Visiting Anchorage Until 14 May

[flyer1]

Hi AK Tcrafters. I am working in ANC for the rest of this week and depart on 14 May. Looks like I may have some time this weekend for exploring. Any ideas? I got to visit with Dick Smith a few years back. He was fantastic and got me my first flight time on skis. This is a great time of year. My other trips were in January and March. Much warmer and more light now.


Mike

[fearofpavement]

Re: Visiting Anchorage Until 14 May

I'm jealous!

[AKbrew]

Re: Visiting Anchorage Until 14 May

Have you thought about going down to Valdez? It's a good time...lots of cool airplanes and fun bush flying demonstrations. I know some of the Nome guys are renting a car and driving down on Friday. You might be able to catch a ride with them. (Send me an email and I might be able to get ahold of them.) A couple of us are flying down on Friday as well.

[flyer1]

Re: Visiting Anchorage Until 14 May

I do not know when I will be done with work on Friday. I should be flying around ANC on Friday but I am not sure. I just got back from Shishmaref and Nome about 45 minutes ago. Could not do the work at Wales. The wx was not good enough. I may be working around Bethel in the afternoon and may go back to Wales if the weather will support it. I will check my itinerary again tomorrow and let you know. Thanks for the idea. My co-pilot wants to hike to the top of flat top. Not sure I am up for that.

[fearofpavement]

Re: Visiting Anchorage Until 14 May

I was in Shishmaref back when they still were using the cross peninsula strip. Land short or long and you got wet. The new strip was under construction but not open. Guess that must have been about 1987? I sure do like Alaska but don't know when I may get up there again...

[flyer1]

Re: Visiting Anchorage Until 14 May

The new strip at Shismeref looks good now. I did not see alot over flying, the wx was not CAVU. The people that live there must be some of the most self suffecient people in the world. I am not sure I could do what they do. I was in Bethel and over flew Toksook Bay today. Again, some very strong people. I get to continue working until 21 May out of ANC. I do not have a firm itinerary yet for the rest of this week. May be working McGrath in the am and try to get the lights (REILS) at Wales done this week. I am hoping to see Dick now that I have been extended a week. I do not think I will be able to make Valdez this week end. I am still open to ideas for this week end. Was able to get to the Ulu factory and replace the knife that I lost a few years back. Alaska is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

[Bird]

Re: Visiting Anchorage Until 14 May

Man I sure do envy you, the last time I was flying around AK was in 80 working on the DEW line radar sites.
Man now that was interesting, one place we flew in was a place called Sparavon (spelling might not be right), flew in in a c-130 and the pilot told us to come up on the fight deck for the landing, when asked about the legality of it he replied if he screwed up there was no going around and we might as well watch it.
Now landing in a box canyon on a runway that starts low and ends aprox 100' higher with steep hills surounding the airstrip in a C-130 is well breathtaking.

[Larry Lyons]

Re: Visiting Anchorage Until 14 May

One thing not mentioned here yet, is have you been to the bush pilot museum out by the airport? A very nice way to waist an afternoon. Larry

[Dot_AK]

Re: Visiting Anchorage Until 14 May

I'll recommend against climbing flattop right now - no matter how nice Anchorage is getting at sea level, Flattop's going to be heavy rotten snow and granular ice the closer you get to the top. I've done that with friends, on a "yay! finally spring!" lark, and it was called off as too hard a slog once we got to blueberry loop.

What are you looking to do? Hiking, glacier/rock climbing, skiing, hunting, fishing, eating at fun restaurants, sampling microbrews, museums (Larry's right, the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum is pretty cool), "go fly places" for the heck of it... Give me some direction and I'll rack my brains for things to do.

I'll highly recommend, if you can make it, the Valdez May Day Fly-In this weekend - lots and lots of flying, fun, good times, good-natured but intense competition... fun even if, like me, you'll have to drive, and might not make it in til Saturday!

[flyer1]

Re: Visiting Anchorage Until 14 May

Hi Dot,

I have talked to my co pilot about going to Flat Top. He said he was only going to the first landing.

I would like to go to the museum at the airport again. Was there about 7 years ago. It would be good to see any changes. For ideas of what I would like to do...seeing some of Alaska from a Tcraft would be number one. The world is much different from a tcraft than a turbine. Shooting is always fun. I have not been fishing since I was a kid and the pictures of the monster fish up here looks like a real challenge. As for hunting, I have missed the last few years and I am not sure what is in season now. And a malt beverage at the end of a day is always welcome.

I did some work in McGrath today. I will staying local tomorrow.

Thanks for wracking your brain for ideas.

[flyer1]

Re: Visiting Anchorage Until 14 May

Bird,

I saw the remains of the DEW line at Bethel yesterday. It looked like an outdoor movie theater screen. I would like to learn how they worked. The pilot I am flying with told me a little about it. For some reason I thought they were farther North. Alaska has a very interesting history. I am learning bits and pieces of it each day. I have been told of some the approaches into some strips that have one way in and one way out. I have not had to inspect any of those yet. I think those are kept for the pilots based here and not given the visiting pilots from the lower 48.

[Bird]

Re: Visiting Anchorage Until 14 May

Flyer1,
The DEW line that I worked on was actually just large radar arrays that rotated in 50' diameter geo domes, spaced approx 150 miles apart, I think that what you saw relating to billboard type arrangement was some type of microwave thing that was used for communications, I remember seeing one and that was the explanation I was given, some old ATT technology and even though it had large copper plates in them the cost to salvage them wouldn't be cost effective.
There is 1 DEW line station that I know you can still see on Google earth at a place called Tin City, AK.
Using google earth type in Tin City, AK, find the air strip and work your way west just a short way, there is a cable car setup to get to the top of the mtn and then at the top is the dome, man that place had a view you wouldn't believe, whales 2000' below you to the south and Russia some 20 odd miles west.

[flybikefarm]

Re: Visiting Anchorage Until 14 May

I grew up two miles from the DEW line training station in Streator, Il. Everthing is still there. The goverment gave it to the farmer who owned the rest of the faarm ground around it. Can post a pic if anyone is interested. George

[Bird]

Re: Visiting Anchorage Until 14 May

I dug up some pictures from that trip in 80 and I'll post them in the rant and rave section under dew line

[Dot_AK]

Re: Visiting Anchorage Until 14 May

For darned good pizza, I highly recommend Bear's Tooth pizza... or, if it's playing anything good, Moose's Tooth has a second run / art house movie theater attached to their restaurant for pizza and beer with a $3 movie. (You can probably tell by the way it's my first suggestion, what I tend to do for a night out on the town.)

If you have a car and time to kill, you can drive on the only road south out of Anchorage and enjoy the views on the way to Girdwood. (It's even better if you fly!) There's a fun ice cream shop at the gas station where you turn off the seward highway if you're driving or just a short amble from the strip there's a small bake shop named "The Bake Shop" that has really good food.

I will post more suggestions later - I'm being dragged away from the computer to go to the pancake breakfast here in Seward. I can already hear the planes gathering.