central valley to Carson City NV

Scud_072

Scud_072

Pre-Flight
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Dec 23, 2013
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Ojai, CA
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Scud
Does anyone have a prefered routing from the central valley to Carson City?
Looks like PVF, TLV, then north along the lake shore then right over the Spooner Pass? Does that make sense or is there a better way. Planning my first trip up there....
 
When I did it (heading south), I went via overflight of Alpine (M45), Ebbets Pass and just south of Columbia (O22). There are a number of alpine meadows via this route that would serve reasonably well in an emergency.

I also had the luxury of being in a moderately-loaded 182, sucking on O2 at 16,500'.
 
Just follow 50 to South Lake and pop over by Minden. You can do it at 9,500.
 
Thanks everyone... very helpful (especially the link to the other thread) :D
 
John221us said:
Just follow 50 to South Lake and pop over by Minden. You can do it at 9,500.
Click to expand...

:yeahthat::yeahthat:

You'll have Placerville nearby and can turn a little early to cross near Alpine.
 
50 itself is mostly in a rugged river valley and offers little for emergency landing sites between Placerville and South Lake Tahoe. There are some emergency landing sites not far away, but then you'll be far from a road. 80 is MUCH better -- the interstate itself is on a ridgetop with few obstructions and lots of straight sections. It's also slightly lower and Donner Pass is quite wide. Can be done at 8000 in calm wind, but 9500 is better. Note that VFR altitudes are not required in the high country because you're less than 3000 AGL. Fly where the rising and smooth air is and @#$% the altitude unless it gets you too close to terrain or traffic.

Above 11000, you can fly right over Squaw Peak (and there is a VOR up there), but I don't recommend it in significant wind or on a hot day in a 172.

Note that radar coverage is not available in the Sierra high country except over Lake Tahoe and at really high altitudes. File and open a flight plan or it will take CAP many weeks to find you with 10,000+ square miles of search area.
 
I flew a C-172 out of South Shore for several years. 50 is fine if you're coming from Sac or south. As you climb, and I climb higher than John, you'll have gliding distance to Placerville for most of the trip, some pucker time as I call it before you can see the airport, then it's easy sailing on in. If you come from the north then by all means go up 80. Many people ignore the concept of having options. But many of us don't. But then we make judgement calls on how how many minutes of pucker time we're comfortable with. My limit is not many! For some is none at all.
And the best comment I ever heard on following roads, no matter how winding, is the ambulance will get to you a lot faster....I know, kinda doom and gloomy but true.
 
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