Cross Country Planning

[1938BF50]

Hi all,

Next weekend I am heading out to Colorado to inspect/purchase N27599 in Alamosa. Does anyne have advice for flying east out of Alamosa thru North LaVeta Pass? Once out of the pass it's basically NE to Madison,WI.

[crispy critter]

Re: Cross Country Planning

Mike,
Feel free to call me tomorrow sometime if ya want. I've flown the LaVeta Pass a few times in supercubs & husky's but it's been a few years. I always preferred the south side of the pass following the RR across. It's a little longer across but it seemed to be a little less turbulante most of the time. Either way your going to have to get upstairs, 10,000+ to cross with any kind of safty margin. 9500 will put you kicking up real estate with your tires on either side of the pass. The south side is a little wider but takes about two-three times longer to cross the high ground(the high ground last longer). I might be a little off on some of my altitudes because it's been a few years, I'm pretty sure the North LaVeta follows a fairly nice highway Where as the south side following the tracks is a little more remote, you can cross either at 10,000 with a few hundred feet to spare but it runs about 10 miles or so before you can strat letting down on the south side but you don't have the high peaks on all sides of you making it a little less turbulante but if you go across rel early or late evening it shouldn't be too bad.
Either way ya go is going to stress test the pilot, seat belts, and seat sling at the same time if you try to cross in the mid part of the day. There is some rough country thru there and with the wide low(if ya wanna call 7000' low) valley stretching from well west of alamosa and east almost over to the pass, it really doesn't take much to stir up some pretty rough air across the pass. And remember that you will be catching all that wind on the tail which will help ya get across faster but will also make it harder to hold altitude if the wind gets up very much.
Don't be embarrest or shy about talking to the locals. Ask for their advise and opinions, they will usually be happy to help ya and give ya the best advise. After all, they fly that country on a regular basis.
Feel free to call me if ya want. 606-359-2557.

[Pearson]

Re: Cross Country Planning

Ditto on what Kevin said about talking to the locals and going early. Another tip would be to listen to ASOS on (719) 587-3120. If the wind is more than 5 knots, I would wait. You do NOT want any headwind as you enter the pass. If you go early it will be cool and the wind less. Don't fly down the middle of the pass. Stay to one side so that you can have room to turn around. If the wind is at an angle to the pass, stay on the downwind side so that you can take advantage of some of the uplift. Carry just enough fuel with reserve to make PUB. Flowers used to have a good restaurant there.

[1938BF50]

Re: Cross Country Planning

Great info and well recieved! Keep it coming. Kevin, I will call you this evening if that works?

[Steve Green]

Re: Cross Country Planning

Mike,

Coming out of Alamosa is actually a lot easier than it looks. That said, it is mountain flying, so being conservative in executing your plan is your best bet.

On the Denver sectional, Victor 83-210 shows you the way. Since I don't necessarily fly there with nav capabilities, here is the way I fly it. Alamosa east, following the highway/railroad tracks that go east/west through town, takes you right to the pass. I go north of Blanca and Fort Garland, shortening the trip by a mile or two. You can see it from 30-50 miles away. It looks impassable from the distance, but it is not. You can go straight through the pass at 11,500', with good terrain clearance, which I consider to be 2,000' AGL. La Veta Pass is 9,426'. I usually make a slight north to south curve. This gives me something close to the 45 degree entry angle to the actual ridge line that is recommended for crossing mountain passes. The angled entry allows for a quick 180 degree turn away from the pass, if you don't like anything about flying through it. There is a La Veta AWOS-3; 119.925. It is located right next to the north side of the pass and is your friend.

I look at the forecast winds and if the elevation above the altitude I am flying (in this case, 12,000') is 20 knots or more, I do not go through the mountains in light, single-engine, low-altitude aircraft. Turbulance and I do not get along well and the wind always accelerates over ridge lines, increasing turbulance as it goes. As others have stated, early in the day is much better (not to mention cooler and visually stunning). We are approaching summer, slowly, but getting there. That will give afternoon turbulance and thunderstorms a chance to build up and it is pretty much always worse around the ridge lines.

As you approach the pass, you should begin to see more and more of the landscape on the other side of it. If you do not, you have not yet got enough elevation to cross it. 11,500' will get you across, although it will initially look too low, the ridge will visually get lower as you approach it. Depending on how you are going home, Pueblo, La Junta and Lamar are all great places for gas and a stretch, which allows you to exit the mountains with less than full fuel, if weight and climb capabilities are a concern. There is planned runway construction at Pueblo, so you would have to watch for that, but their tower controllers are great to work with, and very patient. None of the three are terribly busy.

Feel free to give me a call at 720-480-1204. If I can, I would be happy to fly down and fly out with you. If I can't make it, I might know someone who can.