Southwestern Tour
This was a three day trip originating in Tracy CA. First stop was Pine Mountain Lake for lunch after which we crossed the
Sierra near Sonora Pass and entered the Owens Valley just north of Mammoth. We headed due south, following the valley
and then across the desert and through what has to be the absolute highest concentration of restricted airspace on Earth
eventually landing at Big Bear for an overnight stay.
The next day we departed Big Bear and headed for the Grand Canyon tour and then on to Page Arizona for another overnight.
On the final day we headed back to California passing just north of Death Valley (the lowest point in the continental U.S.)
and then crossing the Sierra just south of Mt Whitney (the highest point in the continental U.S.)
We could easily see both points at the same time.
Spring time in the foothills is pretty awesome
First stop - Pine Mountain Lake for a couple of those famous burgers at the Corsair Cafe
Heading southwest from Pine Mountain we pass by Yosemite Valley. We need to go further south where there is a gap
that will allow us to get across this big pile of snow covered granite. We're already at 11,500 ft here.
The cliff in the foreground is El Capitan and boasts a 3,000 ft vertical face down to the valley floor. Behind it is Half Dome.
There's our gap, shown on the Garmin terrain page. The red stuff is all less than 100 ft below us (most of it is actually way above us)
The terrain to the south is even higher
These are some big honkin' mountains and crossing them here registers about 10.5 on the sphincter constriction meter.
The frozen lakes are about the only decent spots to put down if an emergency were to present itself.
Not much moisture makes it all the way across the Sierra. The East side is bone dry.
We're heading south now down the Owens Valley on the Eastern side of the Sierra and west of the Panamints
The high point down there is Mt Whitney
After transiting the highest concentration of government owned SUA on the planet we arrive at Big Bear
Big Bear is 'kind of'' Southern California's version of South Lake Tahoe but it's definitely a cut below and although the lake
is magnitudes smaller the town is a lot bigger. It was a 35 minute bus ride into town to our 'chataeu' as they call it
Chataeu translates to $125 seedy hotel room
But - if you happen to be lugging around a backpack of 8 track cassette tapes
This is your place! Bring your LP's too and enjoy.
We didn't sit in this chair but obviously at least 10,000 other folks have.
We figure Big Bear was a happenin' place around 1961 or so
Another thing they had at Big Bear was an expired Las Vegas Sectional so we stopped at Bullhead City and Laughlin
on the way out but neither of them had a current sectional either.
We did have three onboard GPS units and the special Grand Canyon map but I just don't feel right without a sectional.
The Grand Canyon map was essential however so that we could stay out of the no fly zones and transmit our positions as
we criss-crossed over the canyon via the approved corridors. This is the southwestern end of the canyon
Maules were made for Patroller doors. The leather inserts with map pockets were put in once on the way to Oshkosh last year.
We hated them, took them out imediately and they've been collecting dust on the hangar wall ever since.
There's actually green stuff out here if you go down far enough
The rim is around six to seven thousand feet depending on where you are, the north side is higher. This is the south rim.
You can't fly along the canyon but fly across in the special corridors first south to north then north to south.
You still get to see just about all of it.
That's one of the outlooks on the south rim that you've probably been to if you've ever visited The Grand Canyon
Some of the pictures are nice but they don't capture the 'Grandeur'
This is where it starts up at the north eastern end
We're headed up towards Page Arizona now where there's a big Dam
Some folks are taking the highway
And crossing some pretty spectacular bridges along the way
There's the Glenn Canyon Dam at Page which creates Lake Powell
Here's the airport at Page AZ
Okay, they've got that big hydroelectric dam, why do they need that huge powerplant as well?
I'm talking big, you can't tell by this picture just how far away that monster is.
Lake Powell is pretty humongous as well
It's a boater's paradise but getting to it ain't no picnic
And if you do go boating there you better have a GPS or a damn good map
We were just cruising around when a Cessna flew overhead. It was one of the air tour guys and he asked us over the radio
if we had ever seen the Rainbow bridge. We hadn't so we followed them
I guess it's one of the largest (or maybe the largest) natural bridges in the U.S.
May not look that big in these pictures but down that canyon at the lake there was a boat dock that gave some perspective
Believe me, it's pretty darn big!
I believe we are about 1500 feet above it at this point. You can see the foot trail along the left side of the canyon
On the way back home we hit Zion National Park. Lots of canyons in the southwest
Zion is pretty spectacular from the gound as well. Definitely worth a trip to see
Spectacular colors
Yup, that's a runway. It's called Hurricane Mesa, just west of Zion
It's plenty long but it's still got plenty of pucker factor to it too. Do they land Citations there or what?
Update: it's an old rocket sled test facility where they launched supersonic projectiles for ejection seat development
at one time they actually shot some hapless chimps off this bluff at 1200 mph!
MORE INFO HERE
Sin City
So, thinking of moving to Vegas?
Red rocks
Death Valley, 282 feet below sea level
Alright, just one more obstacle between us and home - Mt Whitney, 14,505 feet above sea level
We're crossing south of Whitney and at 12,900 feet we've got some room to spare
There were a few bumps but it was generally pretty smooth
And so ends another MauleBros adventure
Until next time - safe and happy flying everyone