Hello Backcountry Pilots,
Just a few pictures from this weekend.

James

courierguy wrote:Right down the ridge from my place, a site I landed on skis this winter, and before the grass grows 4' high decided to hit it again. Green on green

Very cool pic!!

James, is that big Bar??? Didn't do too well fishing there last summer... Did see a pretty big rattler that I almost stepped on though....

This was last week, but we flew up to Wyoming for a job and on the way back we flew over Kings Peak - the highest point in Utah. It was pretty bumpy and the winds were picking up so we didn't stay long. Here's a picture or two -

A buddy of mine and I rent a plane from Maui Aviators. We went out with the instructor for about an hour and got checked out then came back, dropped off the inst and went back out. We flew along HUGE 3000ft cliffs (largest in the US I think), saw gorgeous waterfalls, and hit 3 different islands in about 1.8. I'll try and get some pics up here. We even dropped down to about 200 AGL, (yes legal) to see some shipwrcks up against the beach.

The real shocker was coming back and seeing the bill. We asked ahead of time how much it would cost to fly a 172. They said $164 per hour. Well, sort of........ They wait until you're back and start checking out to tell you that it's $164 hr (dry), plus $32.90 hr for fuel, plus $70 hr!!! for "instruction", and $19 hr for insurance. Our total bill for 2.8 hrs of flying was ..........$744.52!!!!!!! Ok, I get it, flying is expensive, but a I would have really appreciated someone there taking the time to be upfront about the cost. The instructor was more interested in getting back ASAP so he could make his next appt (blonde), and I really don't think we spent 2 hrs with him but whatever.

Overall, had a really good time and saw some of the prettiest flying I've ever seen, even coming from Alaska. I would have appreciated some up front pricing rather than this last minute oh by the way pricing. I posted below the links to my Flickr page if you want to check out the pics. You can either click on each one or just scroll through the photostream.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikandkass/4692205610/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikandkass/4691564843/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikandkass/4692205610/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikandkass/4691554217/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikandkass/4692187638/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erikandkass/4692174822/

Those are the first Maui pictures I have seen on the site. They are great. The cliffs are magnificent. Being and inlander, I have never flown over open water, was that a first for you? Also I thought you flew way too close to the
bamboo.

Tick,

Were those seacliffs on Molokai??? If so, some of them (seacliffs) are supposedly 4,000ft down to the water and the highest on the globe. Ive only seen them from up high-

I had a chance to fly with Maui Aviators back in 2006 in their banana yellow C172. They musta changed things, their rates were wet back then. However there was a little sticker shock when I paid at the end But it's just money right

Wish I could find some of my pictures, the best way to see the islands! Especially those cliffs

Tick, I did that over 10 years ago. That check-out instructor screamed at me after my second T&G landing. Coming in over the water and touching down on the numbers both times. He said, "it's a GD 10,000 ft runway, use some of it!. If the engine quits, we become shark bait." He wanted me to touch down half way down the rwy.

I also had friends splitting the cost. I remember that you had to do blind call reporting at given points. We were whale watching and I called our N number at 50 feet. Some girl came back on the radio, "did you say 50 feet" in such a way, I knew we were too low. She said minimum was 500 feet.

Hidden Splendor

actually the cost of renting that plane in Hawaii isn't all that outrageous when you compare it to the rental rates for cars and motorcycles over there. But looking at it another way it's more than the round trip air fare from San Diego to Hawaii..think I might look into the Helicopter companies for a custom flight to compare... Don't think I'll be renting a 172 when I go next May...

Washed my plane today by flying through the spotty rain showers and puffies in the Willamette Valley today. Very pretty and not too bumpy. Reminds me that flying in so-so weather is fun, too.
tom

was out working on the plane and watched this Avenger land.


That big radial sure sounds sweet.

Last night, went and knocked some rust off in my buddy's PA-12 over at Goose Bay. His nice gentle plane and big bushwheels sure are forgiving, but his brand new bungees sure ain't! Too busy with throttle and flaps to take pictures, and all you would've gotten was the light misty rain draped over the mountains like a soft wool blanket falling from the clouds at 6000, and all the small drops running up the windshield. Trading favor for favor, I was landing from the front seat this time, and I still couldn't see the threshold panels or where the gravel began from weeds and grass when on final, from all the drops that collected on the windshield when I pulled the power back!

If any FAA types read this, I'll have you know Birchwood ASOS was reporting ten mile visibility! I'd guess three miles myself, most directions, with a few ten-mile visibilities down below the virga and between the heavier showers. It was plenty, as we weren't headed anywhere fast, and there was plenty of light this close to solstice.

Cle Elum, WA with a fellow kitfox Builder to do some touch and gos.

tcj wrote:Cle Elum, WA with a fellow kitfox Builder to do some touch and gos.

Heard a rumor the Cle Elum field got a fresh coat of asphalt and some upgrades. Hows it look?

The Cle Elum runway and exit ramp are completely rebuilt. They just ended the off ramp paving without fixing up a paved parking area though. I would walk it first if pulling off or onto the pavement with a nose wheel airplane. As you can see there is a drop off on the edge of the exit ramp. The grass parking seems to be well kept.

Looks nice! However I wouldn't want to accidently leave that runway at a high rate of speed....

Went up to Sullivan Lake this weekend. I couldn't get there friday as I would like to have since the girlfriend got off late so instead we flew to Electric city (3W7) and stayed overnight on the camp site they have on the north side. Which by the way was pretty nice, see the pictures! Then on Saturday morning we flew up to Sullivan lake, set up camp, inflated the new canoe and went fishing. (Also if you fish there take a red wedding ring if you want to catch anything) The strip was awesome, it has a campsites with running water, fire pits and picnic tables. The center has practically no goefer holes, but watch out on the east side of th strip. Also the strip is really 1900ft long, not the 1750 as published. Its not the most isolated area since there is a campground on both sides but the lake & location are awesome! Anyway here are a couple of pictures, I highly recommend Sullivan lake or for a not so backcountry place, electic city!!

Camp parking at Electric City. Pretty nice area right next to the lake

View at 3W7 to the west near the runway


Approaching Sullivan lake from the south




View looking south

All set up and having a good time enjoying the sun on the East side!

Looking north from the southwest side of the strip

Flew to Bear Lake (1U7) for the weekend with some friends who have a cabin there. Not necessarily back country flying, but fun none the less.

Bear Lake at sunset -


While I was there I did some extensive searching for a supposed backcountry strip called J-Lazy-M Ranch (ID04) and determined that it does not exist. It's supposedly on the western shore of the lake near the utah-idaho border, but all I could see was cabins. If anyone has any other info on this strip, I'd appreciate it!