Advice Flying into KWYS & KGPI

[RV8A-Aviator]

All:

I am planning to fly from KRAP (IFR) into West Yellow Stone (KWYS) & and from KWYS to Glacier National KGPI in our RV10 and am looking for advice on preferred IFR routes. Any advice and learnings would be appreciated. I have studied the IFR & sectional charts, and it looks like IFR at 14K & 15K, so O2 is a must, but there look to be some VFR routes at 10K, so I am looking for some local knowledge from those who have gone before me.

Thanks.

Mark Steffensen

[deek]

Use MSO as a waypoint and then fly up the West side of the Mission Mountains to FCA. You'll have much less turbulence and the view along the Missions and Flathead Lake is spectacular.

[Bill.Peyton]

WYS is easy from the south. Fly the victor airway that follows hwy 80 at 12K then head north once past the Rockies to Pocatello then to WYS. When I flew to glacier, I flew the victor airway to Missoula the north over flathead lake into Glacier. I believe the MEA is around 12k feet. I have no idea what the route looks like between Glacier and WYS.

[RV7ator]

Where are you based, RV8A-Aviator?

John Siebold

[pitman]

I fly into west all the time always stay south go over targhee pass thats between Henrys lake and wys the highway is straight under you then turn north to Ennis then to whitehall staying north east of tobacco root mtns then you can cut over mtns to Seeley lake fly valley up to glacier park Travis

[RV8A-Aviator]

I am based in the Atlanta area at KCNI and will be departing KRAP to KWYS and then to KGPI. I am asking just to gain local knowledge and best practices in the mountains, also I have never flown in the area.

[RV7ator]

The tip-off was "IFR". You don't do IFR if it's IFR in the mountains. Where you're going a whole bunch of pilots would sell their first-born into slavery for the opportunity, and ATC's involvement is undesirable and unnecessary; VFR and enjoy the scenery. Oxygen not needed. Shut off the synthetic vision and terrain alerts. Fly in the a.m.

From Rapid City head toward Dubois, WY, 8,500 is plenty high (do fly around the taller terrain or pop up as necessary!) then climb west up the Wind River towards Jackson Hole. 11,000 gets you over the divide easily and the highest you'll need fly the whole trip. Head north from Jackson to West Yellowstone. Tremendous scenery.

For GPI, fly towards Ennis then northwards to find the interstate (I-90?) and more or less follow it to Missoula, turn right up the Flathead to GPI.

Depending on your mode for adventure, cross some mountain ridges west of WYS towards Hamilton (6S5) then north down the Bitterroot to Missoula.

Enjoy. You've a capable airplane. Look outside. If it's all too much, from RPD go D Bozeman, then follow the I-way.

John Siebold
Boise, ID