Best route: Flying in to NorCal area from the East?

eshazen

eshazen

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Eric
Hi Folks-

After my very successful cross-country flight from Boston to Los Angeles last summer (photos), I'm hoping to move my daughter to Berkeley for school in the fall by Cherokee (coronavirus willing). Looking for some route advice. Would like to stop in Casper, WY, so mainly concerned about the route from Casper to the Bay Area. Prefer not to go to oxygen levels.

Looking forward to hearing of others' experiences.
 
IFR or VFR? Stop in Salt Lake City or not? Tahoe? Shortest route or lowest? What's your top altitude?
 
IFR capable. Last trip stopped in Ogden (N of SLC) which was nice. No special interest in Tahoe. Prefer not to carry oxy so 12000' or below. Would like to find a route with 2000+ terrain clearance. Shortest route not so important.
 
May not be able to create a route with waypoints and such, definitely the look-out-the-window-avoid-big-rocks. I'm sure you've noticed that the DOD owns a very large part of Nevada and Utah. Large areas that are low belong to them.
 
Indeed. Just been flying around Tahoe in the Google Earth flight simulator (quite a useful planning tool!) If we are blessed with clear skies and light winds it would be do-able looking out the window.
 
This is what I would do. From Casper, go direct to Moab. Spend some time flying above Arches and Canyonlands, then cruise down Lake Powell (Lake Powell has informal flight rules and frequencies due to aerial tours) to Page. From there, follow Colorado river and see Horseshoe bend, Little Colorado river canyon, then Grand Canyon. From the west end of GC, you can go to Henderson to refuel (maybe even hit the Strip). From Henderson, go to your destination by avoiding the Sierras to the south.
 
There is no route across the nation that can't be done VFR in good weather. Got a rock in the way, go around. :)
 
Honestly, CPR-OAK can almost be done direct at 10500 and meet your requirements (of course, you'll need a fuel stop).
 
MountainDude said:
This is what I would do. From Casper, go direct to Moab. Spend some time flying above Arches and Canyonlands, then cruise down Lake Powell (Lake Powell has informal flight rules and frequencies due to aerial tours) to Page. From there, follow Colorado river and see Horseshoe bend, Little Colorado river canyon, then Grand Canyon. From the west end of GC, you can go to Henderson to refuel (maybe even hit the Strip). From Henderson, go to your destination by avoiding the Sierras to the south.
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Yes! Did this last summer, beautiful route! I was going to LA though, going that far south is a bit out of the way since I'm headed to the SFO area.
 
N1120A said:
Honestly, CPR-OAK can almost be done direct at 10500 and meet your requirements (of course, you'll need a fuel stop).
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Yeah, well, I'd be skimming above 10000' mountains S of Tahoe. No thanks, I prefer to have 2000' between me and the rocks if there is any wind at all!
 
eshazen said:
Not a bad idea. Have you ever done it? In what aircraft?
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I have flown along I-80 from Truckee (TRK) to the Bay Area. Donner Pass is only 7,088 MSL. I did the part in the mountains VFR so that I wouldn't have to climb too high, and then I picked up IFR in order to get into the Bay Area. One thing to watch out for is that high winds across ridges can create strong updrafts/downdrafts and turbulence.
 
Palmpilot said:
I have flown from Truckee (TRK) to the Bay Area. Donner Pass is only 7,088 MSL. I did the part in the mountains VFR so that I wouldn't have to climb too high, and then I picked up IFR in order to get into the Bay Area. One thing to watch out for is that high winds across ridges can create strong updrafts/downdrafts and turbulence.
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Thanks, that's helpful.
 
Pick days with high ceilings, low winds(especially head winds), land before noon, follow roads(bigger better than smaller), as many airports along the route as possible, take plenty of water and stay hydrated.
 
eshazen said:
Yeah, well, I'd be skimming above 10000' mountains S of Tahoe. No thanks, I prefer to have 2000' between me and the rocks if there is any wind at all!
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That's why I said almost. If you're VFR, you shouldn't have any issue accomplishing what you want with only minor deviations.
 
pdonahue said:
Casper direct to Rock Springs then follow I-80 the whole way.
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Eldorado said:
Pick days with high ceilings, low winds(especially head winds), land before noon, follow roads(bigger better than smaller), as many airports along the route as possible, take plenty of water and stay hydrated.
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Pretty much it in a nutshell. Rock Springs to Ogden/Salt Lake, then to Wendover, misses the restricted areas, mostly follows I-80. Following I-80 from there, with perhaps a few obvious corners cut, more like V32 and/or V6 airways, keeps you nearer civilization (relative term for Nevada!), sets up to avoid big military airspace. No real reason to route otherwise unless there's something specific you want to see, or weather pushes you off line.
(but, really, for the full Berkley experience, shouldn't this trip be done in a purple 1964 VW Bus?)
 
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