Now, heading west over the Sierra is a serious endeavor no matter where and how you do it. Only one pilot has ever pushed over the High Sierra, and that was Stephan about two years ago. He took a route just to the north of mine, and landed somewhere around Lower Kings Canyon, halfway between the crest and the Central Valley. His flight gave me the idea to start looking for routes that would allow me to fly from the Owens Valley all the way into the flats of the Central Valley. The FULL crossing. Not only would I have to cross the wild, remote High Sierra and expansive forests and foothills of the west side, but I would also have to risk flying over the National Park for quite a while. I saw potential through the heart of Sequoia National Park’s central ridge line- the highest and most remote stretch of the entire range. I wanted a proud line, and this was it. |