Planning a Trip Over The Rockies

Learn how to quickly get best power during the takeoff roll, using
your mixture control for any higher altitude takeoffs. Expect the
engine smoothness range to get narrower in response to mixture
adjustments at very high altitudes. Do not run full rich on the
ground, or even on takeoff. Some use a full power runup to adjust for
max RPM before starting the roll but I always hesitated to do that to
an engine just before takeoff.

Is this your personal airplane? You want to know its flight and
engine operating characteristics pretty well to minimize the pucker
factor.

Having an EGT gage really helps. I think it should be mandatory on
any carburated engine but that is just the engineer in me showing I
guess....

I flew a 125 HP Tripacer with two of us in it thru that region amost
35 years ago. No problem

Now we go in comparative regal splendor in a 150 HP 172M!