This March, spend some time away from the sprawl of the Bay Area and enjoy a trip to Pine Mountain Lake (E45) in the Sierra Nevada foothills. This airport is home to the Pine Mountain Lake Association, which features rental homes, golf courses, and other amenities.
Some of the rental homes are hanger homes and can be booked for a weekend getaway on Airbnb. These places allow you to taxi your plane right from the ramp into a hanger attached to a private residence. It’s a great way to take weekend warrior flying to the next level!
Pine Mountain Lake is also a great place to fly for a cross-country. It’s a scenic approach, as you can see the peaks of the Sierra’s in the distance, but the terrain is still not considered mountainous. Make sure you are prepared for the runway slope, as the airport’s runway is known for sloping downwards from Runway 9, causing pilots to misjudge their landing height in the flare.
If you fly to Pine Mountain Lake this month, please share your experiences to FOG by submitting a PIREP to flyoutgroup@sancarlosflight.com
