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New England Fall

Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 2:18 pm
by Mchargmg
Hi folks,

My better half has expressed interest in flying to New England this fall to see "real fall colors." We live in Colorado, and while the aspen are very pretty, she misses the New England colors.

We had hoped to fly to Devils Tower today, but alas it is snow all the way to the Wyoming border. So, rather than fly, I am posting to see if anyone has suggestions on when to fly to see great colors? Here in Colorado it is late September.

Suggestions about locations to visit would also be welcome. We really like visiting little airport FBO's, so make sure you include your favorite small town airport.

All the best.

Geoff

Re: New England Fall

Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 3:04 pm
by c2mlp
Lake Placid, NY (LKP) or nearby Adirondack Regional (SLK) are two great airports in northern New York. Lake Placid is closer to a town, but SLK is larger and has Jet A. Mountainous terrain, but probably nothing you aren't used to out in CO. The best time for leaf peeping is late September/early October. Days can often be overcast and showery, but if you get a clear day, it's just amazing. Hiking, and kayaking/canoeing are typical fall activities in the area. (Lake Placid also hosted the olympics twice, so you can always tour the venues.)

Re: New England Fall

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 12:15 am
by Erik
Oh - be sure and drop me a line if you are going to KSLK and KLKP - those are 36nm from me as the crow flies, from KPTD. I go there all the time by land (when sky and ice is low for skiing) and by air when the sun shines. Great towns. KLKP is a cute ski town with an olympic skating long track speedskating oval made famous by Eric Heiden in 1980, and all the rest of the venues to hold an olympics. One unusual olympic thing - you make down wind to base turn literally like 500 feet over the top of the larger ski jump - first time you do it it feels as if you are heading straight for that tall structure - but you aren't if you are at proper pattern.

Re: New England Fall

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 1:58 am
by c2mlp
I actually have a vacation home in LP, and live down in south jersey (N14). We have been driving up to visit the Adirondacks since the late 80's. Just bought a DA40 last June and am LOVING the 2 hour flights vs. the 6+ hour drives. Beautiful there year round. Haven't really been any where else outside of the Adirondack and NY region. Hoping to take a flight to Bar Harbor sometime this summer.

Re: New England Fall

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 12:57 pm
by Erik
Very nice c2mlp. I will look for you next time I am up there. Nice place to have a house getaway!

Re: New England Fall

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 2:29 pm
by Charles
I was there just yesterday! I love this place. The FBO called the Lake Placid Express for us and we had a free shuttle at the airport in less than 5 minutes. They drove us into town for a nice lunch at The Cottage ( http://www.mirrorlakeinn.com/dining-cottage.cfm ) and took us back to the airport right after.

A few friends of mine based in Canada make an annual trip in late september/early october with their gliders and a towplane and they spend an entire week camping on the airport and gliding every day on the mountain updrafts and taking in the beautiful scenery. I took a few pictures when I visited them last year:

The airport with the ski jumps in the background: Image

The colors (and some guy who happens to own a DA40):
Image

Seen from the air (sorry about the glare):
Image

A (blurry) picture of the gliders with the tents on the left hand side:
Image

Re: New England Fall

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 2:36 pm
by Gary
We also have great fall colors in Upper Michigan for those who live closer than New England.