Rocky Mtns / Alaska / Bahama's

[170C]

Dave, I agree with George Palo Dura Canyon is a neat place to vist whether for a fairly quick drive through, staying the night or taking in the play, TEXAS. I don't recall the dates TEXAS is presented, but it is a really nice musical. Canyon, TX also has a really good historical museum on the campus of West Texas State Univ.

[n3833v]

I visited Cody on my way to Kelowna and I spent hours in the museum, usually unlikely for me to spend that much time. I enjoyed the whole area. Outside to the east is a place where the forest fighting airplanes are kept at a strip.

[blueldr]

Dave,
Depending how far out west you get, If you're airplane camping keep in mind Johnson Creek Airport near Yellow Pine, ID. It is generally considered the premier "fly in only" campground is the USA. It's always nice to be camped among kindred souls that are not likely to ask how you can afford to go camping an airplane as they are trying to hook up their $350,000 motor home.

[hilltop170]

Don't forget Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. Some of the most scenic country in the USA to fly over. Camp at Mineral Bottom Strip and you'll never forget it. Nice long strip but bumpy air in the afternoon.

[AR Dave]

Where's the nearest airport to Palo Dura Canyon - Amarillo?

Canyon Lands / Arches National Park - looking at it, havn't found Mineral Bottom Strip yet. Might be best to swing around that way anyway, I'll have to look at routes through the mountains at some point.

Bluelder notice the marker at Johnson Creek. The timing is planned so that we'll be around Yellowstone (northwest corner of our trip) about June 27-29 (during fly-in). Still looks like it's 200+ miles over there though.

[GAHorn]

Amarillo, Tradewinds KTDW is probably the best to use for Palo Duro, although technically Canyon, TX is the closest small town, it's airport has almost no services. I'd recommend Tradewinds.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/KTDW

If you want a smaller airport... http://www.airnav.com/airport/I06

What are you doing up at this hour?

[blueldr]

Dave,

Too bad you can't make Johnson Creek over the 4th of july. You could enter the annual 4th of July Golf Tournament at the Yellow Pine Country Club. Many of the regular fly in campers make it a point of their trip. This "Golf Course" is truly unique and even golfers such as Tiger Woods are humbled by its hazards. Its really a "Fun" course that just about equalizes all the players.

If you were referring to the sign shown on the left of the Johnson Creek Airport webcam, it was put there by Lynn Imel, wife of my friend Dave Imel of Yellow Pine.

[170C]

Dave, I too agree that Tradewinds is probably the airport to use if you choose to go to Palo Dura Canyon. I have flown in there numerous times and driven out there more times than I can count when on my numerous work trips to Amarillo. The fellow who runs (or ran) the FBO was always accomodating--can't remember his name. One word of caution, there are no rent cars at Tradewinds so you need to make a reservation with one of the rental places over at Rick Husband Apt (Main AMA apt) and then be sure you have arrangements to get the car or yourself over to pick it up and return it. I had a bad experience one time when I was told by Budget to leave it at Tradewinds and they would pick it up. I left it there and a lineman said he would call Budget to come pick it up. A few weeks later I got a bill which included use of the car for an extra week. FBO said they called Budget, Budget said they had no record of it until they finally went over to Tradewinds to find it and picked it up. I don't know exactly what occurred, but the next time I rented a car and left it at an apt I made sure "I" called the rental facility. I went round and round with Budget and ended up not paying the extra fee, but I avoid renting anything from Budget since then if anyother rental place is available. Last time I flew up there I just landed at the big apt and left the plane over at the FBO there and the rental car places were within walking distance .

[futr_alaskaflyer]

Where's the nearest airport to Palo Dura Canyon - Amarillo?

Canyon Lands / Arches National Park - looking at it, havn't found Mineral Bottom Strip yet. Might be best to swing around that way anyway, I'll have to look at routes through the mountains at some point.

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=38.53111,-10 ... Point%20UT

Latitude: 38°31.871 N
Longitude: 109°59.701 W
Elevation: 3,940 Ft MSL
UNICOM: 122.900 MHz
Windsock: Yes
Camping: Yes
Updated: 10/27/2007

Comments: Widened and graded fall '98. Extensive maintenance performed 10/27/07. Strip is very soft as of this date. Update will be posted here as condition improves. Contact UBCP officers for latest. Parking on river side of strip now closed due to drainage improvements--DITCHES. Use east side. Wind sock on north end-east side.
Longest Rwy
Direction: 14-32
Length: 2450
Width: 120
Surface: Hard Packed Dirt
Condition: Excellent
Usable: Yes

[AR Dave]

Well Traci and Tryston are going to stay home. It's looking more and more like Teryn, Dakota, & I, will be taking the 170B. Gonna get the other 5 exhaust valve guides reamed when I get home.

Flown all over the mountains in AK, but landing strips are not over 2500 elev, a bit nervous about Density Alititude.
The 3 of us weigh 520 lbs (13yr boy 6', 180 lbs). Gonna take camping gear. A 170 member outside of Yellowstone has graciously offered his hospitality.

Looks like we'll travel to Alamosa and then on to Durango, where we'll stay awhile.
Check out this crazy video - http://www.soaringcolorado.com/
Still researching Glenwood Springs (Whitewater rafting & Hot Springs) before heading on up to the Yellowstone area.

[170C]

Since you are such a younster Dave, I am sure the play TEXAS that you saw when you were still younger was at Palo Duro Canyon. Its a musical and is really a nice production using a lot of local talent including students. By the time the play starts it is usually cool and enjoyable. Another neat deal to do the next morning is to go over to the east side of the canyon for a cowboy breakfast at the rim of the canyon. You get to see the canyon from a different perspective and the food is to kill for (Dutch oven bisquits, etc). I think there are more than one such breakfast outings and folks at the canyon can most likely direct you to one of them. If the one we went to is still operating you drive to their main bldg and ride in a wagon out to the canyon rim & back. (They will also show you how to keep flys from being a problem in an open air eating location.) AND, of course what would a trip to Amarillo be without going out on the west side of town to see Stanley Marsh's Cadillac Ranch & tons of wind generators between there and Bushland & Vega, which would be quite a sight from the air.

[AR Dave]

Since you reffered to me as a youngster I've got to tell this -

SteveF flew across America to Russellville. Upon arriving he called me and since I was already on my way to Tractor Supply it only took me 5 minutes to get there. I drove up and he was surrounded by 5 locals. One of them pointed me out as the 170 pilot that he'd been talking about to Steve. So I greeted him, everyone talked a bit, we all walked in the maintenance hanger and discussed about an 0-300 engine. Well Petit Jean was breathing down my neck and I didn't need to find a way to kill time. So after 15 mins of that, I urged him back out towards his plane and figured it was time to suggest we needed to move on out. The locals would still be there talking 3 days later. So I said, well you want to drive out to my house and get a bite to eat before flying up to Petit Jean. It set me back when he replied, Oh no Dave said he'd be right over to pick me up and we are going to do some running around.

I am Dave, I said while becoming self-conscious that I wasn't what he had been expecting. You're Dave? I was expecting someone closer to Kyle's age I noticed he didnt' have any trouble picking Ole GAR out of the crowd - LIKKITY SPLIT!

[DaveF]

AR Dave,

Glenwood Springs is nice. Be sure to mention everywhere in town that you used the airport. It's under pressure from real estate developers.

The runway is one-way: Land north and take off south. That's mainly for noise, because even though there's a mountain off the north end of the runway, it's at least two miles away. On a go-around you can overfly the town, turn left, and follow I-70 downhill

On approach you'll start over Carbondale and follow the valley north. Fly past the rocky point sticking out of the left hand side and you'll see the runway. If the wind is from the west be ready for turbulence on final, as the wind spills over the hills to your left.

Dave

[AR Dave]

There is a really big wall between Russellville AR and Durango!
Is it ok to land on the road and drive over the passes?
Looks like I'd be trapped west of Alamosa - I started looking at wiggling through at Taos.
It's that or just stay on I-40 all the way to Albuquerque, then turn NW to Durango - 900 miles.

Alaskan's make better passes through their mountains!

[GAHorn]

There is a really big wall between Russellville AR and Durango!
Is it ok to land on the road and drive over the passes?
Looks like I'd be trapped west of Alamosa - I started looking at wiggling through at Taos.
It's that or just stay on I-40 all the way to Albuquerque, then turn NW to Durango - 900 miles.

Alaskan's make better passes through their mountains!

Jamie and I discovered that the Alamosa pass road has a nice surprise as you follow it, winding up towards the pass. You make a nice, blind turn while following the road and roll out wings-level.... to stare at a railroad tunnel!
Lesssee now... locomotives are 6' 8.5" wide... and 170's are 36' .... ought plus ought and carry the six...... hmmmmmn... if we dump 125 lbs of fuel we can climb to......