Anyone ever fly from SF Bay Area to Seattle area?

[Cecil Chapman]

Just a pipe dream at this point, but has anyone out there flown from the SF
Bay Area to Seattle (as the PIC, I mean)? Since my dad lives up there, I've
thought it might be fun to do someday, but no matter how I look at the
sectionals for the route - some of it doesn't look very 'pretty':

Go up along the coast and you have some airports but they are mostly along
the coast and subject to coastal fog (makes problems for a needed fueling
stop). Go up along I-5 and parts of the route get dark brown really fast.

Anyone do this? If so, what route did you take and why?

Thanks in advance!!!

--
--
=-----
Good Flights!

Cecil
PP-ASEL-IA
Student - CP-ASEL

Check out my personal flying adventures from my first flight to the
checkride AND the continuing adventures beyond!
Complete with pictures and text at: www.bayareapilot.com

"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things."
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery -

"We who fly, do so for the love of flying. We are alive in the air with
this miracle that lies in our hands and beneath our feet"
- Cecil Day Lewis -

[C J Campbell]

"Cecil Chapman" > wrote in message
...
> Just a pipe dream at this point, but has anyone out there flown from the
SF
> Bay Area to Seattle (as the PIC, I mean)? Since my dad lives up there,
I've
> thought it might be fun to do someday, but no matter how I look at the
> sectionals for the route - some of it doesn't look very 'pretty':
>
> Go up along the coast and you have some airports but they are mostly along
> the coast and subject to coastal fog (makes problems for a needed fueling
> stop). Go up along I-5 and parts of the route get dark brown really fast.
>

I have done it many times. Generally, the I-5 route is best unless there are
problems with forecast icing. There are lots of runways you can use for
emergency landings. It can be difficult to cover the entire route VFR,
especially in winter. The hard part is the Siskiyous, which are IFR a lot of
the time and which seem to attract tons of thunderstorms. That is the area
between Redding and Medford, basically.

Going up the coast can get very foggy without any warning at all. Overall, I
have a far easier time going up I-5.

[vincent p. norris]

>Just a pipe dream at this point, but has anyone out there flown from the SF
>Bay Area to Seattle

>Anyone do this? If so, what route did you take and why?

I did the opposite, on a flight around the perimeter of the Lower
Fortly-Eight. Wanted to fly the coast but it was socked in, so we
flew from Seattle to Portsmouth to Redding to Oakland. Great view of
Mt. St. Helens.

It should work just as well going the other way.

vince norris

[Peter Duniho]

"Cecil Chapman" > wrote in message
...
> [...]
> Go up along the coast and you have some airports but they are mostly along
> the coast and subject to coastal fog (makes problems for a needed fueling
> stop). Go up along I-5 and parts of the route get dark brown really fast.
>
> Anyone do this? If so, what route did you take and why?

I've flown between the Seattle area and both Los Angeles and San Francisco.
As CJ says, I-5 route is probably easier, but other than the basic weather
issues, neither route should be terribly challenging.

As far as "parts of the route get dark brown really fast", I'm not sure
exactly what you mean, but the minimum altitudes necessary are definitely
not a big problem. There are some high areas around the Siskiyous, to be
sure, but nothing as bad as going over parts of the Sierra Nevadas or the
Cascades (never mind the Rockies).

You should certainly have some basic mountain training before doing a flight
like that, but on a nice day (scattered to clear, or a nice high ceiling,
and winds that aren't too strong), the flight should be well within the
capabilities of even a relatively new pilot. Just pick a cruising altitude
that is well over the mountains.

The only "unpretty" things I can think about the route are some of the
sections along the north and south of the Siskiyous that are just plain
uninteresting to look at, especially when the visibility is less than 50
miles. Otherwise, the coast and the I-5 route both have great scenery to
offer, and a perfectly reasonable challenge level for a pilot paying
attention to the weather.

Pete

[Bob Fry]

"Cecil Chapman" > writes:

> Just a pipe dream at this point, but has anyone out there flown from the SF
> Bay Area to Seattle (as the PIC, I mean)? Since my dad lives up there, I've
> thought it might be fun to do someday, but no matter how I look at the
> sectionals for the route - some of it doesn't look very 'pretty':
>
> Go up along the coast and you have some airports but they are mostly along
> the coast and subject to coastal fog (makes problems for a needed fueling
> stop). Go up along I-5 and parts of the route get dark brown really fast.
>
> Anyone do this? If so, what route did you take and why?

I've done it in a C-172 and an Aircoupe, both VFR in the summer. The
last time I flew up I5 and back along the coast. I'm from Sacto but
that's just 30-40 minutes from the Bay Area.

As for the "dark brown"--mountains--it's only slightly tricky from
Redding to Medford, or a little beyond. Get an early start and fly
past Mt. Shasta in the morning and you shouldn't have any problem.

I always considered the real problem to be the Seattle area weather,
but I've lucked out so far. Be prepared for several days delay if you
are VFR.

[Bob Gardner]

Many, many times. The coast route is beautiful but, as you say, there are
stretches where there is nowhere to put the airplane. My favorite route is
I-5 (V-23, really).

Bob Gardner

"Cecil Chapman" > wrote in message
...
> Just a pipe dream at this point, but has anyone out there flown from the
> SF Bay Area to Seattle (as the PIC, I mean)? Since my dad lives up there,
> I've thought it might be fun to do someday, but no matter how I look at
> the sectionals for the route - some of it doesn't look very 'pretty':
>
> Go up along the coast and you have some airports but they are mostly along
> the coast and subject to coastal fog (makes problems for a needed fueling
> stop). Go up along I-5 and parts of the route get dark brown really fast.
>
> Anyone do this? If so, what route did you take and why?
>
> Thanks in advance!!!
>
> --
> --
> =-----
> Good Flights!
>
> Cecil
> PP-ASEL-IA
> Student - CP-ASEL
>
> Check out my personal flying adventures from my first flight to the
> checkride AND the continuing adventures beyond!
> Complete with pictures and text at: www.bayareapilot.com
>
> "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things."
> - Antoine de Saint-Exupery -
>
> "We who fly, do so for the love of flying. We are alive in the air with
> this miracle that lies in our hands and beneath our feet"
> - Cecil Day Lewis -
>

[Michelle P]

Cecil,
I flew half Moon Bay to Everett as part of a Virginia to San Diego to
Everett, WA to Virginia Trip. Quite a short trip in retrospect ;-)
Michelle

Cecil Chapman wrote:

>Just a pipe dream at this point, but has anyone out there flown from the SF
>Bay Area to Seattle (as the PIC, I mean)? Since my dad lives up there, I've
>thought it might be fun to do someday, but no matter how I look at the
>sectionals for the route - some of it doesn't look very 'pretty':
>
>Go up along the coast and you have some airports but they are mostly along
>the coast and subject to coastal fog (makes problems for a needed fueling
>stop). Go up along I-5 and parts of the route get dark brown really fast.
>
>Anyone do this? If so, what route did you take and why?
>
>Thanks in advance!!!
>
>
>