have better luck finding the current conditions from someone on this site who has been there recently. It's been a couple years since I was there. The runway was a little rough in some areas and a few loose rocks, even with smaller tires you would be fine. I was on 26" AKBWs and a stock engined 170B.

There's some more info on shortfield.com although no recent PIREPS.

robw56 wrote:The Saddle A MOA is from 10,000-17999MSL and isn't an issue. Even if it went to the surface it wouldn't matter. There's no requirement to contact the controlling agency of a MOA to operate VFR in its airspace. There's no need to contact the state airport manager prior to going there either, although he may be able to give you current runway conditions. You'd probably have better luck finding the current conditions from someone on this site who has been there recently. It's been a couple years since I was there. The runway was a little rough in some areas and a few loose rocks, even with smaller tires you would be fine. I was on 26" AKBWs and a stock engined 170B.

Thanks, Rob.

I'm on 8.50's

You won't have a problem with 8.50s. Have fun and take some pictures! Also, if you don't want to pitch a tent, you can sleep inside the "Owyhee Hilton" there are spring bed frames in the shack. Just bring a sleeping pad a sleeping bag and a pillow and you'll be living large in backcountry luxury! Check out the pictures I posted on shortfield.com

Not sure what the weather is going to be, but another route is just fly I90 to Billings, and then make a right turn.
It's pretty easy way to get through the big rocks.
Nothing very high and good emergency strip all the way, Lots of places to visit along the way, Have fun!!

M6RV6 wrote:Not sure what the weather is going to be, but another route is just fly I90 to Billings, and then make a right turn.
It's pretty easy way to get through the big rocks.
Nothing very high and good emergency strip all the way, Lots of places to visit along the way, Have fun!!

I'm thinking about that as a possible return route
If the weather goes bad for plan A, it certainly could be the route to get there also.

Thanks,
Jeff

Alpina23 wrote:

M6RV6 wrote:Not sure what the weather is going to be, but another route is just fly I90 to Billings, and then make a right turn.
It's pretty easy way to get through the big rocks.
Nothing very high and good emergency strip all the way, Lots of places to visit along the way, Have fun!!

I'm thinking about that as a possible return route
If the weather goes bad for plan A, it certainly could be the route to get there also.

Thanks,
Jeff

If you have time, We are @82WN, (57Mile NW Spokane) stop by anytime, remember on the way back when you get to billings turn left!!, Also there is a nice little spot, 6S8, Laurel Mt just to the west, Usually in the past gas was way cheaper. Have not been there in a few years.
Have fun

If you are tying down here in Longmont, I can point you to the local eats and brew pubs. There are quite a few to choose from.

Alpina23 wrote:.....Our place is up the Satsop River valley a little north and west of Elma.
may do Port Townsend this weekend if I can fit it in. I need to get a delivery to Summer Martell. If she's not around, I'll be looking for someone to leave it with. It's a bee hive (without bees). I think it will fit in the plane
She doesn't know I'm planning this..... shhhhhh...

I just took a quick look for your place via satelliteviews.net, lots of potential airstrip pastures up the Satsop so didn't spot it.

If you get up here to PT, look me up. Everybody including all the waitresses at the Spruce Goose knows me . If she's not around, you can leave the hive with me, at Tailspin Tommy's if anyone's there, or probably even at the Goose. If I'm around, I can even drive you over to leave it at her house.

The main reason I remember Fred is that besides the unusual 340 engine in his 170, he had a cool little dome tent that you just twirled up in the air and by the time it hit the ground it had unfolded itself and was ready to crawl into.

hotrod180 wrote:

Alpina23 wrote:.....Our place is up the Satsop River valley a little north and west of Elma.
may do Port Townsend this weekend if I can fit it in. I need to get a delivery to Summer Martell. If she's not around, I'll be looking for someone to leave it with. It's a bee hive (without bees). I think it will fit in the plane
She doesn't know I'm planning this..... shhhhhh...

I just took a quick look for your place via satelliteviews.net, lots of potential airstrip pastures up the Satsop so didn't spot it.

If you get up here to PT, look me up. Everybody including all the waitresses at the Spruce Goose knows me . If she's not around, you can leave the hive with me, at Tailspin Tommy's if anyone's there, or probably even at the Goose. If I'm around, I can even drive you over to leave it at her house.

The main reason I remember Fred is that besides the unusual 340 engine in his 170, he had a cool little dome tent that you just twirled up in the air and by the time it hit the ground it had unfolded itself and was ready to crawl into.

Thank you. I appreciate that. I haven't figured out yet if I can fit the hive into the plane yet. I need to do that. I would really like to drop it off Saturday.

PM me and I'll give you my address to type into Google maps. The image will be before the runway was set up but you'll get the idea....

Alpina23 wrote:I've had SOOO much good input. I really appreciate it. I'm soaking it all in and studying the maps with the given suggestions. My intention was to camp under the wing along the way (two nights). With my lack of experience in this terrain, maybe thats unrealistic unless I can land at some of these suggested asphalt strips and pull off in the grass to camp. For example, I was considering 28U for first night, although its not very far along my trip. Might be better if I cover more ground instead. Still working on it......
Rest assured, I reading everyones suggestions and taking them seriously. Afterall, I do plan on this being a round trip

Cary, I was born and raised in Aberdeen and still work there. We recently moved out of town for better weather and room to have an airstrip at home.

Jeff

Marilyn says, "Go Bobcats!" and reminded me that she likes the Breakwater and Duffy's. I think we've eaten chowder at the Breakwater every time we've been out there together. Her dad was the track coach at Weatherwax for many, many years--Al Bivens.

On the Wyoming winds issue, a couple of years ago I had a hearing in Rawlins which was only an hour, so I thought it would be fun to fly instead of drive, then stop in Laramie on the way home to visit my grandkids. The hearing was at 1:30, and in a no-wind condition, from Greeley where my airplane is to Rawlins should have taken 1 1/2 hours via LAR and MBW. Winds weren't predicted to be significant--a bit like today, where the winds are only about 3-4 knots. So I arrived at GXY at 10:30 and was off the ground by 10:45--and arrived at Rawlins at 1:25! A 1 1/2 hour flight took 2 + 40! At times I saw less than 65 knots on the GPS! Wind on the ground at KRWL was 35 knots. Yet the ride was smooth all the way, just slow. Fortunately the Judge there is an old friend, and he only chastised me a little for arriving late. The winds hadn't let up later that afternoon, so the ride to Laramie was pretty quick.

I've flown all over Wyoming in pretty high winds, and seldom are they particularly turbulent, just blowy. That's not true as you head south from Laramie toward the Denver area, because the wind blowing over the rocks can cause a lot of turbulence. Certainly flying earlier in the day is easier than later in the day.

Cary

a rental car is very straightforward arrangement here at Boulder (KBDU) - they will drop off at the ramp and it will be waiting for you. The hotel, restaurants and entertainment options are far superior here in the PRB than either Longmont or Broomfield. We are now the last official airport without an enclosed fence around it keeping the unwanted people out!

Be sure and let us know when you will arrive - maybe we can grab a beer and have another impromptu BCP gathering at a local watering hole.

Oh, and my J3 leans automagically with the Stromberg.

Alpina23 wrote:I also think I'm going to take the recommendation to fly into KLMO, assuming I can get a rental car, which is my next call.

soyAnarchisto wrote:We are now the last official airport without an enclosed fence around it keeping the unwanted people out!

Not a single person at LMO can understand what that cluster of a fence is all about. We know what we are told it is for, yet still don't understand it. Possibly it is to keep K.Gibbs out...

soyAnarchisto wrote:Oh, and my J3 leans automagically with the Stromberg.

Some 65(?) years later and the current tech is just now starting to do the same thing. Gotta love the J3s!

I am all set up at KLMO. Rental car will be waiting for me at Elite.
I wish this trip offered more down time to socialize. It's amazing to me how quickly you can make friends on here by just asking for some input and flying to your neighborhoods.

Stay in touch on your way out. If the wx is good perhaps one of us could escort you up through Milner pass. A much more scenic route home through the Rockies than following I80 through Wyoming. Here in the front range - there is really just 1 pass to deal with to get over the divide - and then it's all downhill until Salt Lake City (almost). It will also set you up for nice flight on the western slope and some easy backcountry strips near the Utah border based out of Mack Mesa or Moab.

http://skyvector.com/?ll=39.71352535581349,-107.00628661658392&chart=301&zoom=7&plan=A.K2.KLMO:G.40.37605300795552,-105.48358153836283:G.40.43565919750565,-105.79394530791367:A.K2.KGNB:A.K2.20V:G.39.743309469939575,-107.06011962439983:G.39.60484172496692,-107.12603759315398:A.K2.KRIL:A.K2.10CO

motosix wrote:Not a single person at LMO can understand what that cluster of a fence is all about. We know what we are told it is for, yet still don't understand it.

Ha. I was told by a member of the board that I had to be the only person in the area who wasn't smart enough to see the point of the fence. I was also told animal incursions "..were an ongoing threat to the people that actually base out of here,and you would know that if you were based here." He was unknowingly standing in front of my hangar. So the intent of the fence was to keep the rampage of moose, grizzlies, musk oxen, and wildebeest off the runway.

It is nice to have a great airport just down the street though.

I plan to attach my spot link as soon as I figure out how
I would welcome company if anyone were to form up with me or camp with us

lesuther wrote:

motosix wrote:Not a single person at LMO can understand what that cluster of a fence is all about. We know what we are told it is for, yet still don't understand it.

Ha. I was told by a member of the board that I had to be the only person in the area who wasn't smart enough to see the point of the fence. I was also told animal incursions "..were an ongoing threat to the people that actually base out of here,and you would know that if you were based here." He was unknowingly standing in front of my hangar. So the intent of the fence was to keep the rampage of moose, grizzlies, musk oxen, and wildebeest off the runway.

It is nice to have a great airport just down the street though.

The "wildlife barrier" bull$hit was lofted at me as well. We have Otters on the runway; that is about as wild as the wildlife gets that I have seen the last few years. A WilgaBeast would be a welcome sight which may help bolster the "wildlife on the runway" stories. The only "incursions" I have seen lately are on clear weekend days when some refuse to listen/look and pull out in front of others on short final...I am not sure how the fence is going to help that one. I love the airport and hate the politics.

But wait - you are based out of LMO as well!? I'll swing by and introduce myself sometime soon if so!