So had a good day today. I was not planing to fly however, had a pilot come up from lower 48 looking for work, a friend gave him my contact. Nice day so we went to the KNIK, got to fly below tree level for a long time calm air. Did bush pilot landing on gravel bar. He stopped taking pictures over the glacier because he said NONE could show the view!! We saw a friend with a cow moose tag and did a fly by. Two hours latter having lunch at 1400 with a few other pilots we got the call MOOSE DOWN. Sooooo now it is GETERDONE MODE. Get home, change out to clean moose gear/spend the night. Plane has more fuel than needed and I took belly pod of the day before for some paint work, but no passenger. I can get a moose behind me if needed!! Two planes, two strong backs, and one old guy head out a little after 1500. when we turn into the KNIK it is now blowing 40 and it is no laminar!! Now I am getting my ass kicked, crying like a 3 year old, and going low does not help!! Think of the guy on the ground and what he would do for me, pull out some SUCK IT UP and push on. It has to be let down up valley! No such luck, find friends plane and take over a mile just to do a 180 turn X 4 landing area is a 4 wheeler trail kind of straight. Light is ok but you really can't see the tops of the trees/brush so much. Moose is 3/4 done when we get on the ground. Strong backs get it to the plane. Now back taxi in 40+winds for take off. We have nose into the wind so tail comes up and it wants to fly at 50 ft, give it some more time on the ground and it is in the air on its own. Take a mile wide downwind turn, pull 1/2 flaps and go to 2000 rpm still over 100mph ground speed waiting for last plane to come off the strip. Shooter of moose is an ex Navy pilot flying a 12, he does high cover with multiple downwind turns in this crap(much bigger balls than mine). Last cub with two strong backs comes off ATV trail. I am pulled back to 1/2 flaps and 2000 RPM, so they can get to me, they are pushed up showing 147 over the ground with a 150 hp cub. We make the turn for Birchwood and wind lays down. When we land the runway is ICE!! I think straight skis would be better than wheels on this stuff!! Taxi to hanger SLOW!!! Just another day in Alaska.
DENNY