Crossing the Rocky Mountains

"RD" wrote in message ...
I'm planning on doing a trip from central Canada down to Las Vegas in a
C172R. Does anyone have some experience on where a good point to transition
the US rockies is? Somewhere around SLC is my guess. I have no mountain
experience which causes me the greatest concern. Any help appreciated.

I know this route pretty well. I live in BillingsMT; flew my new
(used) C172N home from Las Vegas, when I had only just gotten my PPSEL
about one month earlier (so I flew the reverse of your route). Here's
my experience: North Las Vegas to Provo Utah; then from Provo to
Billings via Rock SpringsWY-RivertonWY-CodyWY-Billings. Piece of
cake.
The flight from LV to Provo is over plains/desert and is easy.
From Provo there is a gap in the Wasatch range just on the NE corner
of Provo that is pretty easy (past the power plant); east of there it
is all high to midlevel plains-also easy. Of course north and east of
BIL is no problem.

As for the other route-by way of Bozeman, etc, let me suggest a route
I have also flown. It is: from BIL to LivingstonMT, which is about
30 miles east of Bozeman. Hang a left onto the LIV 190 radial, past
West Yellowstone, on past Idaho Falls, Pocatello, then by your route
of choice to LV. You will need to go to about 10,500 for about 10 min
just north of West Yellowstone, but then it drops off quickly. It
will probably be a straight on south course from there past SLC and
Provo, or a trip slightly west to Twin Falls, then south by way of
Elko. You will be at 10,000+ for much of the trip, and airfields in
central NV with fuel are few and far between. Also, many MOAs and a
few Restricted areas in central NV. Beware the restricted areas north
of LV...home of "Area 51" a rumored area of military activity the
existence of which the govt denies. Don't test the rumors!!

It's a nice flight, either way.

Thanks everyone. Great responses. I'll print them out and pull out the maps
to plot what you have all told me. Take care and happy new year!

--
Thank You,
Ryan



"RD" wrote in message
...
I'm planning on doing a trip from central Canada down to Las Vegas in a
C172R. Does anyone have some experience on where a good point to
transition
the US rockies is? Somewhere around SLC is my guess. I have no mountain
experience which causes me the greatest concern. Any help appreciated.

--
Thank You,
Ryan

RD wrote:

Thanks everyone. Great responses. I'll print them out and pull out the maps
to plot what you have all told me. Take care and happy new year!


btw:

Relatively cheap fuel and great Pilot lounge at Beck's at HLN

Fuel cheaper at U42(self-serve) than at SLC.

see: http://www.airnav.com/airport/KHLN/BECK#c
http://www.airnav.com/airport/KHLN
http://www.airnav.com/airport/U42

MikeM
based SLC
Skylane '1MM

Then you got screwed with the $2.80 gas here at Edwards. Should've went
to 6S8 11 miles SW where it's $2.11.

mikem wrote:

RD wrote:

I'm in Saskatchewan, CYXE, just above the Montana/North Dakota border.


We just flew the family 182 from SLC to Calgary and back at Christmas
time. I usually follow I15 (IDA-DLN-HLN-CTB), but because of wx, on the
way back we went to GTF(customs) to BIL to LND to RKS to FBR to SLC.

SLC to LAS: just follow I15.

MikeM
SLC
Skylane '1MM
Pacer '00Z

Are you the one in the 60x60 with the newer 182 and the 60's Bonanza?
If so look out your hangar door to the west. I'm under the satellite
dish, hangar number 4.

smackey wrote:


I know this route pretty well. I live in BillingsMT; flew my new
(used) C172N home from Las Vegas, when I had only just gotten my PPSEL
about one month earlier (so I flew the reverse of your route). Here's
my experience: North Las Vegas to Provo Utah; then from Provo to
Billings via Rock SpringsWY-RivertonWY-CodyWY-Billings. Piece of
cake.
The flight from LV to Provo is over plains/desert and is easy.
From Provo there is a gap in the Wasatch range just on the NE corner
of Provo that is pretty easy (past the power plant); east of there it
is all high to midlevel plains-also easy. Of course north and east of
BIL is no problem.

As for the other route-by way of Bozeman, etc, let me suggest a route
I have also flown. It is: from BIL to LivingstonMT, which is about
30 miles east of Bozeman. Hang a left onto the LIV 190 radial, past
West Yellowstone, on past Idaho Falls, Pocatello, then by your route
of choice to LV. You will need to go to about 10,500 for about 10 min
just north of West Yellowstone, but then it drops off quickly. It
will probably be a straight on south course from there past SLC and
Provo, or a trip slightly west to Twin Falls, then south by way of
Elko. You will be at 10,000+ for much of the trip, and airfields in
central NV with fuel are few and far between. Also, many MOAs and a
few Restricted areas in central NV. Beware the restricted areas north
of LV...home of "Area 51" a rumored area of military activity the
existence of which the govt denies. Don't test the rumors!!

It's a nice flight, either way.

Are you folks in Canada charged by the character? Then why not simply tell us
where CYXE is so we can find it on a chart? A town or city nearby?

Jim


"RD"
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

-I'm in Saskatchewan, CYXE, just above the Montana/North Dakota border.

Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

"Jim Weir" wrote in message ...
Are you folks in Canada charged by the character? Then why not simply tell us
where CYXE is so we can find it on a chart? A town or city nearby?

YXE is Saskatoon. Montana is the nearest real place :-)