Looking for opinions on a route

cmcgillen

Filing Flight Plan
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Jun 21, 2015
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I'm a hoping to get an opinion from those with more experience. I'm planning a route from KBDU-->KANK. I don't have much mountain training so as you'll see I'm trying to avoid the most dramatic terrain.

Here is the route

The plan is to follow a GPS flight plan from BDU to intersection GORJE, from there continue south until reaching Route 50/Railroad. Then I'd follow that into ANK. The initial VFR altitude would be 11,500 ft. The return trip would follow the same route with a 10,500 initial altitude.
 
Assuming you are VFR, you might want to consider descending to 10,500 when you turn west on the outbound trip. Reverse that on the return. Also, just to clarify, you won't be following the magenta line as it is drawn, right? You plan on following Rt. 50 to KANK? That is what I would do.

If you don't have much mountain flying experience, you may want to consider at least grabbing an hour of instruction at some point. On a recent trip from Utah to Colorado, I arranged a lesson focusing on short field and mountain flying while I was in Colorado. Considering gas, plane, and instructor, it won't set you back much financially, and you will thank yourself later. That is some wild terrain there.
 
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That route has you right over Lookout Mtn west of Golden. Depending on time of day and conditions there can be a lot of ultralight/powered/unpowered parachute activity and they can have a lot of altitude. They won't be up high early in the day, but look out in the afternoon.

There are some rough patches of terrain along the route south. I usually cross it more east-west rather than north-south. I also don't go that far south to make the right turn into ANK. On the other hand, some folks are reluctant to follow highway 285 southwest of Denver because of terrain. To each their own.

Turn the GPS off, look out the window, fly over the route that you think gives you the best options if the fan stops. Or don't. But moutain flying isn't about following a GPS course, it's about dealing with terrain and wind.
 
Also, just to clarify, you won't be following the magenta line as it is drawn, right? You plan on following Rt. 50 to KANK? That is what I would do.

Yea that's what I was planning. Also good point on the altitude changes. On a fairly calm day this should be a pretty tame route, and that's what I'm hoping for.
 
the terrain to Salida isn't that bad, you can go SW towards about morrison, hit kenosha pass and once you're in the valley it's wide open.

The wind at ANK can be screwy, I wouldn't shoot for the end of 24 but more 1/3rd down the runway. GREAT pizza at amica's.
 
Yea that's what I was planning. Also good point on the altitude changes. On a fairly calm day this should be a pretty tame route, and that's what I'm hoping for.


Two aspects of turbulence ---->
-- Wind
-- Thermals

just cause the sky is blue, don't lull yourself into thinking you can sit back with a Jim Beam unstrapped with your feet on the glareshield (anecdotal, of course). As one of my CFIs has stated --- the smoothest air is under a sheet of stratus --- all else, beware.

And remember --- there is turbulence (as in chop) and there are rotors.
Keep your belt fastened
 
Two aspects of turbulence ---->
-- Wind
-- Thermals

just cause the sky is blue, don't lull yourself into thinking you can sit back with a Jim Beam unstrapped with your feet on the glareshield (anecdotal, of course). As one of my CFIs has stated --- the smoothest air is under a sheet of stratus --- all else, beware.

And remember --- there is turbulence (as in chop) and there are rotors.
Keep your belt fastened

I understand, thank you. I wasn't trying to come off as complacent. There will always be turbulence in mountainous regions as long as air is flowing around/over them. I meant it would be more tame in terms of navigation.
 
I'd continue to the river and follow that to Alexander.
 
you said you have no mountain training, but coming off Boulder I'm assuming you're local, so I hope I don't offend when I ask if you've seen this before:

http://coloradopilots.org/mtnfly_passes.asp?menuID=100~100

I'm sure you know to check the winds aloft at peak height and avoid the rocks if it's 25 or greater (my personal limit is 20) also look for large gradients between altitudes aloft in the forecast.

What type will you be taking?
 
Looked like the Arkansas river when I checked the charts.

That's the one. It's at the bottom of a rather deep gorge not too far from where he's planning to turn.

Me, I stay to the north. Get into South Park Basin and have a nice cruise over to ANK. You're not directly downwind of some tall hills until you're at ANK that way.
 
Mountain flying always depends on your risk tolerance and the winds that day. If there are NW winds, your E-W leg is going to get the turbulent flow of that mountain. If you see clouds on the lee of the mountain, you may want to give it a bit wider of a berth before turning west.
 
Oy....

1) Lots and I mean LOTS of traffic on the entire west side of I-25. On the NW side of Denver, all the schools and airports (Boulder, Longmont, Erie, Ft Collins, Jeffco).

2) On the SW side of Denver, all the USAF Academy traffic.

3) Further south, all the DOSS (newbie USAF LTs) training out of Pueblo. They fly into Canon City all the time.

4) Almost no one is watching out the window!

5) Be on flight following as long as possible. But keep your eyes outside all the time.
 
Mountain flying always depends on your risk tolerance and the winds that day. If there are NW winds, your E-W leg is going to get the turbulent flow of that mountain. If you see clouds on the lee of the mountain, you may want to give it a bit wider of a berth before turning west.

Definitely correct on that. It's going to take a stern look at visible sat images and 500mb model forecast/analysis to decipher the conditions.

Oy....

1) Lots and I mean LOTS of traffic on the entire west side of I-25. On the NW side of Denver, all the schools and airports (Boulder, Longmont, Erie, Ft Collins, Jeffco).

2) On the SW side of Denver, all the USAF Academy traffic.

3) Further south, all the DOSS (newbie USAF LTs) training out of Pueblo. They fly into Canon City all the time.

4) Almost no one is watching out the window!

5) Be on flight following as long as possible. But keep your eyes outside all the time.


All very good points. Just curious, why do you say almost no one is watching out the window?
 
Was in there about 5 years ago. I went up the Arkansas river east of 1V6 (Fremont). Nice flight over the Royal Gorge. The River makes for a nice route. It's longer than direct but great views. Too bad you weren't there last week for The Fibark whitewater festival. I happened upon it by accident. Great fun at the downtown kayak center. The airport manager is great. There were some old police cruisers available for a few hours.
 
Definitely correct on that. It's going to take a stern look at visible sat images and 500mb model forecast/analysis to decipher the conditions.




All very good points. Just curious, why do you say almost no one is watching out the window?

Why would they, when the magenta line of death tells them where to go?
 
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