Bob, I am 100% in, but can't leave until June 21st. Based at M33 (Gallatin, Tn).I will be flying my Sierra. As of right now I have an empty right seat (open to someone else to fly with me). Would like to see Nome, above Artic Circle and what ever else (open minded). Can be gone up to 3 weeks.
BAC to Alaska in 2010???
- Thread starter rgschmi
- Start date
rgschmi
Around The Moon
It's been a while since I've posted on this thread, but we have been busy in the background! We will meet in Cut Bank Montana on the afternoon of the 12th of June and probably camp overnight there. We will push into Canada on the Morning of the 13th, clear customs in Lethbridge, and head for Watson Lake, which may take us more than one day. After that, it's Alaska either via Whitehorse or Dawson City. We'll clear customs either at Northway or Eagle and then on to Fairbanks. After that, it's pretty open. We want to get to Nome and Kotzebue, probably Anchorage, Barrow and/or Deadhorse, and points in between.
Confirmed so far are:
Dan Kirby and Bob Schmidt in Dan's Sierra
Rick Koch and Dan Koch in Rick's Sundowner
Eddie Smith is still working on his schedule and may join us in his A24R.
We will have Spot Personal Locators in both airplanes and will put the web addresses up here so you can track us real time.
Confirmed so far are:
Dan Kirby and Bob Schmidt in Dan's Sierra
Rick Koch and Dan Koch in Rick's Sundowner
Eddie Smith is still working on his schedule and may join us in his A24R.
We will have Spot Personal Locators in both airplanes and will put the web addresses up here so you can track us real time.
Last edited by a moderator:
rgschmi
Around The Moon
The current plan is for Dan Kirby and I to meet up with Rick Koch and his brother, Dan, in Cut Bank, Montana on Saturday afternoon, June 12, and spend the night there. We plan to get an early start on Sunday and clear customs at Lethbridge, Alberta. If possible we'll go to Watson Lake, Yukon Territory, on Sunday. First, we have to get to Cut Bank on Saturday and the weather isn't looking that great. Hopefully, things will change for the better. Dan and I will have XM Weather at least for the areas we can get coverage, so that will help.
My SPOT personal tracker page is:
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0BgRdztL1LrdTYdxPWFnlQLSNp96Ea09T
You can follow us almost real-time on that page. Rick also has a SPOT, so hopefully he will post his page as well.
My SPOT personal tracker page is:
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0BgRdztL1LrdTYdxPWFnlQLSNp96Ea09T
You can follow us almost real-time on that page. Rick also has a SPOT, so hopefully he will post his page as well.
rgschmi
Around The Moon
The trip is scrubbed for Dan Kirby and I 
The weather just didn't cooperate and Rick Koch and his brother Dan are already in Dawson Creek, heading to Watson Lake. There is no way we can catch him now...
I talked to Rick and he said they are having a great time and the weather is great. They camped out for the first time last night at Dawson Creek. The night before, at Cut Bank, Montana, they stayed in a old B-29 Hangar converted to rooms for campers.
Here is Rick's SPOT tracker:
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/gogl.jsp?glId=0juTVYAzx1JbqbUsJM9H0JbnUdFn7mSeA
You can follow him real-time at this address.
Maybe next year...
The weather just didn't cooperate and Rick Koch and his brother Dan are already in Dawson Creek, heading to Watson Lake. There is no way we can catch him now...
I talked to Rick and he said they are having a great time and the weather is great. They camped out for the first time last night at Dawson Creek. The night before, at Cut Bank, Montana, they stayed in a old B-29 Hangar converted to rooms for campers.
Here is Rick's SPOT tracker:
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/gogl.jsp?glId=0juTVYAzx1JbqbUsJM9H0JbnUdFn7mSeA
You can follow him real-time at this address.
Maybe next year...
mwhatleyjr
Climbing to Cruise
The trip is scrubbed for Dan Kirby and I
The weather just didn't cooperate and Rick Koch and his brother Dan are already in Dawson Creek, heading to Watson Lake. There is no way we can catch him now...
I talked to Rick and he said they are having a great time and the weather is great. They camped out for the first time last night at Dawson Creek. The night before, at Cut Bank, Montana, they stayed in a old B-29 Hangar converted to rooms for campers.
Here is Rick's SPOT tracker:
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/gogl.jsp?glId=0juTVYAzx1JbqbUsJM9H0JbnUdFn7mSeA
You can follow him real-time at this address.
Maybe next year...
Sorry to hear Bob, I was hoping you guys would have made another trip up there.
rgschmi
Around The Moon
Yeah, I talked to Rich last night. He is in the RV park for airplanes at Fairbanks. I even know the site he is in from the SPOT fix! We were in the two left-most spots on the other side in 2005. Ya gotta wonder why a 406 mHz ELT is 'better' than this!
They are going to try for Nome - I thought they might go today, but I guess not. Hopefully Rick can find a wi-fi location and update us himself.
They are going to try for Nome - I thought they might go today, but I guess not. Hopefully Rick can find a wi-fi location and update us himself.
RickKoch
Climbing to Cruise
Hello from Fairbanks Alaska
Hi Everyone,
We have had a magnificent trip so far! The weather has been cooperative and conditions during the daytimes have been basically warm and mild. The worst weather was getting out of Denver, and up through Wyoming. Once to Sheridan, WY - smooth sailing ever since. Of course smooth sailing here means a lot of MVFR.
Left my towbar in Ft.Nelson, BC! Had not planned to go back that way. I wanted to fly the "Trench" on the return trip back down to Ft. St. John. Might have them FedEx it to Denver.
The route from Watson Creek, BC to Whitehorse, Yukon to ToK, Alaska is indescribable! Truly a trip of a lifetime.
We should be heading out of Fairbanks here in a couple of hours - for Nome and Kotzebue, AK. They sit on the Bearing Sea about 50 miles from Russia. Kotzebue is pretty much a native village. We might leave Nome and head down to Denali instead. Haven't decided for sure yet. That would leave me without having crossed the Arctic Circle, however. But we're only 100 miles from it here. MaY be close enough.
In any event, Nome will be our halfway point (some 3500 miles) then it is begining the long trek back to the lower 48. Should be around 7000 miles total (should probably get in the PT race this year! Bob you did set this up as an official event didn't you?).
Well I need to go get some weather and briefings. Will report back in when I can.
-Rick
Hi Everyone,
We have had a magnificent trip so far! The weather has been cooperative and conditions during the daytimes have been basically warm and mild. The worst weather was getting out of Denver, and up through Wyoming. Once to Sheridan, WY - smooth sailing ever since. Of course smooth sailing here means a lot of MVFR.
Left my towbar in Ft.Nelson, BC! Had not planned to go back that way. I wanted to fly the "Trench" on the return trip back down to Ft. St. John. Might have them FedEx it to Denver.
The route from Watson Creek, BC to Whitehorse, Yukon to ToK, Alaska is indescribable! Truly a trip of a lifetime.
We should be heading out of Fairbanks here in a couple of hours - for Nome and Kotzebue, AK. They sit on the Bearing Sea about 50 miles from Russia. Kotzebue is pretty much a native village. We might leave Nome and head down to Denali instead. Haven't decided for sure yet. That would leave me without having crossed the Arctic Circle, however. But we're only 100 miles from it here. MaY be close enough.
In any event, Nome will be our halfway point (some 3500 miles) then it is begining the long trek back to the lower 48. Should be around 7000 miles total (should probably get in the PT race this year! Bob you did set this up as an official event didn't you?).
Well I need to go get some weather and briefings. Will report back in when I can.
-Rick
Last edited:
RickKoch
Climbing to Cruise
Our fabulous adventure to Alaska is nearing it's end. We are back in the US having cleared Customs in Cut Bank, MT.
The weather for our return travels has not been as wonderful as the first half but in itself adverture-packed. Yesterday, leaving Whitehorse, Yukon for Watson Lake we faced 800-1000' ceilings with moderate to heavy rain showers, following the Alaskan Highway low enough to read the sides of semi-truck trailers.
I've gained a lot of experience circum-navigating foul weather - from the low ceilings packed in along the coasts of the Bering Sea, Bering Straits and Chukchi Seas leading to Kotzebue above the Arctic Circle ... To overflying miles of dense fog blanketing the endless prairies of British Columbia and Alberta.
Even here in Cut Bank and Lewistown, MT, howling winds gusting to 59kts have us grounded until morning. Then on to Denver closing the book on my great Alaskan Adventure. Not only am I a better pilot because of the trip but I will have treasured memories to last the rest of my life.
I hope you were able to follow along with my SPOT beacon. I know my wife, Chris, was addicted it to the tracker for the last two weeks.
Look for a report in an upcoming issue of BACTalk Magazine.
The weather for our return travels has not been as wonderful as the first half but in itself adverture-packed. Yesterday, leaving Whitehorse, Yukon for Watson Lake we faced 800-1000' ceilings with moderate to heavy rain showers, following the Alaskan Highway low enough to read the sides of semi-truck trailers.
I've gained a lot of experience circum-navigating foul weather - from the low ceilings packed in along the coasts of the Bering Sea, Bering Straits and Chukchi Seas leading to Kotzebue above the Arctic Circle ... To overflying miles of dense fog blanketing the endless prairies of British Columbia and Alberta.
Even here in Cut Bank and Lewistown, MT, howling winds gusting to 59kts have us grounded until morning. Then on to Denver closing the book on my great Alaskan Adventure. Not only am I a better pilot because of the trip but I will have treasured memories to last the rest of my life.
I hope you were able to follow along with my SPOT beacon. I know my wife, Chris, was addicted it to the tracker for the last two weeks.
Look for a report in an upcoming issue of BACTalk Magazine.
Last edited: