This leg can be flown at low altitude as a nice mountain ride… and this is exactly what I suggest. I flew it with the PC12 – again. I started at 4500ft, but had to climb later to 6500ft (after Missoula).
Important logistics note: while Google Earth has a worldwide coverage which makes it suitable as map for this tour, while crossing the US I recommend using the online VFR charts available at
www.skyvector.com.
The first puzzle is getting airborne at Castlegar. One option is runway 33 and gain altitude FAST, otherwise you will not be able to clear the "step" of the river (and don't ask me why there is one in the first place).
The other option, which I took myself, is to take off from runway 15, which is towards the big hill south of the airport, but turn right when airborne in order to follow the river valley downstream.
Be sure you spot Trail airport (CAD4) on the eastern bank of the river, because after it comes the most difficult point of this leg. We must leave Columbia River and follow its tributary, the Pend Oreille River, BUT this one does not look at all like a major river as it flows into Columbia River.
To identify this river among many others, note that it is the first valley to the east after Trail, and that there are roads along both banks of this river. I missed it at first and had to come back, the 180 degrees turn being not so obvious if one is flying too low.
If you picked the right valley, you will it bend to the right then a wider portion of the Pend Oreille River should appear in sight. Note that in the real world, this portion of the river is dammed at several points, and in FS the dams are rendered as bridges, this is why there are really many of these.
As we follow the river upstream, several airports can be seen:
- Ione (S23);
- River Bend (9WA3), located indeed in a river bend;
- Priest River (1S6), as the valley is getting wider and turns northeast.
A few more turns ahead, the Pend Oreille Lake appears in sight. Follow its northern shore, over the airport of Sandpoint (KSZT) then aim for the large river (Clark Fork) that flows into the lake from the east. Near the end of the lake, there are several small airfields almost packed into each other: Delta Shores (ID78), Riverlake (ID75) and Tuka (ID32).
Further upstream, the river gets narrower, in FS it is rendered as a simple river with a few lakes along it. The valley is still easy to follow as it goes almost in a straight-line southeast. There are also railway, roads and power lines along it.
Several airfields are located within the valley: Frampton (MT97), Craik (29MT) and Pinehurst (OMT7). Further upstream, a paved runway airport appears in site, it's Thompson Falls (KTHM). After Thompson Falls, the valley gets narrow, then wide again as we fly over the Plains airport (S34, easy to identify as it has two runways).
Note the mountain peak southeast of Plains. The Clark Fork River, the one we are flying over, does not follow what appear to be the main valley but flows in a tight "S" around this peak. There is a road and railroad junction too, however the railroad is safer to follow along the "S" as the road is connected with some secondary roads too in this area.
For the "S" itself, turn right along the valley (having the railroad), and then be prepared to turn left as soon as the railway does. After completing the "S", we reach what looks like another valley (parallel to the one we left). Technically speaking, though, we are still in the Clark Fork valley, which continues to the east. From this point on, the road turns into a highway.
Follow the valley southeast. There is an airfield at Mineral County (9S4), and little else to see (other than the very nice landscape) until reaching Missoula. Look for the airport (KMSO), because it helps continuing this leg.
Terrain around Missoula is rather flat compared to the valley we have flown along, so finding the "exit" may be a little tricky. One hint is to fly over the airport, roughly along runway 11, then maintain this heading until reaching higher ground again. This should lead you close enough to identify the right valley (it's Clark Fork again, by the way), which has railroad and a highway along.
The entrance to the valley is very narrow, but a few turns later it gets wider. There are airfields to spot at Rock Creek (0MT0) and Drummond (KDRU). At Drummond there is a secondary valley coming from the south, with road, railroad and power line, be sure you do not follow this one. In fact, if you get too close to the airport, you are probably already in the wrong valley.
The next junction is equally important to spot. At some point, the valley becomes flatter and bends to the south, towards Deer Lodge (38S) ALONG with the highway and railroad. From this point, find and follow a secondary valley to the east, having a road and a railroad.
Start climbing now because at this valley ends with 6000+ feet passes. The valley is not always clearly visible, so be sure you follow the railway (no junctions, no doubts).
After reaching the Wood airfield (1MT3), there are two options to get out of this valley: along the road (which just turned into a highway) over Macdonald Pass, or along the railroad over Mullan Pass. I suggest the latter, as this pass is 400ft lower.
As soon as you reach the pass, start descending because the destination airport is really close (you should have it in sight soon) and some 2500ft below. If you manage to loose altitude fast enough, you may do a direct approach; otherwise plan your sightseeing (and height loosing) circuit accordingly.