Alaska Bound, SWP.org at the Alaskan Airman Show and Valdez May Day Fly-In

[Steve Pierce]

I am in the process of planning the cross country of my lifetime thus far. Going to fly a 90 hp Super Cub up to Anchorage from Texas with a kid from there that has worked with me all winter. Looking at crossing into Canada at a grass strip north of Cutbank, MT and flying the Alaska highway up. Planning on leaving some time late next week and hope to make it to Anchorage in time for the Alaska Airman Show April 30th- May 1st, spend the next week at Ultimate Thule Lodge where Tal works in the summer and then making the Valdez STOL competition. Cathy is gonna meet me in Anchorage for the Airman show via a burner and spend 4 days. We will again have a booth with SuperCub.org at the show so please stop by for sit down. We will also be having a get together at the Millennium Hotel on Saturday night as well.

Hope to hook up with lots of Short Wingers along the way and also in AK. Open for any insight into making this flight as well.

[Curly]

Lucky bugger! Have fun - watch out for them "barrs".:bear:

[Throttle Pusher]

What are the dates for Valez
Ive got some time off in early may, and maybe this will be one of those things that work out in the last minute.

[Curly]

Just had my sandwich and coffee looking at Google Earth - man that is one hell of a cross country from Graham to Valdez - hope Tal has "memory foam" seats in the Cub or you could get blisters on your butt! I think your right when you describe it as the trip of a lifetime. The scenery looks simply awesome!

We would love to be able to follow your route if you are able to post as you travel, but looking at the remoteness I guess that would be difficult. Makes our "designated remote areas" look like suburban parks in comparison.

[captskyking]

Better brush up on your skud running... I flew up there last May and went through 4 snow storms. It was a really exciting and fun trip,you will have a blast...Fly safe...

[Troy Hamon]

Hi Steve, I'll be in and out of town around the Airmen's Show and Valdez, don't have a schedule yet but hope to see you again in there somewhere.

I flew the highway but crossed the border west of the rockies before going over to Ft St John and then following the road. In October it was getting a bit testy as far as weather, but it is a wonderful trip. Should be a pretty ideal weather window and lots of daylight. What sort of insights are you looking for? Plan fuel carefully...adjust plans accordingly...we elected to go straight from Ft Nelson to the Grand Canyon of the Liaird instead of following the highway because if we got turned around near Watson Lake we would have enough gas to get back to Ft Nelson...not sure if Toad River wasn't open that time of year or if we weren't smart enough to consider it...

[cammons3]

I am in the process of planning the cross country of my lifetime thus far...
ENVIOUS! Looking forward to the day when I can make that XC w/ Tweet...

[Steve Pierce]

http://valdezalaska.org/events/flyIn/flyIn.html May 6-8 It is an awesome event.

Curly, I have my Oregon Aero seat cusion my folks gave me for Christmas years afo after coming through their place in an AgCat with a numb butt. I will post our SPOT so you can follow us.

Troy, Looking forward to it.

Curt, Jump on one of those heavies and meet us up there.

[Stephen]

Flying a Cub, you will need a seat cushion. I'll be taking my Pacer up in July, spending a couple of weeks. I'll have my big tanks by then so I can have options on different routes. Have a blast!!

[MontanaPacer]

I will be looking forward to your reports about using the EAPIS system and where you do your border crossing into Alaska. I have heard that Northway is a real headache. Let us know how it works for you.
Charles

[houndhunter]

planning on a trip next spring (april) from south dakota to anchorage in a clipper i plan to purchase this fall. please post your route . also did you have long range tanks installed in your cub?

[Throttle Pusher]

Awww.... My time off starts on the 8th.
Hmm, maybe? Ill have to see if I can swing something.

[Steve Pierce]

This will motivate you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0G0HdF3w1Y

[PeterL]

What a great trip you are going to have going up there Steve and Tal, I've done lots of Corporate and Charter flying all over B.C. and Alberta, but hardly any flying NW of Fort Nelson. The trip to Whitehorse last summer following the river from Ft. Nelson to Watson Lk and on to Whitehorse and a few areas further N was a dream come true. Going to the places that you read about from books over the years made that more special. You both are to have a super trip, maybe stop at Dawson Creek, B.C. Mile 0 of the Alcan Highway. Maybe I should take a Burner up there-----that would be FUN.

Peter Lubig

[Piper]

Steve, I live in Fairbanks and got your name from Vickie at Tamarack Air, we spoke last summer when I was purchasing my Pacer in S. California, thanks again for the good information. I flew the AK Highway and would be happy do discuss the trip. We had several great stops in Canada, the best of which was at South Cariboo Regional Airport at 108 Mile Ranch in BC. If you stop there tell Nick Christenson I said hello. He is a GREAT guy, if I didn't know better I would have thought he was Alaskan. We were forced into 108 Mile by IMC conditions from forest fires. Nick runs the airport and has an air taxi operation and can help with anything you need. I will be at the Expo in Anchorage and will look you up.

[gliderman]

Steve
It looks like your coming my way- hope we can finally meet.the offer of a couple of spare beds still holds. do you need me to send you a Canada Flight Supplement and some VFR charts?
are you familiar with the entry procedures into the Great White North?: here is a link to canada border services:http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/contact/listing/indexpages/indextype5-e.html.
hope this helps
Shane

[Steve Pierce]

Great, look forward to meeting you at the show.

Shane, I will PM you so we can meet up in your neck of the woods.

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all the insight and encouragement.

[GeronimoDriver]

Too bad you are not stopping by Juneau, I can't make Valdez this year due to work. I am going to Arlington though! You'll have a great trip, I am flying a Scout from MSP to Juneau next week with a Pacer in tow. Thats gonna be a long ride... Hopefully next year it will be MY Pacer headed north...

[Steve Pierce]

Actually Cathy has a layover in Juneau. A friend got her a ticket with his miles and he is going to give her a tour of Juneau on Thur. the 28th.

[GeronimoDriver]

Oh cool, tell her she is welcome to look me up if she wants.

[Bob Mac]

Steve, Are you related to Superman? It's way beyond my understanding how you do all of the things that you do.
I'm going to try to get a couple of young fellas to stop by and say hello. The son of one of our neighbors is a bush pilot up there flying, the last i knew, a Turbo Otter. His parents live at our airpark and have a beautiful PA18-160. They ran a fishing lodge and a "fly out somewhere to fish" operation before they retired.
The second young fellow was my daughter's first student and now flies a 737 for Northern Air Cargo. His dad lives in Boise and is my fly fishing buddy.
Have a wonderful trip.
Bob

[Stephen]

Too bad you are not stopping by Juneau, I can't make Valdez this year due to work. I am going to Arlington though! You'll have a great trip, I am flying a Scout from MSP to Juneau next week with a Pacer in tow. Thats gonna be a long ride... Hopefully next year it will be MY Pacer headed north...

Aaron, what are you flying to Arlington this year??

I'll be missing this year as I'll be in AK with my Pacer in July......Sorry to miss....but looking forward to my flight north.

[BatPacer]

Hope you are having a great trip, Steve. See you in Valdez if not before. The wife and I might leave a couple of days early and bop around the Wrangells. Have been known to stop at UT for a chat.

Stephen, definitely give a holler as your AK trip draws nigh. Like to do some flying with you.

Paul

[Stephen]

Hope you are having a great trip, Steve. See you in Valdez if not before. The wife and I might leave a couple of days early and bop around the Wrangells. Have been known to stop at UT for a chat.

Stephen, definitely give a holler as your AK trip draws nigh. Like to do some flying with you.

Paul

Sounds good!

[Steve Pierce]

Well we are as ready as we are gonna be and set to blast off at first light. Will keep updating with pictures etc. as we go and you can follow Tal and I on our SPOT and Spider Tracks. Hope to see several of you shortly. Alaska here we come. :)

Spot http://share.findmespot.com/shared/f...R5F5ZcWodnNCU0 (http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0t5VgtkkollujrbktWiR5F5ZcWodnNC U0)

Spidertracks https://app.spidertracks.com/home.mv...wlhYQqRF38lscl (https://app.spidertracks.com/home.mvc/viewuserspiders?sid=c6zKpEf8J60k5Wd8EB475vAC_g2Nv_ NGqv-FF2u5YgWh91Ye-1wlhYQqRF38lscl)

[BatPacer]

Whooo-hoooo!! You are going to have fun. Keep the pee bottle handy and enjoy the scenery.

[Curly]

You got it Batpacer - when the "piddle pack" endurance is less than the fuel tank endurance you need to start looking for a decent "forced landing" paddock.

(I have found a ziplock sandwich bag with 4 compressed foam dishwashing pads (dry) inside, very handy on long trips.) ;)

[Stephen]

You got it Batpacer - when the "piddle pack" endurance is less than the fuel tank endurance you need to start looking for a decent "forced landing" paddock.

(I have found a ziplock sandwich bag with 4 compressed foam dishwashing pads (dry) inside, very handy on long trips.) ;)

I put clumping kitty little in a ziplock.

[Stephen]

Well we are as ready as we are gonna be and set to blast off at first light. Will keep updating with pictures etc. as we go and you can follow Tal and I on our SPOT and Spider Tracks. Hope to see several of you shortly. Alaska here we come. :)

Spot http://share.findmespot.com/shared/f...R5F5ZcWodnNCU0 (http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0t5VgtkkollujrbktWiR5F5ZcWodnNC U0)

Spidertracks https://app.spidertracks.com/home.mv...wlhYQqRF38lscl (https://app.spidertracks.com/home.mvc/viewuserspiders?sid=c6zKpEf8J60k5Wd8EB475vAC_g2Nv_ NGqv-FF2u5YgWh91Ye-




1wlhYQqRF38lscl)

Looks like about 2 inches today.....I knew those SC's were slow.

[MN_flyer1]

Looks like they are waiting out some weather at Sydney, NE.

[Steve Pierce]

Had a stuck valve in Lamar, got that fixed and made it to Sidney for the night. On to probably Miles City, MT where a friend has a grass strip and then Cut Bank, MT.

[rocket]

Steve,
stuck valve!? I can not wait for the rest of the story.

Good luck on the rest of your trip.

I am planing to fly to Valdez but it is looking like the weather is not going to cooperate as I need to be in anchorge this weekend or fly out commercial; bummer. The last two years the locals here in western alaska have not been able to attend do to weather. It is not a nice time of year out here: half winter and half spring; and not the good half either.

I will be in Anchorage at lake Hood monday tuesday wednesday-if you need anything feel free to call me at 1.907.248.8323. I will be down in America for a few days after that but will return on the 3rd of april.

Rocket

[dbudd]

Steve i wish i would have got on here quicker. im at KCDR Chadron, NE its about an hour north of sidney, NE . I could have fixed you up fed you and gave you a place to sleep. good luck on your trip

Doug

[Curly]

I have been following the "little cross country" on both Spidertracks and Spot - what a fantastic piece if technology they both are.:p

To be able to follow the track, see exactly where they are, altitude and groundspeed and then zoom in on the landing area (which could be a bit of a problem if you were doing a bit of "dropping in on the farmers wife while the farmer was away";)), from the other side of the world, is just amazing. Almost as good as being there - almost!

Really looking forward to the rest of the trip over the tiger country.

[nicka]

I was "Outside" for the past nine days and just drove up the Alaska Highway, anyways there is still alot of nasty spring weather floating around out there. Fort St John area and all the way through the Yukon Territories had little spring squalls spitting sleet and flurries. They are pretty localized though and around them the weather is great.Lots of snow still in the mountains and fresh snow around Fort St. John and Muncho Lake BC. A lot of the small airstrips I saw still had patchy snow surfaces w/ the wonderful knee deep spring mud hiding underneath, watch where you're landing. Have fun!

[Steve Pierce]

Got to a friends strip in Miles City, MT and when we cranked up to leave we had another stuck valve. Got it fixed but weather was going south at our next destination. Hangered the plane and spent the night.
2514
Got up and while checking the weather this happened.
2515

[Steve Pierce]

We had to make a pitstop yesterday.
2516
Then we saw Devils Tower.
2517

[Steve Pierce]

While we were down we cleaned the other two exhaust valves and hopefully by cleaning the varnish out, Marvel Mystery oil and proper leaning we won't have anymore problems.

[gliderman]

Hi Steve
checked the weather this side of the 49th. It's gonna be NICE all next week. Clear sailing all the way to Fort St John.....
http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/city/pages/ab-29_metric_e.html
Edmonton Flight Service :1-866-992-7433 for all your weather and flight planning needs while in the Great White North......
Looking forward to meeting you and Tal
Fly safe

Shane
Shane

[Curly]

Whenever my Dad (motor mechanic) went anywhere, the first thing he would do is load his toolbox in the boot - even after he bought the brand new Toyota. He never needed to use them himself, but always stopped if someone was stuck up on the side of the road.

Steve, I am guessing you inherited some of his genes, as you don't find cotton rope, crocus cloth, marvel mystery oil and spanners by accident. Good lesson for all of us - I have started my list of emergency items - I will add crocus cloth, and marvel mystery oil to the list. Already have all the rest - thanks to George's genes. He was a great teacher and a fantastic father!

[Steve Pierce]

Shane we are departing shortly headed your way. Should be up there this afternoon. You can text me at 940-550-2317. Not sure which airport you are at.

[gliderman]

Hi Steve
was wondering if the Mounties are on your trail. LOL ...you are definitely moving through Alberta And BC.

sorry we couldn't hook up
shane

[Terry E]

Steve I just spent the last week in Custer SD and came home I90 Fri and Sat, you must have flown over the top of my truck. Friday the wind in Wyoming was 50 to 60 and snow everywhere. looks like you lucked out. have a great trip.
Terry

[smcnutt]

Did they split up or did Steve just forget to turn on the Spot? I just checked and the Spidertracks was just outside Anchorage but the Spot was a day behind in Canada.

[Clayton Harper]

Anyone with the Spidertracks Link?

[MN_flyer1]

Spot http://share.findmespot.com/shared/f...R5F5ZcWodnNCU0 (http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0t5VgtkkollujrbktWiR5F5ZcWodnNC U0)

Spidertracks https://app.spidertracks.com/home.mv...wlhYQqRF38lscl (https://app.spidertracks.com/home.mvc/viewuserspiders?sid=c6zKpEf8J60k5Wd8EB475vAC_g2Nv_ NGqv-FF2u5YgWh91Ye-1wlhYQqRF38lscl)

[Curly]

After watching Steve's Spidertracks link I will not be putting in a ELB - I'll spend the money on Spidertracks and get a system that does not rely on a government department for my SAR coverage.

It really bugs me that I can get a perfectly suitable ELB for my boat for around $150 but if I wan't to use one in my aeroplane, I have to pay over $750. And the damn thing is usually manufactured by the same company with the same features - so they can't use the excuse of "different frequencies, TSO etc".

Oh sorry I forgot - crashing an aeroplane is much more dangerous that flipping a boat in heavy seas and therefor you must pay more for it :soapbox:

[Clayton Harper]

Thank you.

[MN_flyer1]

I agree. If they want to make everyone safer or easier to find. Make it cheap........

[mike mcs repair]

almost there..... wave !

[rocket]

I met the boys at the Lake hood strip in Anchorage. I could tell the gyro instruments were still spinning in their heads...even though both feet were firmly planted on the ground.

I know the feeling.


Rocket

[GeronimoDriver]

Aaron, what are you flying to Arlington this year??

I'll be missing this year as I'll be in AK with my Pacer in July......Sorry to miss....but looking forward to my flight north.

Sorry I took so long, I'll be flying the Apache again this year, the Pacer is still scattered across the hangar. I just got home yesterday from flying a Bellanca Scout up here from Osceola, WI. That was a great trip and got some good pics of my friends new Pacer along the way. This was my first time taking the interior route and I gotta say I like the coast way better. The scenery was beautiful though, but too many ways to get in trouble if the weather turns... I guess I am just used to the coast, I know how high the water is... Pics can be found here: https://picasaweb.google.com/GeronimoDriver/ScoutAndPacer#

[Curly]

Rocket - I watched them approach and land (albeit by remote control via Spidertracks - damn that technology is marvelous) and when I zoomed in on what I thought were marina's full of boats, I was gobsmacked to find that they were not boats but literally hundreds of floatplanes. Awesome!

[Steve Pierce]

Rocket was at Lake Hood when we landed. It was great to meet another Short Winger and put a name to a face. Cathy got in last night so I am taking her to Guinnies for breakfast and then to Kaladi Brothers coffee and Tidal Wave books till she gets awake and then off to see Alaska. Hope to see lots of folks at the show tomorrow and remember the get together at the Millineum Hotel Sat. night.

[avcan]

I have to agree with Curly .... the number of aircraft at Lake Hood is unbelievable! Must be awesome to be there in person.
We need to go one year Curly ....

[Steve Pierce]

I am gonna atempt to make a video of driving around Lake Hood. It is truly amazing.

[Curly]

Sounds like a deal Craig - as long as it's in the summer!
(Just thinking about all that cold white wet stuff makes me shiver.)

[nicka]

Something else about Lake Hood is there is no requirement to have a transponder to fly in or out and it sits right next to Anchorage International, you really ought to listen to Lake Hood Tower one day when its really busy it can be something else coming and going, especially in the fall when hunting season is starting, there is a gravel strip and then the water lanes and when you report in you call out the strip or the water,I have been at the strip in line w/ 15 different supercubs and everyone calling themselves Piper N12345 or whatever and it gets to be a real handful. The Anchorage airspace is probably the craziest thing that I have seen.

[rocket]

Last month while climbing out of the lake hood strip I get a call from tower, fast movers on your twelve o'clock, just as I spot them two F22s roll over and turn in front of me about 500 feet higher making their way towards Elmondorf. Too F'n cool!!!

the northern approach/departure corridor into lake hood is 900 feet to 1200 feet mid channel and from 1200 feet to 2200 feet there is a corridor for the Elmondorf traffic, c130s, c17s, 22s…you get the picture.

My favorite day was arriving from the west and all of the lake hood traffic was basically self controlling using color only, tower was using color also at that point rather then N numbers. It was a little tense but at least I was not one of the yellow cubs in the pattern. luckily it was the evening and tower was holding all the departing traffic on the ground and it was straight in. Seward sectional link (http://skyvector.com/?ll=61.4,-150&chart=52&zoom=5)


For a real treat get your self an Alaska Supplement. It is the equivalent off the …darn what do you guys call the thick green books? Any way the "Supplement" as we call it explains all those special Alaskan approach departures surface conditions etc . I was flying the other night into big lake for dinner with pilot/gal friend and asked her to get the numbers and she reads to me "runway uneven due to frost heaving" , good to know!

The only real problem I have had there was being behind a J-3 doing about 40 in the pattern. A go around into the strip gets real interesting. I basically had to wait for J-3 to touch down and tell him I am going over the top hoping he does not have to go around all the time knowing I am screwing up a carefully choreographed dance of aircraft. Tower sounded real unhappy with me.

Rocket

[Gilbert Pierce]

I flew into Merrill field. It is not as bad as Lake Hood but still......I did it on quiet Sunday morning and told Anchorage approach I was not familiar. They took good care of me. Later flew as a passenger out of and back into Lake Hood. Scary. Couldn't understand a word the controllers were saying they were taking so fast.
I have a great appreciation for those of you who are based there.

[mike mcs repair]

is this just the big airport radio or lake hood too?

http://yp.shoutcast.com/sbin/tunein-station.pls?id=1115871

[rocket]

Mike,
you also get to hear the ANC tower, that way controller does not have to switch frequencies when one person is doing both. As the lake is only 5-10 days away from breaking up there is little traffic. As soon as it does the floatplanes will be blasting off. Did you not get in on the lake hood breakup pool? Trail Ridge Air had a $1.00 a day pool going but all the days were filled in when I flew into town.

Actually it is the first floatplane off the lake pool. It seems there is a lot of competition to be first off the lake on floats...even though lake hood is the first to break up there are few places to go. Just bragging rights!

Rocket

[Troy Hamon]

Hey Rocket...I saw a floatplane take off of Lake Hood on April 20...taxied out onto the ice, backtaxied, and took off all on ice. So I'm assuming that doesn't count...but it was fun to watch.

[nicka]

When I worked on the lake we had a Lake Hood Polar Bear plunge, not for the feint of heart, if the freezing water doesn't kill you the millions of gallons of 100LL and piston oil floating around might, or the Lake Hood orange scum that decorates everybody's floats.

[pa20]

Steve,
Are you on your way home yet? I heard from Craig Catto of Catto Props that a modified (experimental?) Pacer set a record for shortest take off and landing cumulative distance at Valdez with one of his props.

[Steve Pierce]

2662

That is correct. It was pretty awesome. Josh Pepperd was flying his Producer built by Steve Bryant (Airwrench) from this site. It was awesome as you can see in this video. He made a 59 foot take-off and a 30 foot landing to take 3rd overall. It was the shortest landing.My buddy Ed Doyle won in a highly modified Super Cub with a 43' takeoff and a 35' landing. There was some amazing flying.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0gyN-YY3dM

[Steve Pierce]

A compilation video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7auWnx-QMOY&feature=player_embedded

[alaskadrifter]

How many hours did the whole thing take?

[Steve Pierce]

I took us 43 hours to fly from Graham, Texas to Anchorage, Alaska.

[Steve Pierce]

Well what an adventure. Flew 43 hours in the back seat of Tal's Super Cub from Graham, TX to Anchorage, AK. Fixed two stuck valves, cleaned two more that weren't quite stuck, changed every gasket but the starter on the ramp at various places. Did the Airmen Show and a day trip to Seward with Cathy. Saw many of my lower 48 and AK friends as well as made a ton more. Flew out to the Ultima Thule Lodge and spent 3 days in the splendor of the Claus' world. Flew to Valdez and had a blast at the STOL competition. Flew the coast back to Anchorage and saw whales playing below me, and did a complete tear down, assembly and reinstall of Tal's engine. After being gone for 3 1/2 weeks I arrived home Sunday afternoon just after lunch and am kinda back in the swing of things. This was an amazing experience, from the neat places I saw, people I met met and things I got to do. I am always amazed at the generosity of the people on this website and wanted to share just a little of what I experienced on this amazing trip. As usual I didn't take near enough photos and had to use some of Tal's and Paul's so you could get an idea of just a little bit of what I got to see and do. It was a blast and I really got a kick out of all the posts following us up and all the comments at the places I visited. It was a heckuva ride. Thanks. https://picasaweb.google.com/Pierceaero/AlaskaTrip2011#

[smcnutt]

Wow....just wow.

So how many hours went into your logbook by the time you made it back to Graham?

[Throttle Pusher]

That is a trip of a life time. The scenery in Alaska always blows me away.


We pulled onto the highway behind this motor home and passed them as they passed a herd of buffalo.

Seem like thats life on the Alcan.

Did you determine the cause of the excesive pressure in the crank case?

[Steve Pierce]

So how many hours went into your logbook by the time you made it back to Graham?

This was a one way trip. Tal lives in Anchorage and spent the winter here after purchasing the Super Cub. We flew almost 15 hours around south east Alaska once we got there between Lake Hood, Ultima Thule Lodge, Valdez and the surrounding area.

[Stephen]

I've been laying out all my charts for my trip north in July. It looks like lots of options for trips once I get there. I hope to get out and see my friends PA-14 in Homer and get down to Haines.