Lake Tahoe CA

[Silicon Rallye]

My partner wanted to get some high altitude airport experience. It takes a little over an hour to get to Lake Tahoe from the SF Bay Area, so I decided to take him to TVL (6264 MSL) and TRK (5900 MSL) Airports. Lake Tahoe Airport has a good Cajun Restaurant and the weather was outstanding that day ... making it a very enjoyable flight.

I took quite a few pictures; here are just a few.

 

[Brian Austin]

Ah. You cheated. It was cold.

Seriously, try taking the same trip when it's mid-July or August and see what the difference is in your plane performance. It always amazes me how much DA can influence where I fly here in AZ.

Nice pics, btw.

 

[Silicon Rallye]

Ah. You cheated. It was cold.

Seriously, try taking the same trip when it's mid-July or August and see what the difference is in your plane performance. It always amazes me how much DA can influence where I fly here in AZ.

Nice pics, btw.

In July (Density Altitude 8500) .. off before the displaced threshold (2037 feet) and climbing at 500 FPM

 

[Brian Austin]

Been there in July (Density Altitude 8500) .. was off before the displaced threshold (2037 feet) and climbing at 500 FPM

Oh, I'm not saying it can't be done. I've flown out of Flagstaff (7500MSL, DA close to 10K) in August with no issues other than a LONG takeoff roll and sub-500fpm climb rate. It still worked, though.

My reason for saying that was for your partner to get a better idea of 'high altitude' airport performances in different conditions.

What are you flying? I don't recognize the plane in your profile pic.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

an hour from Tahoe. You guys in Ca are so close to so many neat aviation destination/sights.

 

[bbchien]

You are too, dave. Southern Rockies!

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

You are too, dave. Southern Rockies!

Yabut, Bruce -even with a fast plane, there ain't nuttin' within an hour of here.
Them Californians get the coast, the mountains, skiing, lakes, places like Big Bear, S. Catalina, Mojave, Death valley, Las Vegas, Tahoe, Sierra Nevadas and its nat parks. Fairly spectacular places.

 

[Richard]

Dave, temper what you said with the fact that this state is straight out of Alice Through The Looking Glass. M'gosh, don't get me started...it is very anti business though.

You do have some nice spots by you.

 

[Brian Austin]

Yabut, Bruce -even with a fast plane, there ain't nuttin' within an hour of here.
Them Californians get the coast, the mountains, skiing, lakes, places like Big Bear, S. Catalina, Mojave, Death valley, Las Vegas, Tahoe, Sierra Nevadas and its nat parks. Fairly spectacular places.

Or become neighbors with Michael Driggs in Lake Havasu. Right on the AZ side of the CA/AZ border, along the river. All of those places you mentioned are pretty much in flying distance of most GA airplanes with no fuel stops.

All the benefits of CA destinations without the CA taxes and high prices.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

I like hii; went there last in Feb and somehow missed Michael. The scenery there was pretty cool. It is handy to a lot of neat places and has great wx too.

 

[bbchien]

DAve, Dave, dave, that's what the Bellanca is for....

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

Yeay, Bruce. Then help me plan this one out... I want to go from my loc near El Paso, and stop in at Mountain Home Id (to see a friends F15-son), as well as Vancouver Is (to see dad).
I need to choose some must-sees along the way, including the area N of Co such as Yellowstone and Arches/Monument plus the Black Hills. All in a week.

 

[wsuffa]

Yeay, Bruce. Then help me plan this one out... I want to go from my loc near El Paso, and stop in at Mountain Home Id (to see a friends F15-son), as well as Vancouver Is (to see dad).
I need to choose some must-sees along the way, including the area N of Co such as Yellowstone and Arches/Monument plus the Black Hills. All in a week.

There's so much to see, that's a tough order. Some great trout fishing in Idaho - or if you don't fish, just rafting down the Snake River.

A couple of years ago (when I stopped out there to see you, Dave), I was headed up to Idaho. Lots of nice scenery & good places to stop. I spent a night in the Four Corners area, though the Santa Fe and Taos areas are beautiful. Telluride, Rifle, & Grand Junction are just off the route. There are a couple of (what appear to be) nice little dirt or turf strips up in SW Wyoming, and if you're on the east side of Idaho, the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and that area are definitely worth the stop. For fishing, there's a little grass strip on Henry's lake (saw a Seneca in there) just west of West Yellowstone. To the west (Utah) is Bryce and the Zion National Park. And Petrified Forest in northern Arizona.

The problem won't be finding stuff to see, it'll be deciding what you want to see.

 

[jkaduk]

Yabut, Bruce -even with a fast plane, there ain't nuttin' within an hour of here.
Them Californians get the coast, the mountains, skiing, lakes, places like Big Bear, S. Catalina, Mojave, Death valley, Las Vegas, Tahoe, Sierra Nevadas and its nat parks. Fairly spectacular places.

He he he he...

 

[wsuffa]

He he he he...

Then again, Californians live on a plate margin. There ARE advantages to being anywhere but.....

 

[Michael]

Or become neighbors with Michael Driggs in Lake Havasu. Right on the AZ side of the CA/AZ border, along the river. All of those places you mentioned are pretty much in flying distance of most GA airplanes with no fuel stops.

All the benefits of CA destinations without the CA taxes and high prices.

ACKK!! SHHHH...Its a secret!

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

Yeay, Bruce. Then help me plan this one out... I want to go from my loc near El Paso, and stop in at Mountain Home Id (to see a friends F15-son), as well as Vancouver Is (to see dad).
I need to choose some must-sees along the way, including the area N of Co such as Yellowstone and Arches/Monument plus the Black Hills. All in a week.

Flying north, if you can swing up the Snake R./Hells Canyon, Memaloose (25U) at just under 7K with gravel and an incline is one of my favs for practicing in high DA. We like to takeoff launching out into the canyon for the instant altitude benefits, but in a fully loaded SkyHawk on a hot day, may be flying in ground effect the whole airstrip.

Memaloose still PIX: mountainflyingvideos.com ...in photo galleries

 

[gkainz]

...plus the Black Hills. All in a week.

Dave, talk to me about the Black Hills when you're ready - I grew up there.