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Adventures of a Bush Pilot
by Bill Odell
Punta
Arenas to Barrow in a Turbo Otter
Phase Two
Tijuana to Barrow
MMTJ Tijuana. Leave Tijuana and head for my favorite
airport in California, Montgomery Field on a 12-minute flight. I go there primarily for the 94th
Squadron Restaurant on the field at night.
Located near the runway intersections, you can watch all the aircraft
lights and listen to the radio transmissions while you dine. Food is great also. We will be having the required aircraft
services performed at Gibb’s Flying Service a real good local FBO. While waiting you might visit Balboa Park.
California
KMYF Montgomery Field. Ron has given me a route that he has worked up but never flown,
so I will develop his idea; probably make a few changes along the way. Along
this route there are motels several miles from the airstrip, I am going to
sleep aboard the Otter, with the floats the fuselage is fairly level and my
sleeping gear is quite comfortable. I
plan on stopping at a few Hotels that I will indicate. Aircraft fully serviced
and all inspections completed and A-OK we start on our journey up through
California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Yukon and finally Alaska on
our way to Barrow (nothing north of here).
Head out via Julian VOR, this will head you toward the east side of the
mountain, then check out Lake Henshaw and try a landing on the way to Big
Bear. The lake is easy to find as it is
right on course. After such a nice
landing at Henshaw I decided to land on Big Bear Lake instead of the
runway. It is easy, pick out the right
valleys and they take you to the west end of the lake, Piece of cake, speaking
of cake let’s head to the Café.
L35 Big Bear, located on the east end of Big
Bear Lake. The food and service is
great at the Barnstorm Café. A great place to take a break and take in the
beautiful scenery.
00CA Goldstone, Barstow. This is a fine private field (NASA), call ahead for permission to
land. Was looking for the strip and
almost missed it, had to slip in for a smooth landing.
L05 Kern Valley. This leg has been the most fun
of the whole trip so far. I decided two
things, one I was going to land on the lake, second was I would limit my
altitude to 7500’ which required much wandering through canyons to get to the
lake. Landed and came ashore right at the end of the runway. Fun – fun-fun! Didn’t realize there was this much fun flying in as Arnold calls
I Cal-e-e fornia. Will be back. Camped out at the Kern Valley Campground
next to the airstrip. Had a great time
as we sat around the campfire, heated some white wine and sang songs. About 4 other planes had also stopped here.
O42 Woodlake Airport. I am going to have to leave you to your own devices on the next
few lakes. If you can land your
seaplane or amphibian please do so. I
have landed ok then the next time no-go, had nothing but problems with getting
the plane on the water. It is a shame as the lakes are so beautiful and we have
had no problems with any of the others.
O24 Lee Vining Airport. Here again I can’t get the seaplane on the
water every time. Enroute to Lee Vining there are several nice lakes such as
Mammoth/Yosemite.
Q74 Homewood
Seaplane Base, Lake Tahoe. Located
about midway up the west side of the lake.
This is the reason I chose this side of the mountain. I have encountered no problems here with
landing.
O05 Rogers.
You have a chance here to use the airstrip or land on the Lake alongside
the Airstrip. You know me I chose the
Lake.
Q81 Double Creek Ranch Airport. Hope you enjoy this little grass strip
although it is a change from Asphalt and water
Q83 Bridge Bay Resort Seaplane Base. We will overnight at the Bridge Bay
resort. They have fine food in the
restaurant. This is such an odd shaped
lake with many fingers I flew around the whole lake just to look at it, suggest
you do the same, as it is very interesting.
A32 Butte Valley Airport, Dorris, CA. This is
our last stop in California next stop is in Oregon. There are several nice Lakes nearby in case you would rather land
on the water.
Oregon
2S7 Chiloquin State Airport, Chiloquin,
Oregon. I liked the numerous lakes
nearby and selected one to land on rather than the strip; you might want to try
the same thing.
5S2 Crescent Lake State Airport. I landed on the upper Crescent Lake.
S21 Sunriver Airport. Sunriver Resort at the airport has a pilot snooze room in the
event you are a tad tired.
5S5 Lake Billy Chinook State Airport. Here again you might want to try the water.
KDLS Columbia Gorge Regional/The Dalles Municipal
Airport. The West Winds Café is at the
airport. I have reservations at the
Shilo Inn The Dalles.
Washington
Our flight through Washington State is going to be a
little different in that, although we have three airstrips along the route, we
will be following the Columbia River.
This route was selected as an interesting way to get to British Columbia
and our route to Alaska.
32WA Compressor Station 8. Following the river reminds
of the kid in the TV commercial for some over the counter medicine, turning and
tossing, there aren’t many straight portions on this river. Remember while we
follow this river take as many landings on the water as you want.
S10 Chelan Municipal Airport, Chelan
Washington.
3W7 Grand Coulee Dam Airport, Grand Coulee Wash.
The strange thing about the dam is that water is the same level on either side
of the dam.
73WA 7 Bays Airport, Davenport, Washington. Last landing in the Lower 48, next stop in
Canada.
British Columbia
CYCG Castlegar, British Columbia. I landed on the airstrip as it was getting
dark (remember the days get shorter this time of year) and didn’t want to trust
my luck on the river. I came in on 33
which has a very steep approach with lot’s of trees and it was a challenge in
the fading daylight, probably should have used the ILS on 15. But no problem the landing was smooth. I am
staying at the Village Inn. They say
they have a fine restaurant and I haven’t been misled yet. Determining the route for flying through
British Columbia I tried to FBR. So up to about a mile from CAH4 why not make
this exciting by following the river, BUT lets get down to about 3500” to
4000’. (I flew at 3500’, but a few
sharp curves had me climbing so I didn’t hit a canyon wall then I got right
back down again). If you do fly the
river you will I promise, be kept on your toes.
CAQ5 Nakusp. This is a steep climb out; you can play
to your hearts content in the valleys.
CYRV Revelstoke.
You almost have to land in the water if you are flying the river, it is
right there.
CAH4 Valemont.
Just keep following the river until it ends then you only a couple of
miles to the strip.
CAV4 Mc Bride.
Leaving here we have another river to follow to Prince George.
CYXS Prince George. Another one of those weird
airports with FS.
CYZY Mackenzie. Located on the southern end of
Williston Lake. Again we will follow
the lake to its end and Tsay Keh.
CBN9 Tsay Keh. Wouldn’t you believe it, we run out
of lake at Tsay Keh, ah! But we have another river to lead us to Lake Ware.
CAJ9 Ft Ware.
Heading to the Yukon and Watson Lake.
Yukon
CYQH Watson Lake, Yukon. I would love to land on the water. We must agree that the Turbo
Otter amphibian is really not the plane for the remainder of this trip as most
of the strips are gravel and those low floats are susceptible for severe gravel
damage to their bottoms. With that in
mind, since we brought her to the dance, we have to continue on; very close
checks of the float condition after every landing are a must.
CZFA Faro, Yukon. I know the tower operator here; he
is a FS fan like us.
CFQ6 Pelly Crossing, Yukon
CFP4 Mc Questin, Yukon
CYDA Dawson, Yukon.
I landed in the river and tied up near the old SS Keno, a restored old
riverboat in downtown Dawson. We have
reservations at the Midnight Sun Hotel.
You ought to stay for a couple of days and take in the history of the
famous “Paris of the North” during the gold mining days.
Alaska
PAEA Eagle, Alaska.
Back in the good old US of A again, feels good. Been a long way and possibly two days left
on this voyage. We now will be flying
in the area that I do most of my BGA flying out of Bettles.
L20 Coal Creek. These next two stops have real short runways so if you feel you
would rather not challenge the landing feel free to abort and continue on.
CHP Circle Hot Springs
WBQ Beaver.
.
PALR Chandalar Lake
PAGB Galbraith Lake
PAUM Umiat
PABR Wiley Post-Will Rogers Memorial Airport, Barrow,
Alaska. They tell me there is a place
here that sells hamburgers for $1,000.00.
Must be real good! Well that
does it; hope that those who stuck with it had a great trip. I learned a lot has changed since I was in a
lot of these areas and I intend to go back and fly some off shoots of this route,
the Amazon sounds interesting better start my research.
See you on another flight,
Best
Bill Odell