wrote:
: I followed the highway from BC. It generally has much better
: weather than either the trench or coastal routes.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Besides, I know the highway, and it'd be
cool to see it in "accelerated" mode vs. driving. I just remember it being a helluva
long way between Laiird River and Laiird hotsprings (by road). I would think the
Alaska style of "camping wherever" isn't that uncommon, either.

: the bad weather issues of SE-AK, but not necessary as relating to
: light GA flight. I
: figure it will be clear (ha ha!), or high VFR scud to get down the
: pass and the
: channel. I don't think a Cherokee's up to IFR into Juneau.

: This is a real tough one. Going from Whitehorse to Skagway via White
: Pass can be iffy at best when VFR. Even when VFR conditions are being
: reported on both sides, White Pass is often socked in. Sometimes for
: days on end. If you are IFR capable and the conditions are right (no
: freezing, reasonable winds) that might be your best bet.

Yeah, the pass is ugly, even on a good day. I figure worst case (given we
want to get into Juneau for some King crabbing) would be to have the backup plan of
leaving the plane in Whitehorse and figuring a way to take the ferry in. I'm IFR
capable, but having lived in Juneau I know how ugly the terrain around the airport is.
Aside from the fancy D-GPS pioneered by AK airlines (that only they can use), I think
that that the only thing I could fly would be a VOR/DME. Something like 1500' mins,
and 8500' MSA IIRC. Running the gauntlett down Gastineau channel doesn't sound like a
good plan in a Cherokee.

: I used White Pass (VFR) several times to get back and forth to
: coastal destinations and let's just say it's a good thing I didn't have
: to be anywhere at a specific time. Each time I either had to go over
: the top and look for a hole on the other side, or slog through the
: marginal VFR under the deck and close to the rocks.

Ughh... giving me willies already. Mountains are big enough there that it'd
have to be a pretty *big* hole to come down through. Easy to pull a "box canyon"
accidentally through a small hole.

The local pilots'
: definition of "the pass is open" is probably a lot different from that
: of most pilots.
Most assuredly. Something about old/bold pilots is especially true in SE-AK.


: FWIW, I never once made it on time for Customs inspection in Skagway.
: Customs is not onsite at the airport. They send someone out from the
: highway station. If you're a few minutes late, they leave and you have
: to call them back out when you arrive. Apparently, this ticks them
: off.

Which brings up an interesting point... is White Pass or coming down
Haines-way better for flying? I haven't gotten far enough to look at a chart or
anything yet.

-Cory

--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
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