Mike Cushway???

[crispy critter]

Re: Mike Cushway???

LaVeta Pass…

Based on Wx reports and the locals, I had about 1 ½ hrs to make it thru the pass before it potentially closed up for a couple days. I assured the previous owner that if there were anything at all about the flight, pass or plane that concerned me, I would turn around and come back to Alamosa and wait it out. All the folks that I talked with during flight planning had suggested South LaVeta Pass as the safest option (thanx again Kevin Mays!). I needed to be @ 11,000msl to be 1500agl thru the south pass. I started climbing out of Alamosa and got to 11,500 about 5miles west of the apex of the pass. The ceiling was about 500’ above me with crystal clear visibility ahead and below. I committed to the pass at this point and was feeling pretty good about the decision. At about 2miles from the apex, I hit a near total and instantaneous white-out. It dropped out of nowhere. I tried to stay calm and quickly think out the options. I dropped about 300ft and could just see the ground at this point. l decided against any kind of a 180 turnaround. I knew I was centered in the pass and had at least 1200ft of air below me. I continued on for the longest two or three minutes of my life…..watching the ground, altimeter and ROC like a hawk. I now know the true definition of white knuckles! In the middle of all this a calm came over me as I thought of my Grampa and what he would do in this situation (He flew a Widgeon over most of Eastern Canada in days of old). I could not help but feel he was right seat for a brief second. In a matter of seconds I burst out into the most brilliant and welcome sunshine that I have ever seen in my life. The ground below me was dropping like a rock to the east! I was thru the pass! With several life lessons learned, I did not care what the rest of the trip thru at me, I knew the worst was behind.

Lmao...sorry mike but I gotta little bit of a chuckle out of that...been there, done that, more then once. The wind(even a light breeze) will cause a roller just before or at the apex usually a few hundred feet above the pass which will lift then roll down as you cross the high point. With the ceiling that close to the ground it will pull the clouds down with it until you get past the apex. A lot of times the breeze coming across the dry lower air and rising up the mountain into cooler air will actually create its own overcast layer that will hover just above the upwind side of the mountain, which is what sounds like you experienced. Not to funny when ya get caught in it but once ya understand it a little better you'll chuckle a little about it yourself. All I can say is...welcome to the mountains. Had ya been on the north side of that pass with that bit of overcast it would have almost certinly went all the way to the dirt at the apex. The wider area and a little easier up slope on the south side gives ya a little more breathing room.

Did ya get any pics crossing the pass?