Part memoir, part local orientation, this post traces decades of hard-earned experience in the Denali country—from an early Basecamp crash scene to the complex geography, weather, and mountain passes that guide flying in the Central Alaska Range. ...
Water-assisted landings may be considered one of the more treacherous off-airport maneuvers that aviators rely on. Essentially, it’s waterskiing a wheel plane to shore to achieve the shortest possible landing. ...
My first landing on a rocky hummock field caused severe jackhammering of the landing gear – more than I expected. It was a relief not to find any damage, but I was still concerned about taking off. Sometimes that can be more worrisome than the...
The north country is home to thousands of glaciers and icefields that provide airplane access to some of the wildest places on earth. These landscapes are dominated by rugged terrain where ice may offer the only landing option. While glacier ops typically involve ski landings,...
I was eager to explore new places after installing a brand new set of 31” Bushwheels. My first off-airport destination was an alpine 4100' high alpine hilltop located in the Talkeetna Mountains. After a few passes and go-arounds, I landed. It was just me and...