Weekend Getaway to Carlsbad Caverns National Park

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Our next Weekend Getaway: Carlsbad Caverns National Park on Nov. 24-25 
 
Yes, this is really a 2-day trip… time to stretch our legs a bit! And, it really is on the weekend following Thanksgiving. So, if you have out-of­town guests, invite them along! We’re going to tour world-famous Carlsbad Caverns, located underground in the Guadalupe Mountains, a small mountain range running from west Texas into southeastern New Mexico. 
 
Arrive:  Saturday, 11/24 by 10:00 AM (1700Z). Flying from Chandler (my home 'drome) and assuming that the Restricted Areas are “hot”, one possible route would be KCHD-E77-SSO-EWM-WHOLE-KCNM for 402 nm. Admittedly, we may be able to fly through the Restricted Areas on the weekend, but going “direct” only cuts off about 15 nm.  So, I intend to fly around them.
 

FBO @ Carlsbad:  Chandler Aviation (575-887-1500).  Avgas is readily available, and we're getting a $0.10/gal. discount because we're members of APA.
Ground transportation in Carlsbad:  The FBO has two cars that rent for $60/day.  (I forgot to check about a 1/2-day rate.  However, I doubt that they have one...)  Each car will seat 5, perhaps 6.  At this point, I've reserved both of them for us.
Lunch in Carlsbad:  There are several places near the airport.  The FBO recommended Happy's, and a quick, on-line check looked pretty good.

Activities:  Tour the caverns!  After an early lunch, I anticipate that we’ll do the self-guided tour of the Big Room.  (Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.) The cavern consists of multiple underground chambers with the major structure 750 ft. below ground.  (Don’t worry about claustrophobia; the chamber is huge!)  It’s accessible to the public via an elevator or a series of paved switchbacks from the surface.  And, it really is BIG -- the 3rd largest underground formation in North America and the 7th largest in the world!  The self-guided tour costs only $6.  (And, if you have a Senior Pass, it's free.)  Like many federal parks, they also have audio guides for rent.
  • Apparently, their main elevator is undergoing renovation.  So, most tourists use the service elevator which holds fewer people.  Thus, ingress/egress may take a little longer than normal.  If anyone feels like walking, you can enter/exit the old fashioned way -- by foot.  The paved set of switchbacks are somewhat steep but quite smooth.  Walking down it easy; walking back up is more strenuous.  I've done both and survived.  YMMV.
  • Currently, we have 4-5 aircraft on the trip for ~10 people.  And, although we may have a few more sign-ups before the event, I don't anticipate a cast of 1000s.  We can stick together while subterranean or wander about individually -- your choice.  (This is a national park -- getting lost is virtually impossible.  This isn't a spelunking expedition.)  If we decide to separate, we'll simply set a rendezvous time for meeting on the surface.
  • Questions on the Caverns?  Check out their website at:  http://www.nps.gov/cave/faqs.htm .
Depart Carlsbad:  Mid afternoon.  Rather than fly all the way back to the Valley, we'll stop at Las Cruces, NM (KLRU) and spend the night. That way, we can enjoy some great Mexican food and a margarita (or two). That flight (KCNM-WHOLE-EWM-MOLLY-KLRU) is only 146 nm., easily made before sunset with a midafternoon departure from the caverns. (The airport is about 9 nm. west of town; I’ll arrange ground transportation between then and now.)  Of course, folks don’t have to spend the night in Las Cruces. It’s 261 nm. back to Chandler AZ – a nice evening flight after dinner!  But, they’ll miss out on the margaritas!
  • Overnight lodging in Las Cruces:  La Quinta provides a discount to pilots and is relatively close to the airport.  Their standard, 2-adult, non-smoking room is $61.83 with taxes.  Call (575) 524-0331 and make a reservation for those in your aircraft -- I made mine this morning.  Be sure and ask for the "pilot rate".  That price includes a continental breakfast.
  • Ground transportation in Las Cruces:   There's only about one hotel in Las Cruces that picks up at the airport.  And, they're quite expensive.  So, to get around, we'll need to rent ground transportation.  Enterprise has vehicles, and they are right at the airport.  This morning, I called them ( 575.525.1778 ) and spoke to Kerry.  They have a 15-passenger van that rents for $153.95.  And, cars go for $57.14.  So, depending upon group size, we can go either route.  Hence, please confirm your attendance with me ASAP so I can make a rental choice.
  • Dinner in Las Cruces :   TBD at the moment -- lots of yummy options!
An optional stop on our return flight:  I've been in contact with Cathy Myers, President of the New Mexico Pilots Association, with respect to our Weekend Getaway; Cathy was extremely helpful with identifying resources in Las Cruces.  (Thanks, Cathy!)  And, she may even be able to join us on our Weekend Getaway!  In her most recent email, she mentioned a potential stop on our return flight!  Here's what she had to say:  
There is a real nice treat down at 5T6 on the westside of El Paso and 18 minutes by air from KLRU.  The War Eagles Air Museum is one of the best kept secrets for private museums.  I worked there for about 16 months and it has a wonderful display of fighter aircraft, all vintages, old motorcycles, automobiles and a great gift shop.  Nice airport and you can park on the ramp right outside the museum.  Opens at 10:00 am and closes at 4:00 pm  $5.00 per person entry (hard to believe).  You might consider dropping in on your way back from Carlsbad - contact ATC El Paso or flight following for 5T6 through Newman pass in the Franklins north of El Paso, take a left when through the big pass and head south. There is 5T6 Dona Ana Country Airport.
 
Even if you skip The War Eagle, brief your folks on the restricted area that is north of El Paso and always hot. You will fly parallel to the southern edge of the area as you go east to west through Newman pass.  
 
Depending upon when we leave Carlsbad, we could stop at the War Eagles Air Museum while enroute to Las Cruces.  Let me know if this is something you'd like to do.  The only reasons that I've been concerned about getting to Las Cruces before sunset are (1) some APA members fly planes without lights and (2) I don't know about anyone's night currency...
 

Blue skies,
Craig

 

 

When
November 24th, 2012 10:00 AM to November 25th, 2012 12:00 PM