Speaking of passes, one needs to be aware of what the )( pass symbol means on the Sectionals. It does not mean "low point; good place to cross." Instead it just points out the place and direction a road crosses the pass.
There was an excellent traveling seminar some years ago on reading charts. Complete with photos of what a pilot might see after crossing some of these marked passes. Beautiful from the standpoint of view. Not so much from the standpoint of options in a light plane.
My favorite pass line when doing mountain training:
Pilot: But the chart says the pass is over there.
Me: Well, would you rather cross the pass in the narrow spot between those two peaks or the wide flat area over there?
