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08-16-2009, 01:49 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 102
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Boulder, CO to San Diego
I plan to fly from PA to Boulder within the next two weeks and after a few days in Boulder on to San Diego. I am looking for suggestions as to the best route through the mountains, Boulder to San Diego. Ideally I would end up with three routes, northern, southern, and direct, that will give me options based on weather. I am a mountain flying neophyte so safety will be my biggest concern. I do plan to fly with an instructor while at Boulder.
Paul Eckenroth
N509RV
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08-16-2009, 02:26 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Corvallis Oregon
Posts: 3,547
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I fly to Fort Collins from Oregon
And take the low route round the Rockies at Laramie.
I would go direct but I always get there around lunchtime which means thunderheads are building over the Rockies so the low route pretty much keeps me out of trouble.
Don't know if that will work for you or not?
Frank
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08-16-2009, 02:45 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Murchison, TX
Posts: 9
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Paul,
I'll be interested in the post of other RV folks. I'm still building my 9A, but have flown from the western slope to the Denver area and back a few times in a light sport. The winds in the Boulder area can be really bad. For that matter, the east slope can be windy. If you want the "easy way out", I'd fly south to Raton NM and then cut west between Santa Fe and Albuquerque.
Other possibilities to get across the divide are Carona Pass near Boulder; or go south of Monarch Pass to Marshall pass (both near Salida, CO); then toward Gunnison/Montrose. Of Course you can go to Wyoming also.
In the past three weeks I've been turned back by bad weather twice. The mountains can be very beautiful, but they deserve a lot of respect in a small plane. "They" teach mountain flying because it's got a different set of problems/challenges than flat land flying.
I have a "Colorado Aeronautical Chart" from the Colorado Dept of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics in Watkins, CO. If you can get one of those, it may help with your route.
Good luck and enjoy the beauty of Colorado.
Harmon
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08-16-2009, 03:56 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,275
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The Raton/Albuquerque path is a good one. If you want some minimal exposure to mountain flying (OVER as opposed to in the valley), consider Boulder to COS to 1v6 to ANK to GUC to MTJ then towards San Diego as terrain permits.
Note that these are just close airports and you would fly as required to stay away from alert areas, restricted areas etc.
I am assuming that you want to stay at 10,500' or lower...and minimize time at 12,500' and above.
Flight following may get you through some of the many restricted areas out west.
Will the instructor take you to Leadville?
AOPA has an online mountain flying course than you may find useful. Two biggies: Learn to lean your engine and land and take-off using essentially your normal airspeed. The main hint here is not to use groundspeed as a reference since it will be higher than you are used to.
Last edited by Ron Lee : 08-16-2009 at 03:59 PM.
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08-16-2009, 05:38 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Davis, CA, USA
Posts: 540
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bullet point
as a point of reference....
I've flown a Cessna 152 from Colorado Springs to Death Valley via a southern route.
C-springs --> through la veta pass --> Alamosa --> Farmington --> Grand canyon --> Las Vegas --> Furnace creek
The only tall things to cross were at La Veta pass. I flew it at 12,000.
once through there it drops down and pretty much flattens out into W-i-i-d-e valleys. Lots of open space.
The other hills were between vegas and Furnace creek, but they seemed so small compared to the front range.
Almost the same route on the way back except, I stopped at Page, AZ instead of Grand Canyon.
I couldn't get flight following through Colorado because you need to be higher than 14,000 to get picked up on radar.
Enjoy.
__________________
Jeff Caplins
California
RV7 N76CX
(started: Feb 2002 --> Completed: May 2016)
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08-16-2009, 05:42 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Fowler, Kansas
Posts: 162
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The I 80 route or I 40 route would be preferable to direct. Last time I looked the direct route would take you over lots of high rough country.
__________________
Steve Edwards
Southwest Ks. (MEJ)
RV8 200hp cs
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08-16-2009, 06:44 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Posts: 778
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Southern route
I would lean toward the southern route if you're going to San Diego and want minimal risk. Either the northern or southern routes permit you to stay over or within gliding distance of valley bottoms most of the time, good for peace of mind.
When I fly out west I try to be done by early afternoon because it tends to get rough (thermals and/or wind). In Colorado you can set your watch by the 3 pm thunderstorms.
__________________
Alan Carroll
RV-8 N12AC
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08-16-2009, 07:19 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Huskerland, USA
Posts: 5,862
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Head towards Las Vagas, New Mexico (KLVS) and hang a right. That takes you just north of Albuquerque. Stay to the north of Phoeinx, AZ and contact SOCAL approach after you cross the mountains. Make sure you plan on doing a touch & go in Death Valley. The only place you'll land where you are BELOW sea level. Best safest route, IMHO.
__________________
RV-7 : In the hangar
RV-10 : In the hangar
RV-12 : Built and sold
RV-44 : 4 place helicopter on order.
Last edited by Geico266 : 08-16-2009 at 07:26 PM.
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08-16-2009, 09:06 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 102
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Thanks
Thanks for all the suggestions and advise. I will plot the various suggestions on the map and have it with me in Boulder to review with an instructor. The mountain flying instruction at KEIK involves flying to 4 - 6 airports in the mountains which should give a good background for handling my trip.
If any additional suggestion, send them on.
Paul Eckenroth
N509RV
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08-16-2009, 10:41 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 497
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Not quite...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Geico266
...Make sure you plan on doing a touch & go in Death Valley. The only place you'll land where you are BELOW sea level...
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Not quite... while you're in Southern California... you can come to my neck of the woods - the desert resort communities from Palm Springs to La Quinta - and do below sea level (-115') T&G's at KTRM - It is a short hop from KUDD Bermuda Dunes and my back yard.
http://www.airnav.com/airport/KTRM
 DJ
__________________
Still in research & dreaming phase - Wanting a Low-wing TANDEM LSA!!
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