 |
Fly into
Furnace Creek !
(Death Valley) L06 |
 |
|
Best time of the year to go? |
Winter and early spring. |
|
Flight time in a Super Viking from KAJO? |
1.2 hours |
|
Food on the airport? |
No, but call from phone near
bathroom and a van will come get you for free and take you
anywhere in Furnace Creek. |
|
Fuel on airport? |
Yes, but unreliable. |
|
Comments about arriving and departing |
On the weekends it's very
easy to get approval to fly though the Restricted airspace
around Edwards AFB at or above 6000 from Joshua Approach. |
Rate this trip
10 being best, 5 being average. |
8.5 - Brunch at the Furnace
Creek Inn is very good. Free transportation available. A reservation
at the Inn is a must. |
|
|
There is a
reason they call it Death Valley ! |
|
The Furnace Creek Inn is one of aviations best
kept secrets. Who would have guessed the Inn serves a Newport Beach
type brunch the middle of Death Valley? For $25 each you sit in a
dining room over looking Dead Water and have a wonderful meal. I've
never stayed at the Inn but the hotel looks wonderful. The Inn is
open middle or October though Mother's Day. I've never been to
Brunch when reservations were not required.
Below the Inn is a small town which has a
place or two to eat and some gift shops. There is also a Death
Valley museum and a golf course there. This area is open year round.
After landing walk to the bathrooms, there is
a phone which rings the resort. Everything in Furnace Creek is owned
by the same company so they are happy to take you anywhere.
Walking distance from the airport there is a
camping area. You can't miss it as there is only one road to town.
I suggest you come early in the season because
it get's hot! The pictures below were taken on the last day of the
season Mothers Day, USA Today reported Furnace Creek
as the hottest place in the country, 114 degrees that day. Tie your plane
down as the desert winds do come up without warning. They didn't
name this place Happy Valley and there was a reason for that.
 |
The ramp at Furnace Creek Airport |
 |
Check out the altimeter. |
 |
Driving into the Furnace Creek
Inn |
 |
The Furnace Creek Inn. Can you find
me in this picture? It was just barely 114 degrees so I sent
Adrienne out to take pictures. |
 |
Here I am! |
 |
The Furnace Creek Inn. |
 |
The Furnace Creek Inn. |
 |
The Furnace Creek Inn. |
 |
The Furnace Creek Inn. |
 |
The day this picture was taken it's
114 degrees and there is still snow 30 miles away. Only in
California! |
 |
View of the desert from the Furnace
Creek Inn. |
 |
You know it's hot when the Road Runner
is seeking shade. |
 |
This plane has been at the Furnace
Creek airport for a couple of years. What, if I may ask, is
a sea plane doing in Death Valley? |
 |
For some reason a LOT of people
overrun on landing and leave the plane in Death Valley. Take
note, if you get off the pavement you will sink in the sand
and have a prop strike |
 |
Departing Furnace Creek |
 |
Bad Water. In the spring of 2005 this
lake was full and kayakers came 1000's of miles to use this
body of water. |
|
