Let'sgoflying!
Touchdown! Greaser!
Greg's thread about hiking the mountain motivated me to post yesterday's trip to Utah.
The desert SW is where my heart is.
Out Fri afternoon, back by 5pm Sat. (missed very little work)
Skirted a line from the PHX area extending across much of NM . Tops at 17500 sometimes, (I heard one guy bust Class A trying to top it; ATC said no big deal but don't do it again). Bases were on the mountains with heavy rain for much of it. I was able to stay below, above, between, or go around it with a lot of maneuvering. Headwinds too, yuk. Finally broke free of the line 100mi east of PHX, and was able to go direct to St George from there. Pretty inhospitable terrain along there to Flagstaff. Kept looking at 'best place to go' in great detail til some farm fields/pastures appeared.
Straight over the Grand Canyon, then into the 'new' *airport at KSGU. Typical new airport feel - out in the middle of nowhere, huge, tons of nice asphalt, new buildings, no tower, a full ramp, no indication where to park so just find a good one; there is a very active war aircraft museum which was flying a large variety of aircraft on both visits to the airport; very fine and capable FBO, good service. Rental cars good price. Sinclair self serve car gas on the field perimeter.
Stayed in Hurricane and left at 0530 to arrive at Zion Nat. park in the dark around 6:00. First shuttle to the trailhead. Bus was packed, a sign of what was to come; glad I was early. Hiked to the top of Angel's Landing. Great hike and incredible views. The chains make it accessible to almost anyone of reasonable mobility and fitness. Still they lose someone almost every year. There are a few places on the trail that catch your breath, unless you have Alex Honnold-like nerves. I hope they don't continue to make it more safe, more accessible; will they soon have a moving walkway with a glass barrier on both sides? -sheesh.
Ran down; done by 10:00. The crowds during descent was a bit of a challenge. Late October and early in the morning! I can't imagine what busy times are like. The line up for the bus at the visitor center at 10:30 was absolutely nuts.
Off by 1 and home by suppertime nonstop with a good tailwind and perfect skies.
My pics aren't as good as some of the YT ones....here is one if you wonder what the hike is like.
*I realize its been there some time but it's new to me.
The desert SW is where my heart is.
Out Fri afternoon, back by 5pm Sat. (missed very little work)
Skirted a line from the PHX area extending across much of NM . Tops at 17500 sometimes, (I heard one guy bust Class A trying to top it; ATC said no big deal but don't do it again). Bases were on the mountains with heavy rain for much of it. I was able to stay below, above, between, or go around it with a lot of maneuvering. Headwinds too, yuk. Finally broke free of the line 100mi east of PHX, and was able to go direct to St George from there. Pretty inhospitable terrain along there to Flagstaff. Kept looking at 'best place to go' in great detail til some farm fields/pastures appeared.
Straight over the Grand Canyon, then into the 'new' *airport at KSGU. Typical new airport feel - out in the middle of nowhere, huge, tons of nice asphalt, new buildings, no tower, a full ramp, no indication where to park so just find a good one; there is a very active war aircraft museum which was flying a large variety of aircraft on both visits to the airport; very fine and capable FBO, good service. Rental cars good price. Sinclair self serve car gas on the field perimeter.
Stayed in Hurricane and left at 0530 to arrive at Zion Nat. park in the dark around 6:00. First shuttle to the trailhead. Bus was packed, a sign of what was to come; glad I was early. Hiked to the top of Angel's Landing. Great hike and incredible views. The chains make it accessible to almost anyone of reasonable mobility and fitness. Still they lose someone almost every year. There are a few places on the trail that catch your breath, unless you have Alex Honnold-like nerves. I hope they don't continue to make it more safe, more accessible; will they soon have a moving walkway with a glass barrier on both sides? -sheesh.
Ran down; done by 10:00. The crowds during descent was a bit of a challenge. Late October and early in the morning! I can't imagine what busy times are like. The line up for the bus at the visitor center at 10:30 was absolutely nuts.
Off by 1 and home by suppertime nonstop with a good tailwind and perfect skies.
My pics aren't as good as some of the YT ones....here is one if you wonder what the hike is like.
*I realize its been there some time but it's new to me.
