DFW to PacNW: Best Route?

AggieMike88

AggieMike88

Touchdown! Greaser!
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The original "I don't know it all" of aviation.
Sorta dreaming about a flying trip to PDX or SEA. I used to live up that way and want to go back to tour and adventure the items I never went to, and the new ones that have cropped up.

What would be the suggested routes? Keep in mind I don't have any mountain flying experience. Aircraft would be a C182P if that makes any difference.
 
I have absolutely no information to help you. But we just got back from a cruise that left and ended in Vancouver and hit a couple of places in Alaska and that whole area is an absolutely beautiful place to fly (when the skies are clear). Got to take the controls of a Beaver on floats and I'm hooked. Good luck on the flight!
 
We took our 180 hp C-172 from Vancouver WA to Kansas City a couple of years ago. Eastbound we flew via Missoula MT (overnight), Billings MT (fuel), Rapid City SD (two nights, touristy stuff at Mt. Rushmore, Deadwood, Sturgis), and Grand Island NE. Photos here.

Return trip was via Lexington NE, Sidney NE (overnight for weather), Cheyenne WY, Rock Springs WY, Nampa ID (overnight -- see the Warhawk Museum there), and back to Vancouver via the Columbia Gorge. Photos here.

Completed%2BRoute.jpg


Videos from the return trip:

Lexington to Rock Springs:

Rock Springs to Vancouver:
 
With a ferry pilot, I flew the majority the Jeff's northern route this last March from Indiana (KRLZ) to Washington (KPSC) in my new to me 1991 AG5B Tiger. Some awesome sights along the way. Only had to get to 12K for MEA purposes one time. Majority of the trip was between 8-9K based on the winds and potential for icing and you could have easily flown lower.

Great route - try it.
 
I go the longer way. Dfw txo flg las Rno then up. But I do have friends in Rno.
The entire trip can be done at 12.5 or below.

Bob
 
do you want coast or desert. I would plan to go west and north up coast one way and east and south through desert back. You can make decision on which way to fly out on based on weather or events along the way.

Sounds like a fun trip.
 
For truly spectacular scenery you could go from Flagstaff AZ, through one of the VFR corridors across the Grand Canyon SFRA, then up I-15 from Cedar City to Salt Lake City. Or, to save some miles, cut northwestward from KCDC to Ely and Elko NV, then via Burns toward the Columbia Gorge.
 
CubCrafters is in Yakima (KYKM)... It's worth seeing :)
 
Don't forget that crossing the Cascades can be done a couple ways. Go over them or take the sea level (almost) pass down the Columbia River.

Welcome back to God's Country. Enjoy the flight.
 
I flew to Seattle from DFW in my Glasair Super II a couple years ago in the summer VFR. I flew KRBD KSAF KCNY S39 KRNT. Max alt cruise was at 12.5k. It was a great experience.
 
AOPA has a list of routes. Southern, mid, Northern. I can't find it right now though. Their new website layout sucks.
 
Frogs97 said:
I have absolutely no information to help you. But we just got back from a cruise that left and ended in Vancouver and hit a couple of places in Alaska and that whole area is an absolutely beautiful place to fly (when the skies are clear). Got to take the controls of a Beaver on floats and I'm hooked. Good luck on the flight!
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That's why we live here :)
 
AggieMike88 said:
Sorta dreaming about a flying trip to PDX or SEA. I used to live up that way and want to go back to tour and adventure the items I never went to, and the new ones that have cropped up.

What would be the suggested routes? Keep in mind I don't have any mountain flying experience. Aircraft would be a C182P if that makes any difference.
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airnav.com -- no mountain experience? go high, go long.

When we took the 170 to Texas in 1999, we went from here to Boise Id. - St.George Ut.- crossed the rockies to the Hanksville VOR- (non event)-4 corners regional - Roswell Az. - San Angelo Tx, and Kitty hill Tx. 20 hours down 22 back.
Crossing the Rockies need not be a big deal.
 
Frogs97 said:
Is this what you were talking about?

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2012/march/flight-training-magazine/mountain-dreaming
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No, it wasn't that but it was on the same theme.

What I'm remembering wasn't a magazine article, rather it was a designated page on AOPA's site or the Safety Foundation's site. It had both eastbound and westbound routes. Why they were different, I don't know, I'm not a mountain flyer.

I just looked at both sites again and I'll be damned if I can find it.
 
I just found where I posted a link to it a couple of years ago. It's a bad link now. I guess their focus was to make their new website cute...screw functional. Kinda reflective of the entire organization.

timwinters said:
If you're an AOPA member, you might check out this list of preferred Rocky Mountain Routes. They include southern, mid, and northern.
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I'll keep looking...maybe it's still buried somewhere.
 
timwinters said:
No, it wasn't that but it was on the same theme.

What I'm remembering wasn't a magazine article, rather it was a designated page on AOPA's site or the Safety Foundation's site. It had both eastbound and westbound routes. Why they were different, I don't know, I'm not a mountain flyer.
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Wind. If it's not too hot stay south when west bound. Going east there can be some nice tailwinds along the I-80 corridor
 
The lowest route I know of across the Rockies is Cheyenne, Laramie, Rock Springs then Ogden UT. But really, best to go where the best weather is. You might want an Oxygen bottle. Passengers can usually do without one. Depends on your physical conditioning and age if you need it.
 
coloradobluesky said:
The lowest route I know of across the Rockies is Cheyenne, Laramie, Rock Springs then Ogden UT. But really, best to go where the best weather is. You might want an Oxygen bottle. Passengers can usually do without one. Depends on your physical conditioning and age if you need it.
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That may be true when coming from the north east. but not from Texas. It may be flat but Denver is 7000' as is Rock Springs. From DFW to 4 corners is high too but you don't have to cross the rockies at all.
 
coloradobluesky said:
The lowest route I know of across the Rockies is Cheyenne, Laramie, Rock Springs then Ogden UT. But really, best to go where the best weather is. You might want an Oxygen bottle. Passengers can usually do without one. Depends on your physical conditioning and age if you need it.
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The lowest crossing of the Divide, north of New Mexico, is Marias Pass in Montana (US Highway 2 and the old Great Northern rail line). That's a gorgeous route -- along the southern border of Glacier National Park -- but more out of the way. I flew it westbound at 10,500' in a Grumman Cheetah on my way back from Minneapolis a few years ago.

Clark1961 said:
Going east there can be some nice tailwinds along the I-80 corridor
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A few years ago a friend in Medford, Oregon, flew his J-3 Cub to Oshkosh, while his wife tagged along in the family motor home. On the westbound trip home via I-80 she spent a lot of time waiting around for him to catch up with her. o_O
 
Tom-D said:
That may be true when coming from the north east. but not from Texas. It may be flat but Denver is 7000' as is Rock Springs. From DFW to 4 corners is high too but you don't have to cross the rockies at all.
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Denver is 7,000'? Prolly not. If it is then my altimeter is broken and the charts are wrong.
 
Clark1961 said:
Denver is 7,000'? Prolly not. If it is then my altimeter is broken and the charts are wrong.
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OK so it's 5800 lets see you get there at that attitude.
 
So I called AOPA yesterday asking where the heck the page with the mountian routes went to.

"Oh, it doesn't look like it's available any longer" said they.

"no sh*t!" said me.

So they sent a link to the "archived" page

https://www.aopa.org/training-and-s...13/march/25/suggested-western-mountain-routes

Their new website is a reflection of their entire organization...

At first glance it looks good with lots of "ooohhhh, ahhhhh" fluff, but there's very little usefulness or substance once one looks behind the curtain.
 
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Never mind the piles of money behind the curtain.

Aggie Mike did you decide to go or not yet? Sounds like a fun trip.
 
No set decision yet. But still a bit of a dream.
 
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