Tongass 2 - Stikine Backcountry - Mountains, Mines, Canyons, & Glaciers

[jt_williams 291]

Stikine Backcountry - Mountains, Mines, Canyons, & Glaciers

 

 Route Description (336nm)

 

Departing from Wrangell (PAWG) the route proceeds north to the southern shore of the south arm of the Stikine River where it empties into the Eastern Passage. We will pass over several cabins as the route continues to the entrance to Shakes Lake. The route takes a short diversion to Shakes Lake where the Shakes Glacier flows down from the Ice Fields of the Coastal Range. After Shakes, the route follows the Stikine River as it turns sharply to the north. A few miles further on, the route turns east and follows the Iskut River. The first stop in the route is Bronson Creek, a landing strip used for the Snip Mine. The route continues to follow the Iskut River past the junction of Kerr Creek where the Iskut turns to the north. The next stop is Bob Quinn Lake. Leaving Bob Quinn Lake the route is northwest across the Iskut river to Moro Creek and follows that drainage up until you reach the head waters of Mess Creek. Leaving Mess Creek valley, the route crosses a low pass below Mount Hickman, then follows Schaft Creek downstream to the next landing at the Schaft Creek Airstrip (this is the most difficult airstrip in the route) .  Departing Schaft Creek the route turns northeast passing over Mess Creek towards Mt Edziza for 45nm to Iskut Village Airstrip.   From Iskut village we fly north and west back to the Stikine River and then the route follows the Grand Canyon of the Stikine to Telegraph Creek airstrip for the next landing. From Telegraph Creek follow the Stikine River to Yehiniko Creek. Follow this tributary up to Yehiniko Lake and the next landing strip. From the Yehiniko Lake airstrip follow the side valley up to the glacier and climb up to the saddle and follow the glacier down the other side of saddle to its junction with the much larger Scud Glacier. Follow the Scud Glacier south and down to its terminus, the follow the Scud River south, then east as the river turns sharply. Look for the Galore Creek Canyon on the south side which joins soon after the Scud River turns east. Follow Galore Creek and land at the land at either Galore Creek Mine airstrip (yes, there are two) and admire the impressive mountain scenery on all sides. Departing Galore Creek Mine reverse the route back to the Scud River and turn east and follow the canyon down to the junction with the Stikine River and land at the Scud River Mine airstrip located on the valley floor. Leaving the Scud River Mine airstrip follow the northern most western side canyon up to the glacier and then follow the glacier up over the saddle to the large ice fields. Find and follow the Baird Glacier down from the ice fields approximately 20 miles down to Thomas Bay. From Thomas Bay fly south approximately 20 miles and land at the final destination Petersburg airport (PAPG).

 

 

 

Tongass 2 - Skyvector

 

Aircraft Recommendations: The length of this route will require an aircraft capable of 200knts+ speed and able to cope with rough, moderately short runways. There are wide variety of aircraft that will work. An excellent choice would be the Pilatus PC-12, or a warbird such as the A2A P40 Kittyhawk.  I will be flying Ant’s T28 Trojan.  

 

Required scenery:

 

The Tongass Fjords X scenery (payware) will be needed to enjoy this tour.    FSAddon Tongass Fjords X

 

Recommended scenery:

 

The Return to Misty Moorings site has many fine freeware enhancements to Alaska that cover the Tongass Fjords X, Orbx Pacific Fjords and Orbx Southern Alaska regions. 

 

The developers at Misty Moorings have recently updated all of the required freeware scenery libraries to be DX10 compliant.  The first step is to download and install Part I, Part II and Part III of the RTMM Required Object LibrariesFSXP3D.  Read the general instructions provided in each part as well as any specific library instructions. Follow the directions provided carefully to install and activate the libraries. 

 

http://www.return.mi...es_build/#links

 

Once you have installed the libraries you should install the following Misty Morring scenery addons. The Misty Morring sceneries can be installed into a single common directory which will simplify scenery management.

 

There is only one Misty Moorings scenery for this tour and it is NOT mandatory.

 

Iskut Village

 

 The Link below contains a zip file with FSX & Plan G flight plans and the Narrative for this Tour

 

Flightplan & Narrative

 

Date and time: Saturday 6 June, 1800 UTC

Where: AVSIM RTWR Teamspeak - Casual Flights Channel

Teamspeak Server Address: ts.teamavsim.com

Multiplayer: FSX Multiplayer (IP will be provided on Teamspeak)

Don't forget to enter your aircraft details on the multiplayer speadsheet! (linked here)

[1st fltsimguy 466]

Ah too bad, this one is right up my alley, err perhaps I should rephrase that, my type of flying.

 

I unfortunately, well not unfortunately, but am committed to attending an all day BBQ with old work colleagues on a secluded little island off Vancouver Island.

 

cheers

[Ron Attwood 3,464]

...I'm committed to attending an all day BBQ with old work colleagues on a secluded little island off Vancouver Island.

 

You poor bugger! For my sins, that of responding to a thinly veiled challenge to my manlihood, I shall be flying a P40! I've been doing circuits in it and the workload is doin' me 'ead in!

 

So, tough as it is, I'd rather be chompin' on burgers and guzzling beer this Saturday. :(

[jt_williams 291]

Ron,  I tried the P40 on a couple of the strips.  It is better than I remembered but I overheated the engine and got the prestone light flashing - had pull the throttle back and futz with the cowl flaps.  I found that it was easier to setup for the landing by flying a curved approach so I could keep an eye on the runway.  Vis over the nose on approach is not so good. 

 

The one really tricky strip is Schaft Creek.   That one is hard.  Many attempts in a variety of aircraft (none bush) and could not get stopped before overrunning into the bush and trees.  Finally had one successful landing and declared victory.

[Ron Attwood 3,464]

Schaft Creek!

 

That's got a ring to it! :blink:

 

That one is hard.

 

[spokes2112 179]

Well, will not be able to make any flights until the 28th of June. After that, the whole month of July may be scratched too.. It's a "wait and see" on the particular day with the 4th, 18th & 25th being the only possible opens.

 

Our EAA chapter tour at Enstrom Helicopter was GREAT! We weren't able to fly up as Ma Nature showed her hand. IFR, cold, raining, low cover, winds from north 14-17 gusting to 24. We had rsvp's of 36 people & 7 planes going, ended up with 30 people at the tour so it turned out well. Will have some photos up on our chapter website in the next few weeks - will let you know.  

[robrooke 42]

after reading your post roman, sure you were in usa & not England, as weather was pretty similar.

regards, roger.

[CavalierDuck 106]

Family visitors here this weekend so I'm afraid I'll have to miss a second flight in a row.  Hope everyone has fun and I should be back flying next week.

[Ron Attwood 3,464]

An excellent flight over fabulous scenery. Can't be faulted! However....A P40 is not, repeat NOT, a bush plane! Not by any stretch of the imagination. I died three times, enough said.

[robrooke 42]

thanks to jeff  ron & josh for your  company yesterday in what was a fabulous flight. the best scenery I have seen, although we all got " shafted "@ shaft creek. a flight plan that screams to be repeated in the near future.

 regards,

roger.

[Bert Pieke 7,584]

I missed yesterday's flight, but had a look this morning...

 

Wow, this has got to be some of the most spectacular scenery ever!

 

Please sign me up for a repeat  :rolleyes:

[FreeBird(Josh) 314]

What a great flight. The best yet. I wrote Holger and thanked him for the great scenery and he wrote me back this.

 

Hi Josh,

 

thanks for the kind words and wonderful screenshot. Coincidentally, I just recently completed a few flights in Tongass myself -- the first in a couple of years -- while helping a customer chasing a bug and did enjoy them very much. I always wondered why a species that evolved in the African savanna seems to have such an innate appreciation of forested fjordlands in foggy weather...

 

It's rewarding to see that Tongass still gives joy to flightsimmers especially since it was such a difficult process getting it released -- our FSAddon team had already badly fractured and Tongass almost didn't make it; long story...

 

Cheers, Holger

[Ron Attwood 3,464]

How nice. :smile: