Mt. Washington in August

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Cricket1

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Brian
I'm planning our first long family trip in the 182 to New England late July/early August this summer. Going from Toledo, OH to Bar Harbor Maine. Its about 5 hours total, so I plan about 2 1/2 hrs, then stop at Finger Lakes regional 0G7 for lunch. From there its about 2.5 hrs to Bar Harbor.

Couple of days there, then fly to Mt. Washington. I was considering going to the Mt. Washington Regional Airport, HIE but there are not any rental cars avail there. (But possibly a local car dealer has something to rent?) So, do I go to Laconia instead? Also, the obvious terrain near HIE has me thinking it could get really bumpy fast if there is much wind at all. Its just for the day, get a car, drive to the top of the mountain, then fly out later that day to Burlington, VT for about 3 days, then home.

It will be 4 of us, my wife and two boys, 11 and 9.
 
Moultonboro (5M3) is a nice little airport with courtesy cars, but I wouldn't drive one of them to the top of the mountain. Laconia is probably the best bet for a rental car in that area, it's probably an hour drive though to the access road. Fryeburg ME looks closer, KIZG had some good comments on FF, I haven't been there though.
 
Call the airport manager at KIZG. Very helpful gentleman. It doesn't say anything about rental cars on the website but sometimes things can be arranged.
 
weilke said:
Call the airport manager at KIZG. Very helpful gentleman. It doesn't say anything about rental cars on the website but sometimes things can be arranged.
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... especially for some fresh lobstahs.... ;) :D
 
PaulS said:
Moultonboro (5M3) is a nice little airport with courtesy cars, but I wouldn't drive one of them to the top of the mountain. Laconia is probably the best bet for a rental car in that area, it's probably an hour drive though to the access road. Fryeburg ME looks closer, KIZG had some good comments on FF, I haven't been there though.
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That.

Also a very good APIA there.

I recall a old cop car at the airport that seemed to have a little juice.
 
Thanks everyone for all the responses, I will have to call the mgr at KIZG.

Anyone with experience flying into HIE?
 
The hike is worth it if you have the time. Head up towards Tuckerman Ravine, take the Lion's Head trail. The views are outstanding.
 
If is was just the wife and I we would hike, but with a 9 & 11 yr old along too..... not gonna happen.
 
Cricket1 said:
If is was just the wife and I we would hike, but with a 9 & 11 yr old along too..... not gonna happen.
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:confused2:
That's actually a perfect age to do it, unless there is more to this story. I haven't done Mt. Washington, but I've done many other strenuous hikes in New England, and I pass (and am passed by) lots of families with kids on the trail. When I did the Franconia Ridge loop hike, about 50 miles south of Washington, I think there were actually more kids than adults at one point - some of them looked younger than 9 too.
 
So is this hike all the way to the top? I figured it was, maybe not?
 
Cricket1 said:
So is this hike all the way to the top? I figured it was, maybe not?
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You don't have to. Once you get up Lion's Head trail, you can head over to the top of the ravine and head down. It's a bunch more hiking to get to the top from there.

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UngaWunga said:
The hike is worth it if you have the time. Head up towards Tuckerman Ravine, take the Lion's Head trail. The views are outstanding.
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That was exactly our first hike with my girl on a REAL mountain. Outstanding for the eastern ranges.
 
Since this trip is getting closer, I was thinking about the best way to file the initial day, which will be IFR. Toledo to Rome, NY KRME for a lunch/potty/ fuel stop, then onto Bar Harbor. Should I file it that way, with a note about a 2 hr stopover? Or file two seperate plans?
 
KVGC has LPV approaches, 5300 feet of runway, and a diner within walking distance, 1/4 mi, or you can take the courtesy car. We are in the scenic Chenango Valley.
 
Thanks for the info about VGC, I'm planning to land at Griffiss and take a crew car for lunch. But if that doesn't work out for some reason, good to know Hamilton is a back up. :)
 
Cricket1 said:
I'm planning our first long family trip in the 182 to New England late July/early August this summer. Going from Toledo, OH to Bar Harbor Maine. Its about 5 hours total, so I plan about 2 1/2 hrs, then stop at Finger Lakes regional 0G7 for lunch. From there its about 2.5 hrs to Bar Harbor.

Couple of days there, then fly to Mt. Washington. I was considering going to the Mt. Washington Regional Airport, HIE but there are not any rental cars avail there. (But possibly a local car dealer has something to rent?) So, do I go to Laconia instead? Also, the obvious terrain near HIE has me thinking it could get really bumpy fast if there is much wind at all. Its just for the day, get a car, drive to the top of the mountain, then fly out later that day to Burlington, VT for about 3 days, then home.

It will be 4 of us, my wife and two boys, 11 and 9.
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While at Bar Harbor fly over to 93B Stonington on Deer Isle if you get a chance. I took my Mooney into there last week. There is a campground within walking distance of the tie down area. I spent the night and had a ball. Some restaurants will pick you up if you arrange ahead of time. The scenery from the air cannot be beat.
 
Thanks, we had a great trip! No weather issues, got to hike near Mt. Katadhin in Maine, Whale watching trip in Bar Harbor and Cadillac Mountain. Drove to the top of Mt. Washington and visited Shelburne Farms, Ben and Gerry's and the Church St Marketplace in VT. 8 days total, with 12.7 hrs flight time. (Much better than the 32 hours it would have taken driving!!)
 
Also, KIZG (Fryeburg, ME) was a great stop to visit Mt. Washington. Easy set up to get an Enterprise car delivered from Conway, NH. Dave is the manager at KIZG and very helpful. Nice airport. The only thing to be aware of is the winds can be tricky, as its close enough to some big rocks that you do notice.
 
I often fly from the Cleveland area to central Maine. I've stopped at 0G7 and VGC, both good fuel prices. Spent a day walking around Seneca Falls, good food, some good history there about Erie Canal and the Womans Right to Vote. Last year we drove to Mt Washington and the net day drove to HIE then to Burlington for a couple days. HIE was unattended when we were there in mid June.
 
I thought about HIE, but no rental car made it a no go. I'd also suspect that the winds there could be rather tricky, depending which way they are blowing. Fryeburg has a nice "hill" about 2 miles west of the runway, and it was a semi exciting landing, with the winds something like 7 gust to 17 and a 30 degree crosswind.
 
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