Trip Planning Advice Request.

[wirejock]

Mike, another thing. Parts of Colorado experience a monsoon season during the summer. I think its more common on the Front Range (East side of the Divide). Our area sees it July-September. Mornings are beautiful. Clouds build during the day and rain falls about 2pm. Then it clears and evening is cool. It happens every day up here during the season. Check the weather patterns for the area of interest.

[C. Brenden]

You'll love Durango and the surrounding area. We visit every year. We rented a home via VRBO and were very happy - lots to choose from. I've flown into both the airpark and DRO. We had the Doubletree pick us up from the airpark (about .5 miles) unfortunately they went to DRO looking for us!
Eat at Poppy's for lunch. Great sandwiches and soup.
Lady Falconburgh's is a great bar/restaurant. Huge selection of beers and good food. The black n tan soup is awesome.
Homeslice is a hip little pizza place that is lots of fun.

[Mike S]

Originally Posted by wirejock

Mike, another thing. Parts of Colorado experience a monsoon season during the summer. I think its more common on the Front Range (East side of the Divide). Our area sees it July-September. Mornings are beautiful. Clouds build during the day and rain falls about 2pm. Then it clears and evening is cool. It happens every day up here during the season. Check the weather patterns for the area of interest.

Yep, aware of that. My wife lived in Denver in a prior life, and has fond memories of the summer thunder storms.

[RV7ator]

Mike,

If you've any option, avoid early-June through August when the mobs descend upon the Four Corners/San Juans. Personally, I prefer September/October but you do get leaf peepers; at least the baby strollers are home.

Animas Airpark works.

The D&RGW is a good ride. This train is largely down in the Animas River canyon. If you want more open vistas but still a spectacular ride, do the Cumbres and Toltec RR. We landed Taos, rented a car and drove to Chama, bused to Antonito, train to Chama, drove back to Taos the next day.

Silverton's interesting but so is Knott's Berry Farm. You can visit there on your way to Ouray. Unless you're into trinkets and dust catchers, the tourist trap stores get boring quick. Once you've see one old mining town, the others are merely variations on a theme. The scenery is the show. Want some fun? Take your rent-a-wreck over the Ophir Pass from Hwy 550 and eventually reach T'ride. It's a rocky jeep trail a higher suspension sedan can drop down east to west since you're just modulating the brakes over boulders. Won't make it the other way. Or just rent a Jeep.

Then circle back though Mesa Verde/Durango.

Leadville Airport's no big deal; plenty of pavement, wide open approaches. Simply a bucket list item.

John Siebold
Boise, ID

[flyinmonque]

.....last two weeks of September are some of the best flying on the West Slope. You can have days with great flying all day long. Summers can get quite bumpy sometime as early as 10am. The leaves will be changing! That's a special time to fly in the Rockies. Mesa Verde has some canyons outside the park that can be flown. (fly down not up) The north west corner of the state has some must sees too. Dinosaur National Monument, Flamming Gorge, North way into Leadville takes you past Beaver Creek, Vail area, along the Gore Mt's. Then there's the Canyon country West of Grand Junction down to Moab, circle the La Salle Mts. Don't miss Monument Valley on your way to Colorado either. It's just west of the Four Corners, minuets by RV. Can spend a vacation flying, only car rental is at Mesa, take your time and stop and walk a lot there. Every little pull off has something to see. Gunnison is a good central location to base out of. Out the FBO door and your in downtown. Flight to Aspen then North along the Flat Tops, then into Steamboat Springs for lunch. After lunch north to Steamboat Lk. pick up the Little Snake river west to Dixon. Then continue west to Flamming Gorge. Could even camp out there for a night.
I suggest you stay on the "BAD" side of the Rockies. Unless you want to see lots of people.
Other than Mesa Verde you don't need no stinkin' car. More money for av gas!

[pauldan181]

As others have suggested, flying into Telluride is a must. You can stay in the Ski Mountain Village reasonably cheap in the off season and ride the gondola into town for free. No worries about driving or parking after a night out. I happened to be there last fall during the Blues and Brews Festival, the ramp fills up and hotel prices tripled for that weekend so check ahead for any big events.

The staff at the FBO were great and the scenery is unforgettable. The photo is not my RV but I would have no issues flying my 8A there as long as the weather was good.

[rotoiti]

I stopped overnight in KDRO last October when I was bringing my plane over to KPAO. It was beautiful.

The route:
KDRO->KCDC->KTPH->NIKOL->FRA->KPAO (SkyVector link)
took us over the Monument Valley, Colorado River Gorge, Mono Lake, close to Yosemite and of course Central Valley It was magnificent, the weather was fantastic -- severe clear and not even a bump during the whole route.

Here are some pictures from that trip: http://goo.gl/R6nVz9

[mchargmg]

Mike,

I agree that fall flying in Colorado can be really great. Don't forget the southern part of the state. When you get to Leadville, make sure you venture south a bit to KAEJ and KANK. They are just down the valley, and really worth the visit. Both have courtesy cars, with lots of good places to eat. Gunnison is just to the west over Monarch pass. Monarch is high, a real mountain pass. I check the winds aloft, and if over 20 kts, just wait for another day. You can get bounced around hard up there when the wind is blowing. We you come out drop me a note, we can go to lunch somewhere.

cheers

Geoff

[rjbob]

You've gotten many really great suggestions!

If you're considering a southern route, you wouldn't be disappointed with a stop in Sedona.

Love Placerville. I have ferried dozen's of aircraft Alaska to/from Placerville for Joe Stancil.

You're going to have a great time on your trip!

[Mike S]

Originally Posted by rjbob

You've gotten many really great suggestions!

Yes, we certainly have. All really good "food for thought" to help plan this trip.

We are still months out, but have learned the importance of getting all the ducks trained to march early on in the project.

Originally Posted by rjbob

If you're considering a southern route, you wouldn't be disappointed with a stop in Sedona.

Not this trip, gonna have to wait for another time. It is on the bucket list for sure.

Originally Posted by rjbob

Love Placerville. I have ferried dozen's of aircraft Alaska to/from Placerville for Joe Stancil.

I was based at PVF for 20 years, know Joe and Doralee well, their hangar was across the taxiway from mine.