So Cal to Seattle - Ideas for Longest Cross Country Yet?

VWGhiaBob

VWGhiaBob

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VWGhiaBob
Weather willing (no IFR yet), I'm flying from So. Cal (KWHP) to Arlington Washington (KAWO) in August. This will be my longest cross country ever. I do love longer trips, as I'm not occupied full time tuning coms and talking to ATC like I am in So Cal.

Any advise on routes, stopover points (can do non-stop, but prefer a break)? I'm in a Cirrus SR22 and will probably true out around 170 knots average LOP. I don't mind going a bit further if I can avoid really high altitudes, though I do have built-in oxygen and non-FIKI anti-ice.

Any info and advise much appreciated!

Thank you.
 
What's your bladder capacity (pilot/pax/plane)? What in California/Oregon/Washington have you not seen yet?

At 170kts, you're looking at about 5hrs worth of cruise if the winds aren't too bad. For most people, that's just 1 stop.

As for route, pretty much follow I-5 to Mount Shasta, then either go the west of the Cascades if t-storms are acting up or east side if the marine layer is acting up and you don't want to be above it.
 
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Keep the water on your left side, don't be a sissy and fly over 7k, enjoy the ride, stop anywhere that looks interesting and enjoy the ride.
 
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Yes...only 1 stop is fine for bladder. And the furthest north I've been is Clear Lake's Lampson Field.
 
Unless you're planning on staying overnight, ground transportation is going to be your main limitation to seeing things during your fuel stop. You're going to want to find an airport with a crew car. I believe there's an app for that.

Otherwise, some airports with a restaurant on the field are Willows (KWLW, Nancy's for pie) and Redding (KRDD, Peter Chu's for chinese).
 
VWGhiaBob said:
Weather willing (no IFR yet), I'm flying from So. Cal (KWHP) to Arlington Washington (KAWO) in August. This will be my longest cross country ever. I do love longer trips, as I'm not occupied full time tuning coms and talking to ATC like I am in So Cal.

Any advise on routes, stopover points (can do non-stop, but prefer a break)? I'm in a Cirrus SR22 and will probably true out around 170 knots average LOP. I don't mind going a bit further if I can avoid really high altitudes, though I do have built-in oxygen and non-FIKI anti-ice.

Any info and advise much appreciated!

Thank you.
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The best weather route is get east of the sierras a fast as you can the best way you can. then north Reno, Bend, Wenatchee or Yakima , and I-90 or 2 over the cascades. stay north of the SEA class B.
 
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Expect fire TFRs and smoky/hazy visibility at times since August is fire season time.

I've flown on both the east and west sides of the Oregon Sierras around that time of the year - can't say I see a big advantage in one way up over the other. West side of the Sierras I expect you'll get some orographic turbulence if it is windy, and on the east side some thermal turbulence. Higher altitudes reduce both of course. Terrain to the east appears to have more terrain allowing for safer emergency landings than the forested mountainous terrain to the west (at least in southern Oregon; once you make the Willamette valley the terrain is nicer.)

I notice that a route via O46, Weed CA, avoids a lot of high terrain but still takes you near some scenic terrain. That route should allow cruise the whole way at 6500. Weed would make for a good half-way stop for fuel and potty break, but unless you pack a lunch it doesn't appear to have any easy to reach eating places.

It is the nature of diagonal lines that you could swing pretty far east or west of the straight line to your destination and not add much extra flight time. So you could go as far west as Shelter Cove (0Q5) or as far east as, um, maybe Boise? Adds a little over half an hour at your likely speeds.
 
Shelter Cove, although a beautiful flight, has almost zero suitable "off site" landing locations. (Assuming you follow the coastline). Even inland, rough terrain. Oh wait, just pull the chute in the Cirrus and all is well. Almost forgot!
 
Shelter Cove this time of year looks like a big mass of pretty flat white stuff.

Take your potty break at high altitude if possible. Redding is the 9th circle of Hell this time of year. Weed is just a little hot in the afternoon.

If you go east of the high mountains, go high, tie everything down, and be prepared to fly at Va a lot. Moderate turbulence is a possibility, especially below upwind peaks and in the afternoon.

i would suggest flying up the west side of the Central and Willamette Valleys, in the morning, above 7000 feet.
 
MAKG1 said:
Shelter Cove this time of year looks like a big mass of pretty flat white stuff.

Take your potty break at high altitude if possible. Redding is the 9th circle of Hell this time of year. Weed is just a little hot in the afternoon.

If you go east of the high mountains, go high, tie everything down, and be prepared to fly at Va a lot. Moderate turbulence is a possibility, especially below upwind peaks and in the afternoon.

i would suggest flying up the west side of the Central and Willamette Valleys, in the morning, above 7000 feet.
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This. Central Oregon high desert can definitely kick your ass from mountain waves in the summer. To the point that passengers will be throwing up and you will be forced to fly at Va.
 
Gosh, thanks for all the great advice. Will study all these and post some pics. I have a back-up rez on American in case WX is not good. I have to get to a wedding. Leaving a day and a half early, just in case. Gives me time to fly a bit in Seattle.
 
My suggestion is to fly up the west coast, stop at McMinnville (KMMV) and tour the museum there (Spruce Goose) and then make it up to the San Juan's once you're in Seattle. Have a great trip!
http://evergreenmuseum.org/

Airports not to be missed in the NW... :yes:
http://www.airnav.com/airport/KORS
Great views, good food, short walk to the town of Eastsound.
http://www.airnav.com/airport/KFHR
Nice larger airport, short walk to a bigger town, grab a rental scooter and explorer the Island.
http://www.airnav.com/airport/3W5
Phenomenal museum, seven large hangars to explore with perfectly restored vintage aircraft.
http://vintageaircraftmuseum.org/aircraft-2/
 
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If you've got time to dink around before or after, fly a little bit further north and west and check out something in the San Juan islands (Friday harbor is a walk to town from the airport for lunch and look a the ocean) or Port Angeles (a bit further West), which is reported to have a fun restaurant at the airport.
 
Unless you are going to Yakima or Spokane I don't know why anyone would suggest flying east of the mountains. To get to Seattle from LA you just follow I-5. When it comes to any long cross country it's almost always easiest to follow one of the interstates, they were put there for a reason. The only mountain ranges you'll have to deal with are the Tehachapi coming out of the basin and Syskiyou as you fly past Shasta - which is a pretty spectacular mountain BTW. Neither of them are much trouble. There are quite a few spectacular mountains to see in fact from Lassen on up Such as Hood, Adams, St Helens and Rainier. The Cascades are fairly benign compared to the Sierra so a side trip over Crater Lake would be easy and very much worth it.

Weather in August is usually not a problem, the coast might even be clear if you want to go that route.
 
I-5 gives you lots of emergency options, with good airports along the way. If you have the time, though, it's worthwhile to divert east a bit to see Crater Lake. In Washington State, Mt. St. Helens is not far east of I-5, and is worth a look.

If you leave I-5 to go direct from Medford to Portland, you're over remote, rough terrain (but under 6,000 MSL) for about 70 nm. Bend the magenta line a little to the west to go Medford -> Roseburg -> Portland, and it's only about 30 nm. Go even further west and follow I-5 from Medford via Grants Pass through the mountains to Myrtle Creek and Roseburg, and you're rarely out of range of a suitable landing area, if not the highway itself.

Flight Following is available over the entire I-5 route, and is especially recommended around the busy Portland area. The Portland Class C tops out at 4,000, but there is considerable jet traffic at all altitudes in and out of the area.
 
If you are going through Portland, you have to check out the Spruce Goose at McMinnvile, and the Vancouver, WA airport. But read the A/FD first because procedures there are really weird. The pattern entry smells really good, though.

The flight over Mt. St. Helens is awe inspiring, but there is some real terrain out there. Don't do it late afternoon or when there is cumulus forming over it.

If you're going to Seattle, check out the Boeing assembly line at Everett. It's worth it. The museum sucks (the one at Boeing Field in Seattle is much better), but the tour is phenomenal.
 
Chrisj13 said:
Following I-5, the highest summit is 4,300'msl. Just drove that route a month ago.
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Agreed, I have 4310 written down from when I drove over Siskiyou Summit in the 1990s. Of course, that's only valid for terrain elevation if you're right over the highway.
 
Palmpilot said:
Agreed, I have 4310 written down from when I drove over Siskiyou Summit in the 1990s. Of course, that's only valid for terrain elevation if you're right over the highway.
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There is a fourteener not very far from that highway….

One hell of a view.

Pass on the windward side.
 
Well sure, if you're afraid of a little turbulence! :D
 
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