Flight from KCOS to KSAF

[Chris from PA]

Looking for some advice from the Southwest flyers. I’m planning a VFR flight from Colorado Springs to Santa Fe the second week of June in my trusty ‘65 C model.  The route I’m looking at is down past Pueblo, crossing the Sangre de Cristos at La Veta pass and then down the valley to Santa Fe.  Other than flying early, listening to the La Veta pass AWOS and having a Plan B are there any other gotchas with this route?

[midlifeflyer]

Watch out for high winds. La Veta has a tendency to funnel them. I flew KAPA to KSAF many times when I lived in Colorado, so many, I considered it a "local" flight. I had three routes depending on conditions. One is the La Veta route you mention. The second was down the front range, crossing at LVS. The third was over behind Pikes Peake to north of the Academy. On a nice day, you'd just to up toward Woodland Park. Then down the valley over Royal Gorge bridge, crossing into the Alamosa Valley at Mosca Pass.. The last actually became my favorite because it is so scenic. The second became my "out" since it was more doable IFR.

[EricJ]

Last October I came back to AZ from SoDak down the front range (aka Eastern slope) and had planned to cross at La Veta but the winds were crazy.   Instead I crossed at Angel Fire, which worked out well, over Eagle Nest and then Palo Flechado Pass.   At that point if you're going to KSAF you're far enough south that instead you could easily just continue down the front range toward KLVS and then cross.

[Matt Ward]

I think Poncha at Salida is the least technical, most predictable. Maybe slightly out of the way but it will get you on the better side of the range. I always find the east side of those mountains is some of the most turbulent air around. Check out Mosca too. It’s a little north of La Veta and seems a little more calm to me. 

[Chris from PA]

Thanks for the replies. All good stuff 

[0TreeLemur]

In the summertime that La Veta pass route is usually great.   Convective initiation from mountain tops is common, suggesting an early a.m. departure (smooth), or after those happen and the anvils suppress surface heating (not smooth).  Southern Colorado is going through a wet period which will increase the likelihood of convective activity, but might dry out by mid-June.

Not a forecaster-  pp advice only.

Look forward to PiRep!  Have fun.

[midlifeflyer]

Just to clarify (and disclaim), in recommending routes, I generally assume a level of mountain flight knowledge and experience you may or may not have.

[midlifeflyer]

  On 5/31/2021 at 12:45 AM, 0TreeLemur said:

Southern Colorado is going through a wet period which will increase the likelihood of convective activity, but might dry out by mid-June.

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LOL. Mid-May to mid-June is the usual time when Colorado sees its  2 weeks of flyable IMC per year!