Mxsmanic wrote:
Yesterday I tried to plan a flight from Big Bear City (California) to Santa
Monica, in a Bonanza. The routing I worked out was L35..DAWNA.V8.PDZ.V186
TIFNI.ELMOO.DARTS..KSMO. DAWNA is on a portion of the airway that shows a MEA
of 10500 on the chart. Since I was westbound, I figured to climb to 12000. I
planned to depart from runway 26. My calculations showed that the Bonanza
could carry out this climb.

My question is: How do I make sure that I don't hit anything between the
runway and the first fix on my filed route? The ODP for Big Bear only gives
details for runway 8, and says "N/A" for runway 26. The only departure
procedure is an obstacle departure, also for runway 8. So what's the proper
way for me to plan a flight so that I don't run into anything between the time
I leave runway 26 and the time I reach DAWNA? Should I use a VFR sectional?
Is there something on en-route IFR charts that I'm missing? Did I overlook
something in the Instrument Procedures Handbook (it seems surprisingly vague
on this)?

Why would you think the Instrument Procedures Handbook seems
surprisingly vague in this regard? It is about approved IFR procedures,
not "rolling your own" obstacle clearance procedures. When an IFR
airport has IFR takeoff minimums on one or more runways, but not on
other runways (or runway) the FAA has determined that IFR departure on
the runway "NA" is unsafe.

So, if you use that runway without adequate visual reference you are on
your own and in highly risky territory.

The wise course of action would be to depart Runway 8, performance
permitting.