On May 15, 2:52 pm, scronje wrote:

Crossing those rocks would seem to exclude a C-172 and its friends. It
would seem that something of the order of a C-182 or Piper Cherokee 235
would fit the bill. Does anyone here have experience of flying this kind
of trip in, say a C-177, or PA Cherokee 180?


I usually fly my Cherokee 180 all around the Rockies (in the summer
no less). I usually try to keep it a few hundred under gross, but
with a usable load of over 1000 lbs., that's not hard. Two guys and a
weeks worth of camping gear filling the back seat is no problem. It's
right at home in the mountains. Sure, 235 hp on the same airframe
would be better, but the 180 hp version will get the job done.

I have flown a few Cardinals in mountains. Forget the straight
C-177 (150 hp, fast wing). At minimum, you should use a C-177A, or
even better would be the C-177B. The B model has the normal wing, 180
hp, and CS prop. All good things for high density altitudes.

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)