Recommended Grand Canyon VFR Routes

Of the multiple VFR corridors do any stand out as more scenic?

Ron Lee

(Ron Lee) wrote:

Of the multiple VFR corridors do any stand out as more scenic?

I can't really compare the different corridors, but I made a trip from Phoenix up to Bryce canyon a few
months ago. We took the Dragon corridor, and it worked out great. Very nice trip. Get the chart and
observe the altitude restrictions.

Mike

On Jan 11, 7:30*pm, (Ron Lee) wrote:
Of the multiple VFR corridors do any stand out as more scenic?

Ron Lee

I prefer to just fly above them. It may just be me though. I'm not
sure they look much better from 8,000 feet than 15,000. Check the
routes carefully, some can only be flown with preapproval (for tours).

-Robert

Ron,

Of the multiple VFR corridors do any stand out as more scenic?


They are all great, IMHO. It all depends a lot on lighting and where
the sun is. I've found the corridors to look totally different when
flying them one way and then again the other. If you only have time for
doing one, Dragon and Zuni Point would be my favorites.

Coming from Las Vegas, I've normally flown south of the canyon through
the Diamond Creek and Supai sectors, then up the Dragon corridor to
Marble Canyon (L41) for lunch at the motel there (highly recommended!).
Then back to LV through the Fossil Canyon corridor. That's a shortish
routing and leaves out Zuni Point, which is well worth seeing. Also,
before going back from L41, fly north for 10 minutes or so and have a
look at the beginnings of Lake Powell. Spectacular.

Another way to do it is to S-turn through the corridors, take every
other corridor and do the left out ones on the way back, e.g. up
Tuckup, down Dragon, up Zuni and on to lunch, then back through Fossil
Canyon. Keep your eyes peeled around KGCN.

As always when flying there, watch the density altitude.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

On Jan 12, 1:40*am, Thomas Borchert
wrote:
As always when flying there, watch the density altitude.

Another thing to watch for is turbulence that makes it very difficult
(maybe impossible) to keep the assigned altitude! Has anyone else
encountered this? Fortunately, when I did, there was almost no traffic
(February) so it wasn't an issue. It almost surely came from the wind
interacting with the walls of the canyon, creating a wave action (and
rotor). The second time I was there was in the summer and there was
strong thermal activity as well. That time I stayed above 15k so I
didn't have to keep an altitude. I know the ceiling of the airspace is
14,500, but with the turbulence you want a buffer.

Another thing: Be sure to get the special Grand Canyon chart well
before your trip. Most of the FBO's nearby did not have it on my last
trip! Sporty's or similar seems like the only sure way to get one.

Martin N56WT

Has anyone else
encountered this?


Never. What kind of winds aloft did you have?

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

I took the Dragon route and frankly the region to the southwest almost
appeared more scenic. This is the area to the SW (maybe WSW):

http://tinyurl.com/25295s

And this is moi nearing the South Rim of the Dragon corridor:

http://tinyurl.com/ytm2r2

Finally here are the Mittens in Monument Valley Utah:

http://tinyurl.com/2eh3vg

Ron Lee

"Ron Lee" wrote in message ...
I took the Dragon route and frankly the region to the southwest almost
appeared more scenic. This is the area to the SW (maybe WSW):

http://tinyurl.com/25295s

And this is moi nearing the South Rim of the Dragon corridor:

http://tinyurl.com/ytm2r2

Finally here are the Mittens in Monument Valley Utah:

http://tinyurl.com/2eh3vg

Ron Lee

Nice shots!