Camping in California Sierras

[NorCalSim]

I got to thinking about starting a shuttle service in the Sierra Nevada's. There are 3 or 4 local airports I could pick up at and return too. We have some pretty cool camping at both rivers and lakes. Hiking, gold panning, fishing etc, Foothills and Higher altitude. Possibly a houseboat rental on a lake. Right now it's just an idea.

Wonder if there would be enough interest.

 

[Sac Arrow]

Frankly I don't see a market for it. Pilots that would fly in to local Sierra airports will do so in their own planes or rentals. Non-pilots aren't going to charter a plane just to go to the Sierras for camping, and if they would have the money and inclination, they would probably just do so from the closest airport that offers such service.

(Or are you talking about a ground shuttle service based in the Sierras?)

 

[NorCalSim]

Yes it would be s ground shuttle service and recommendations on where to camp. I worked for the US forest service so I know a ton of places, how to get there. Some are even 4 wheel access only.

 

[olasek]

Yes it would be s ground shuttle service.

Ooops, for a moment I was thinking it was going to be an air shuttle...
Very good idea but I have no clue how big customer base would be. I could be a potential customer too... You could advertise in "Pilot Getaways".

 

[Goofy]

Sounds like a great idea. Most of us aircraft owners are looking for places to go that have transportation. That is the biggest problem with owning a plane. Most places we fly to are walking to the restaurant or hotel or.... anything else is just not in the cards. Some of us have folding bikes and can pedal several miles to the cool stuff but many don't.
Advertise some more and don't be disillusioned by the naysayers.

 

[CaptLabrador]

Well I did just have to drive a group who chartered luxury suv's from sf to take them from river rafts to the local airport to take a king air home. Worked a 10 hr day for an 8 mile drive. After doing that anything is possible.

 

[John221us]

I would be interested. My main problem is finding spots that you don't have to reserve a month or more in advance that are worth going to. Because of work, a lot of my trips are last minute.

 

[NorCalSim]

it sounds like there are a few interested. Maybe I'll put a site together. What I would like to do is take pictures of the sites and area's people could go and stuff. I'll talk to my partner and see what we can come up with.

We do this for a couple now. They drive to a lake, we take them to a remote location by boat and make one trip dropping off supplies, water and whatever else they need then come back and get them and they drive home. Been doing that for around 6 years and they seem to love it. It got me to thinking about pilots.

 

[John221us]

Also, some of the higher altitude airports are out for my plane in the summer or at least I would have to go light and leave early.


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[Palmpilot]

You might want to ask Rex at http://www.obar11.com/contact-us-2 for advice about how to set it up. He is a member of this board, and set up van service in the Little River/Mendocino area. For the purpose of meeting state requirements, there apparently was some advantage to setting it up as a charter service.

 

[NorCalSim]

Higher altitude can still be done, adds about a half hour of driving time is all.

 

[tylerkhn]

A lot of church camps are up there, that in itself would be a market. Not sure where in Nor Cal you are, but the central valley would be a good market. Great roads in/out of the parks, you have Chandler, Yosemite Int'l, Visalia, and Bakersfield as airport hubs. If I was still living in Fresno, I'd probably be a regular customer.

PS: If you want some testimonies, I know some pretty sweet off the grid Mt Bike trails / hiking trails in Kings Canyon

 

[NorCalSim]

I'm close to Sacramento. I know of one really great hiking trail to lakes and wilderness area. The pacific crest trail runs through one the area's fairly close which is beautiful in it's self. I've been thinking about a lot of places to go that are within traveling distance anywhere from .5 hours to 6 hours. I think it would be fun.