May 28, 2017 BC Coastal Mountain Flight
 

Flew down to Boise, ID just before Memorial Weekend 2017. Reason was to pick up my RV that was "stranded" there during a flight back to Alaska.

Purchased my RV-6 on-line. Through VAF was able to get a good pre-buy inspection done. Then during the last week of March 2017 I flew down by airline to get it.

After 5-hours for a PIC check ride (insurance qualification) I left Jackson, CA for Phoenix, AZ.

After visiting friends and relatives all over the western states, I headed back to Alaska.

1st attempt found me stranded in La Grande, OR due to 0/0 clouds and 45-mph winds. After 4-days was able to climb over some nasty weather, fly back to Boise, ID jumped on an airliner for the flight back to work. The RV was parked, until Memorial weekend for another attempt for the flight to Alaska.

During this time I met Rockwood here at VAF and he graciously volunteered to bring some tools so I could look the RV over. Spent an afternoon in the hot sun doing just that.

Saying my good-byes, flew to Burley, ID to spend the night at a friends and visit my sister.

Next day loaded up, flew to Gooding, ID (cheap fuel) before flying direct over the Idaho mountains to Arlington, WA for a fuel stop.

Left Arlington for Orcas Island, WA. Spent the night camping at the camp site there. Nice hot shower the next morning, fuel topped off, shaking the wings to get rid of air bubbles etc...

Around 8:45am took off heading direct to Petersburg, AK. Took several videos, but my normal photo camera was buried in a backpack behind the seat. No photos but here are a few videos of what the British Columbia coastal mountains look like from 12,500 ft on a nice sunny day.

Please note: flying and videoing at the same time means you don't get to look through the view finder to focus and center your subject; in other words what you see is what you get, these are raw videos that have not been edited.

Here is a video of a single day trip in my RV-6.

The first one posted is 414-Statute Miles from Petersburg, not quite half way.

here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HH7...ature=youtu.be

Best regards,
Mike Bauer

More Video
 

Another short video of the mountains. After viewing a few of these, note, keep showing the instruments and inside conditions.

Trust me, when flying over this kind of terrain, best to keep an eye on everything, every little tick better sound right, etc...

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH6m...ature=youtu.be

Best regards,
Mike Bauer

Back Near Civilization Again
 

The Skeena River w/ road to Prince Rupert, Canada. Getting close to Alaska, haven't seen any roads for along time.

221-miles before reaching Petersburg, feels great to almost be there with plenty of fuel left.

Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygYn...ature=youtu.be

Best regards,
Mike Bauer

Border Crossing: Canada to Alaska
 

Short video showing what it looks like when leaving Canada and crossing into Alaska.

Mention center on the radio. For this flight, had requested flight following. Great way to travel this part of the world. Helped to get Altimeter setting updates. One big advantage was knowing that the Comox, BC area where the Canadian Snowbirds Practice, was ok to fly over. No show today!

182-miles to Petersburg!

Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTqS...ature=youtu.be

Best regards,
Mike Bauer

44-Miles To Petersburg (PAPG)
 

44.4 Miles to Petersburg (PAPG), Alaska. 12 o'clock you can see a mountain with snow cap, Petersburg is in the valley nook you can see between the base of the snow capped and the slightly closer ridgeline to the water.

Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBur...ature=youtu.be

Notice it is starting to cloud up. A couple of more videos to go.

Best regards,
Mike Bauer

Crossing From Alaska Southeast Islands to the Mainland
 

Mt Crillon is the big mountain in this movie. Finally leaving the islands behind. Mt Crillon is a high peak of the Fairweather Range, the southernmost part of the Saint Elias Mountains.

Just about to mainland Alaska!

Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5mF...ature=youtu.be

Best regards,
Mike Bauer

More Video of Mt Crillon
 

Mt Crillon is a huge mountain. Mount Crillon drops 9,000 feet (2,700 m) in less than 4 mi (6.4 km) on both its north and west faces. It is part of the Saint Elias Mountains. Mt Crillon is located in Glacier Bay National Park.

Don't know how many downhill ski, but check those numbers against your favorite ski area!

This is a fairly long video, could not help myself, this mountain is absolutely amazing! As I pass on the West side, you can see the sunlit peaks to the East.

Mount Fairweather is the peak obscured in cloud to the North. Next video will show more of it.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCDT...ature=youtu.be

Best regards,
Mike Bauer

Fairweather Mountain
 

Fairweather Mountain is the highest mountain in British Columbia, Canada.

Flying along the West side with a close look at it.

Here is the Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lcc...ature=youtu.be

Best regards,
Mike Bauer

Fairweather mountain to Yakutat
 

Leaving Fairweather Mountain and almost to Yakutat. Will land at Yakutat, top the tanks off and fly across Prince William Sound to get to Kenai. Anyway that is what the plan is.

One last look at Fairweather Mountain.

Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UcJ...ature=youtu.be

After leaving Yakutat, the weather went bad fast, ended up at 2000' crossing Prince William Sound in and out of light mist. Carb heat was on the whole way, finally was able to fly through the pass at Portage. Once over Turnagin Arm, weather improved to 8500 bkn.

Was too busy flying in moderate turbulence to video any of the remaining flight from Hinchinbrook Island to Kenai (PAEN)!

Leaving the Arm and heading towards Kenai, hit 4G of turbulence, banged my head on the canopy!

24Kt with 30 kt Gusts direct 85 degree x-wind decided Kenai wasn't going to work, checked with Soldotna, AK (PASX) winds were down the runway at 12kt-decided to park there instead of Kenai. What a day trip!

Best regards,
Mike Bauer

Good memories
 

Enjoyed your short video clips very much Mike! What a great memories. Coastal mountains are spectacular this is my 2014 views of Mt Fairweather.










PS; There will be a clandestine operation north of your woods in July 2019. Three ships will be heading westbound toward ADIZ you are welcome to intercept. :)