Misty Moorings

Route Notes:

• Initial minimum altitude: 1500 feet
• Maximum altitude necessary: 6000 feet
• Select a Ski Plane for this flight if you want to land on the glacier
• The weather is pre set for "Misty"
  • Change the weather to your liking or "real" from the internet
  • Also change the TIME and SEASON to suit your flight specifications

Direct Routing: At Mountain Point, Set a heading of 006 and fly for 39 miles to the outfall of the Chickamin River. (Or fly the scenic route starting with Fix 1 below).

If the weather is good, and you do not wish to fly the scenic route, you can fly a direct route to Fix 6, the outfall of the Chickamin River. First, fly over Pennock Island to Mountain Point, this is the point of land on the east side of the Tongass Narrows at the very south end of the channel. Once you are there, you should have sufficient altitude to set a heading of 006 for 39 miles at a minimum altitude of 4500 feet en route to Fix 6, the outfall of the Chickamin River into the Behm Canal. This will take you direct to Fix 6 and keep you above the mountains.

FIX 0 - Before Takeoff - Ketchikan Airport - Start in the Ketchikan Area, either at the international airport (PAKT), or the floatplane base (5KE).

Ketchikan's History dates back to 1883, when a man named Snow built a salmon saltery. Two years later, businessmen from Portland, Oregon, hired Mike Martin to investigate possibilities for building a salmon cannery on the banks of Ketchikan Creek. By the early 1900's, Martin and the cannery's manager, George Clark, had set up a partnership and had opened a saltery and a general store. Two years later, with the fishing trade flourishing, Ketchikan was definitely in business. And by 1900, with a population of 800, the town was officially incorporated.

Ketchikan is well known as the salmon capital of the world and a paradise for sport fishermen and naturalists alike. During the summer months, the town bustles with visitors from all over the world. While the rustic boardwalk on Creek Street preserves a distinct historic feel, the town hums with new construction to keep up with the ever-expanding wave of tourism. Ketchikan has a population of 14,500 and is built along a steep hillside, with sections of the town built right over the water on pilings. An outstanding collection of totem poles make a visit to Totem Bight State Park essential for anyone interested in Native art. Ketchikan's name supposedly comes from the native term "Katch Kanna", which roughly translates: "spread wings of a thundering eagle" and rightly named, for you only need to look along the water line and you're likely to see many bald eagles on waterside perches.

After we take off from Ketchikan International Airport (PAKT) we will position ourselves southbound over Pennock Island, a large island in the center of the Tongass Narrows (channel). Ketchikan will be on our left. As you approach Pennock Island, you will be flying over the busy floatplane base 5KE in Ketchikan Harbor. On the leading area of the island slightly to the east, notice the wind generator. The cruise ships tie up to the dock directly in front of the wharf at Ketchikan, don't be surprised if you don't encounter cruise ships during our flight. As you come over Pennock Island, you will see the US Coast Guard Base (complete with a NOAA ship) there on the east side of the channel.

Also along the waterfront just 2 1/2 miles south of Ketchikan is the Native City of Saxman, the small community is just past the US Coast Guard base. It was founded in 1894 and named after Samuel Saxman who came to Alaska to teach school and settled on Tongass Island, then a village site. When the Cape Fox and Tongass peoples decided to combine into one village, Samuel and several Native companions left on a search for a new site. They never returned and were lost at sea.

Fix 2 - At Bold Island, set a course of 089 for Alava Point, the point of land at the entrance of the Bhem Canal 5 miles ahead.

You are now flying over the Rivillagigedo Channel. The small Spire Island is coming up just to our right. Watch the channel carefully as we fly and you will see the navigational channel markers blinking along the way. To the left of Bold Island is a little cove called Coho Cove. Look closely and you will see Antelope Ranch there, complete with bed and breakfast, a dirt runway and a water hanger and dock. The body of water coming up on the left is the Thorne Arm and it goes in that direction for nearly 40 miles. There are some beautiful sights along this part of the Misty Fjords. The tiny island just past Bold Island is Round Island.

• Revillagigedo Channel. Way before arriving, Alaska extends you the deep blue carpet of its pristine waters, welcoming you with this Spanish name. It is the long water passage where the Alaska Marine Highway begins at the southeastern corner of the state and takes you almost all the way to Ketchikan, the first town of any size. Regular ships use this channel as one of the numerous water passages forming the system of the marine highways along the coast for their calmer waters. The name was bestowed upon the channel by the Jacinto Caamaño's expedition of 1792. George Vancouver's map not only respected this Spanish name, but added a few more of his own, as we will see.

We will be turning into the Behm Canal on our way to the glaciers. You will often see cruise ships plying the waters of the Revillagigedo Channel in this area. Keep a close eye out for them. The Behm Canal, a deep, long waterway of the northeastern Pacific Ocean, leads to the heart of the Monument. Picturesque areas such as Walker Cove and Rudyerd Bay are surrounded by rock walls jutting 3,000 feet (900 meters) above the ocean. Flightseers, boaters, and hikers may photograph, fish, hunt, or view the long, deep, narrow fjords and steep-walled canyons- enjoying the outstanding scenic beauty and rugged terrain of Misty Fiords.

Before we reach Smeaton Island, we will first fly over Fox Point and then Rudyerd Island comes up dead ahead. As you cross Rudyerd Island, you now have a good view of Smeaton Island, our next waypont. As you approach Smeaton Island, make sure you are at a minimum of 1500 feet, as its altitude is 1400 feet.

As we fly to Smeaton Island, there are several notes of interest. First, we will fly over Alava Bay, coming up to your left. Look closely at the larger island and you might see the Alava Bay cabin, one of the US Forestry Service maintained cabins. You can stay at these for about $25 a night. They are very rustic, mostly with an outhouse and a mop. And if you go to their website, they'll even tell you to bring a 30.06 rifle along for "safety"!

• Alava Point and Bay were named for Don José Manuel de Alava, a Spanish army brigadier general, replaced Francisco Eliza as Governor of Nootka in 1793 and upon the death of Bodega y Quadra he became the commandant of the Department of San Blas, headquarters for exploring and administering Spanish territories of the Pacific Northwest. He represented Spain in the signing of the settlement of Nootka with Thomas Pierce, lieutenant of the Royal Marines of England who had also succeeded George Vancouver as the British delegate. This eventful ceremony, ending the Spanish official presence in these territories, took place in March 1795.
  

Fix 4 - At Smeaton Island, set a course of 353 for Winstanley Island.

As you approach Winstanley Island, watch for the lakes to your right. Winstanley Lake is in that direction about 5 miles, there are two US Forestry Service Cabins there. The small island ahead of us just before we get to Winstanley Island is Candle Island. We use Candle Island as a visual navigational fix to service the cabins in that area.

The Chickamin outfall is our key waypoint for entering the glacier area of Misty Fjords. As we cross over the north end of Winstanley Island, you will see a small cove, on that cove is another US Forestry Service Cabin ... look closely, you can sometimes see the smoke coming from the cabin.

Just to the left of our course is "New Eddystone Rock" ... this is an interesting structure that looks like a chimney, (a 230 foot tall tower of basalt in real life). To the right are the tiny Eddystone Islands that are made of the same material. We continue on a course of 357 for about 21 miles. We will cross over Cactus point and Manzanita Island along the way.

• The island called "New Eddystone Rock" is a pillar of basalt. Sometime during the last 5 million years, the basalt came from fractures in the floor of Behm Canal. The broken, haphazard texture of these basalts indicates that New Eddystone Rock was part of a volcanic vent where magma rose repeatedly to the surface of the earth. When in its molten state, the basalt was very liquid, so that it spread out over a large area, like pancake batter on a griddle. These flows cooled from both the top and the bottom forming the hexagonal columns which are visible on several of the islands surrounding New Eddystone rock. After the basalt flows covered the floor of Behm Canal, another glacial advance scoured away much of the flow, leaving behind New Eddystone Rock and some of the islands to the northeast, the New Eddystone Islands.

Fix 6 - At the Chickamin River Outfall Set your heading for 026 and fly up the mouth of the river

As you move to Fix 7, you will have to spend most of your time watching your altitude and changing your headings to keep your aircraft safely flying through the mountainous mazes that lie ahead. You will be busy indeed, but enjoy the scenery as you fly. This is why the Misty Fjords scenery package was created, to give you, the virtual pilot a "near-real" experience of flying through the beautiful Alaskan landscape.

Fix 7 - Following the Chickamin River Basin heading 360

As you follow the Chickamin River basin, you will need to make a heading correction to port coming to a heading of 360, a slight turn to the left. Below, you are looking at the combined melt waters from the the Leduc and Chickamin glaciers. This leg is 3.9 miles long.

• You can maintain an altitude as low as 1500 feet until you reach Fix 11 where you must begin your climb to 6000 feet.

Fix 8 - As the rivers split, correct heading to 010.

Continuing to follow the basin, make a slight heading to starboard correcting heading to 010. Ahead, you will see the rivers diverging. The Leduc river is coming in from the left and the Chickamin river is coming in from the right. At our next fix, we will be taking a turn to the right to follow the Chickamin River to the Chickamin Glacier, still about 20 miles distant.

Fix 9 - Turning up the Chickamin sharply to the right heading 113 for 4.4 miles

You will make a sharp turn to starboard to a heading of 113 for 4.4 miles. After you have made the turn, you are looking ahead at Barrier Creek, another glacier melt tributary to the Chickamin. Start looking for a break in the mountains to port, notice the river turns back into this narrow divide (a sharp turn to the left). That will be your next turn as we continue to follow the Chickamin to its source.

Fix 10 - Turn SHARPLY to port to 348

After you have made the sharp left turn, set your heading on 348. You will be following this basin valley for about 7 miles before you need to again correct your course.

Fix 11 - Sharp turn to Starboard - Starting the Climb!

At the end of this 7 mile straight run, be ready to make a rather sharp turn to starboard coming to a of 054, continuing to follow the basin. Note the basin begins a turn to the left shortly, continue to follow the basin.

• SET YOUR ALTITUDE FOR 6000 ascending at 600 FPM.

Fix 12 - Zigzag to Follow the River turn to 009

Follow the river by turning to 009 at Fix 12.

Fix 13 - Turning again to Follow the River to 058 for 6 miles

At Fix 13, turn to Turn to 058. You will follow this valley for 5.9 miles. The foot of the glacier is just around the next bend to the left, watch for it as you come up to the fix.

Fix 14 - Turning toward the Glacier to 026

Fix 14, turn to 026 toward the foot of the Chickamin Glacier that you see ahead. This is the source of the Chickamin River, the melt waters of the glacier. Fly about 2.2 miles to the foot of the glacier.

Fix 15 - Up the Glacier on a heading of 083

Turn to starboard to a heading of 083. The route will become straight for 5 miles. You should be near your designated altitude of 6000 feet. (Recheck your barometer setting) Toward the end of this leg, you will begin to see the Chickamin Glacier curve around to the left and gain altitude.

Fix 16 - Heading Toward the Glacier's Foot ... set heading to 349 and follow the flow of the glacier

Turn to port to a heading of 349 following the flow of the glacier. The summit of the Chickamin Glacier is now ahead of you. This is the "snow source" for the glacier that we have been flying over for the past 15 minutes. You will see twin peaks called "nunataks" (see below) coming up the left of our course. Across the glacier from them, you will notice a gap in the terrain that will allow you to take a sharp right turn. It looks like a downward shoot. Be ready to turn into this gap, that will be Fix 17. This is about 5.5 miles ahead. As you fly to Fix 17, you will be crossing into Canada.

• Examples of "nunataks" can be seen north of the Chickamin Glacier. Mount John Jay, Mount Upshur, and other prominent peaks over 6,500 feet high line the International Border, appearing as bare rock islands extending above the surface of the surrounding glacier.
• (So the next time someone tells you to turn right at the next nunatak, you'll know exactly what they mean!)

We now turn off this part of the glacier setting at heading of 047 to traverse the glacier. This leg is 6.6 miles long and has many places where you could land safely if you want to experience walking around on the glacier here at the top of Misty Fjords. Don't forget to put the skis "down."

At fix 18, you alter your heading to 143 turning to starboard and coming over the small Salmon Glacier. Once you make the turn, you'll see the glacier, and its foot ahead of you. The glacier melt waters flow down into the valley beyond becoming the famous Salmon River ... one of the best Salmon fishing rivers in the world. Fly this leg for 3.3 miles.

• Begin REDUCING ALTITUDE, set the altimeter for 1200 feet and descend at a rate of 800 fpm.

Fix 19 - The Headwaters of the Salmon River heading 164

Make a small heading correction to 164, you will fly this for 4.7 miles. We will be following the Salmon River Basin to its outfall into the Portland Canal, about 12 miles ahead. Continue descending at about 800 feet per minute, gliding down the Salmon River Basin. This is the source water for the beautiful Salmon River.

Fix 20 - Heading toward the Portland Canal, heading 154

Adjust your heading to 154, fly this for 3.8 miles. Ahead you will see the beautiful Portland Canal. As you continue to reduce altitude, you will be flying to the outflow of the Salmon River. On your left will be the little settlement of Hyder. We will fly out over the canal and turn to port making an approach to Stewart's airport. This would be a good time to contact Stewart ATC and make sure they know you are coming to them.

Fix 21 - Flying by Hyder, AK ... be ready to turn to 129

Adjust your heading to about 129. Fly to the right side of the basin, toward the point of land where the mountain touches the Portland Canal. Once you are at that point, near the mountain, you will swing out into the center of the Portland Canal turning to the left lining up for your approach to Stewart, BC.

At fix 22. Swing to the left out over the Portland Canal and line up on the runway for Stewart, BC.

Fix 23 - Approach and Landing at Stewart

You should be lined up and on approach for Stewart airport at this fix.

Welcome to Stewart, BC and Hyder, AK

We hope you enjoyed the flight. There is a second glacier flight over the Leduc Glacier. As you fly up the Chickamin basin on Fix 7, instead of going to the right up the Chickamin, you will go to the left for an entirely different glacier flight ... just as beautiful, but vastly different.