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Help with trip planning

D

Dorfie

Well Known Member
We are set to depart on our trip the the Grand Canyons this Friday afternoon. Both still working in the morning, planning to get to Guthrie (KGOK) by end of day. Will spend the night with our son, then leave in the afternoon to Albuquerque area, which is a distance that is doable and leaves not too long a leg the next day to Sedona.
First question: We do not particularly want to spend the night in Albuquerque, so we are looking for suggestions of nice places within about 100Nm of that area.
Second question: We plan to fly the next day to Sedona, but would like to stop and see the petrified forest (or whatever is worth seeing). The closest airfield is Holbrook. Can we get transport from the airfield (P14) to Petrified forest? Is it doable distance and time wise? Is it worth it? What is the minimum time needed to see the petrified forest?
We would like to spend the night and next two days in Sedona. What are the best things to do/see while at Sedona?
From Sedona we plan to go to Bar 10 (1Z1) for two nights. What are the best things to do/see at Bar 10?
We will not have time to go to and sleep over at UT25 (Goulding lodge) as we hoped to, but plan to fly that direction upon departing (just to see the area) next Friday. Is it worth the effort/distance? Monument Valley seems so beautiful from the pictures posted here!
We would like to be within about 300Nm from Wichita Friday night. Any suggestions where to stop for the night on our way to Wichita? (We will fly close to same southern route going from Albuquerque to Sedona for terrain clearance...that is my impression looking at the charts). I cannot get much above 11500 msl.
Any suggestions, advice very welcome.
Thanks.
Johan
 
KAXX

We have skied at Angel Fire, NM, which is 102NM NE of Albuquerque. It is a beautiful location. The resort is 2.5 miles from the airport. Link to the resort is on Airnav. I just checked rates and it is fairly reasonable at $117 per night.
 
I've been to over 50 National Parks and Petrified Forest is probably my least favorite (been there twice). Not much to see, although the Painted Desert is pretty. If you want to see petrified wood, Holbrook has many shops that sell the stuff.
Near Flagstaff is the Sunset Crater and Walnut Canyon National Monuments that are very nice. Should be easy to get a car in Flagstaff.
 
My son and I stayed at Bar Ten (1Z1) just a few weeks ago. The lodge is completely self contained. They rely on solar power and a diesel generator (only runs in the late afternoon for A.C.). Water is clear, tasty, and cold from a local spring.

A commuter plane flies in once a day to bring rafters in and take rafters back to Las Vegas. A helicopter also comes in to ferry the rafters up and back to the river, so there's quite a bit of traffic from about 8am til noon, then things settle out for the rest of the day. I spent some time talking to the pilots while passengers were being sorted out. Great guys, and they were very interested in the RV-7. They gave me great info about Marble Canyon, where we planned to fly the following day.

There is nothing for miles and miles and miles... So your options while at Bar Ten are
  • Breakfast - best scrambled eggs I've ever had!
  • Skeet and Pistol shooting
  • Horseback rides
  • Quad rides
  • Hikes up into the foothills
  • Cards or Billiards in the main hall of the Lodge
  • Reptiles/Lizards/Snakes etc in the "zoo"
  • Afternoon history lesson at the "original" ranch house
  • Helicopter ride down to the Colorado River
  • very tiny museum of history at the Lodge
  • Read about the history of the various pioneer trails (each Conastoga Wagon is named after a trail and has a placard with it's history)
  • Dinner (best BBQ steak I've ever had!)
  • Evening campfire hosted by the staff
  • S'mores after the staff go to bed
  • Star gazing - there's absolutely no light pollution!
  • Sleeping in a Conastoga Wagon!

I think you'll have a great time there! Bring along a good book and leave the cell phone behind (there's no cell service, no internet, and no phone!)
 
My son and I stayed at Bar Ten (1Z1) just a few weeks ago. The lodge is completely self contained. They rely on solar power and a diesel generator (only runs in the late afternoon for A.C.). Water is clear, tasty, and cold from a local spring.

Thanks Scott. Your write-up got us sold on Bar 10 and is probably our highlight of the trip and looking forward staying there. It seems central. Is it OK staying in the "wagons"? Not too hot/cold? Where are the bathroom facilities from them? It seems we can make early morning/late evening flights to check out the area easily. Correct? Gas available? Can we fly the canyon corridors from Bar 10 easily?
Thanks.
Johan
 
Where to stay in Sedona?

Any suggestions where to stay in Sedona? Sky Ranch was featured in the Santa Fe trip write-up. Seems we will need a car while in Sedona?
Thanks.
Johan
 
Sedona

I wouldn't want to stay in Albuquerque over night if I had a choice. Maybe San Fe would be better, they have more of a tourist type crowed. It is a little cooler there and they tell me that the shopping in Old town is nice. There is not much east of Alb., Or west for that matter. South is White Sands Missile range probably don?t want to fly down there. I think San Fe would be a nice place to stay. Although if you do spend the night in Alb. take a trip up the Sandia Peak Tramway and eat at the High Finance Restaurant at the top of Sandia peak. http://www.sandiapeak.com/

If you are planning a stop in Sedona a Pink jeep tour is a must. They take you out into the desert in these pick jeeps and show you all the desert life and sights of the Red Rock area. I am not sure but I think you can arrange pick up at the airport for there tour. http://www.pinkjeep.com/ I think I would skip the Petrified Forest unless you have your heart set on it. It?s very hot there this time of year. Maybe take a ride from Sedona north on 89A to Slide Rock State park. It is one of the most beautiful drives in Arizona. I have done that drive on my motorcycle many times and it is always a joy to do. I hope this helps.
 
Dorfie said:
Is it OK staying in the "wagons"? Not too hot/cold? Where are the bathroom facilities from them? It seems we can make early morning/late evening flights to check out the area easily. Correct? Gas available? Can we fly the canyon corridors from Bar 10 easily?
Thanks.
Johan
Click to expand...

No fuel available at 1Z1!

Wagons are very comfortable. We had our own sleeping bags and just rolled them out on the bed, but the lodge provides bedding if you need it.

Restrooms are about 30 feet away from the wagons. Modern restroom facilities and private showers.

Make sure you get the Grand Canyon VFR sectional. I picked mine up in Sedona. Minimum altitude is 10,500 while flying the corridors. Can you get your plane that high?

Enjoy!
 
sky ranch

we stayed at sky ranch in june and loved it a five min walk from airport would stay there again
 
planning

Your statement that you can't get much above 11,500 concerns me. ABQ has had record high temperatures for the entire month of Aug. You really need to rethink your entire plan with a goal of ending the days flying no later than 1100 local.
at 1635Z Sedona is 90 degrees. The Sedona runway will look VERY short at 90 degrees. Flagstaff has a longer runway but at 7,000' the density altitude will be 10,000' by 1000 local.
The only places I know to get rental cars are ABQ, Gallup(expensive) and Flagstaff. I am not familiar with Sedona.
PLEASE be very careful about any runway less than 7,000' with your stated performance. Consider limiting your fuel as much as practical, especially on the shorter runways.
 
Your "afternoon flying" is a red flag. Not just because of density altitude but thunderstorms as well.

I suggest checking a site like this over the next few days to see if there are any negative trends

http://www.aviationweather.gov/adds/radar/

Monument Valley is a nice place to visit but you can find more things to do in this part of the country than you have time for.
 
Thanks

Thanks for all the input. Santa Fe seems a better choice to overnight. Any specific place to stay/dine in Santa Fe? It will just be an overnight stop. We plan to fly two long legs first two days, then shorter legs in canyons area. While my suggestion of flying early morning or late afternoon was aimed only at sight seeing/photography, no plans to challenge the weather. We will probably end up doing so many things that we will end up flying from one accommodation to next and sight see/photograph while doing that. Is it fairly straight forward flying from Gouldings to Page to Bar 10 and to Sedona as long as you stay ouside the demarcated special rules areas, and when inside follow the corridors? I got my special VFR map of GC today. It seems that flight outside of the indicated areas of special rules is same as other uncontrolled VFR flight?
Thanks for all the concerns about a/c performance. I am well aware of effects of density altitude and had a good look at the POH. Per POH I will need 2707 feet of runway at 40C and 8000 press alt at gross weight. I have a new engine (100hrs) and we will be well below max weight. I was somewhat tongue in cheek when I mentioned the a/c performance, it was compared to RV's performance! It is not that bad and have cruised at 11000. Be assured, I will take environmental conditions into account.
Once again, thanks for all the ideas and suggestions and the fantastic trip write-ups.
Johan
 
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