Meszah peak/level mountain

[EGT]

Anyone hunted here diy? Got a fairly steep quote for an early August fly in to level lake out of dease lake, might bite, but I'd like to know if there's anything up there besides caribou (and wolves :neutral:). Any advice much appreciated.

[butcher]

What was the price per air mile?

[EGT]

Quoted 1200 in and 1200 out from dease. Didn't give me a mile rate.

[butcher]

Seems a little steep. Should only be 50 miles or so. Maybe his rates are going up. Or maybe that’s minimum rate?

[Trekker]

I wouldent go early August and $1200 sounds about right, $9.50 a mile, which has been the going rate the last few years.

[EGT]

9.50 a mile for a 50 mile trip should only be 475 in and 475 out. I was quoted 1200 to get in and 1200 for pickup. I don't know what is in that area at all. I kindof just wanted to explore it. I know there are caribou up there and they open on the 15th but if there was sheep or goat in those small mountain s early August wouldn't be so bad.

[Rackmastr]

You pay per mile but you pay for the miles that the pilot has to return to base as well. So if a lake is 50 miles away you'll pay for 100 on the way in and 100 on the way out.

Hope that makes sense. Lake is either a bit more than 50 each way or your price per mile is closer to $12 quoted.

[butcher]

You pay per mile but you pay for the miles that the pilot has to return to base as well. So if a lake is 50 miles away you'll pay for 100 on the way in and 100 on the way out.

Hope that makes sense. Lake is either a bit more than 50 each way or your price per mile is closer to $12 quoted.

Exactly. That’s why I guessed the rate had increased or level was inside their minimum flight range.

[Trekker]

More then 50 air miles, dont think you can land a beaver on meszah peak. :D

[vortex]

Price per mile is probably going up. The insurance for floatplanes has skyrocketed in the last few months.

[butcher]

More then 50 air miles, dont think you can land a beaver on meszah peak. :D

Well you probably could, but you’d need a ride home!

[MattW]

More then 50 air miles, dont think you can land a beaver on meszah peak. :D

You can land anywhere once

[MattW]

Price per mile is probably going up. The insurance for floatplanes has skyrocketed in the last few months.

This is a very true statement. Insurance is up, avgas is generally up and parts and maintenance sure aren't getting cheaper. That said I have no idea if the price per mile has actually gone up for this charter.

[NeilG]

Sorry to butt into your thread but i am looking at doing a fly in hunt next year. For the price of $2400 round trip how many people and how much gear can you take on a float plane? Just starting to get a budget together now.

[MattW]

Sorry to butt into your thread but i am looking at doing a fly in hunt next year. For the price of $2400 round trip how many people and how much gear can you take on a float plane? Just starting to get a budget together now.
It really depends on what plane you hire, what you want to hunt, what size of lake you want to hunt at and at what altitude, but generally a beaver will take in 2 maybe 3 guys and a pretty decent camp. If you're hunting moose or elk and you have any success with your hunting you'll probably need an extra meat trip on the way out if you went in heavy. If you hire an Otter you're golden, take along the kitchen sink and a porcelain commode, shoot as many moose as you like.

[butcher]

Sorry to butt into your thread but i am looking at doing a fly in hunt next year. For the price of $2400 round trip how many people and how much gear can you take on a float plane? Just starting to get a budget together now.

BC Yukon will allow you 1200 lbs of gear and bodies. It seems like a lot but most new guys will take way too much gear. And yes, if you’re full going in you’ll probably need an extra flight going out if you’re lucky and have a moose.

[NeilG]

Great, thanks. That gives me a starting point. Got my ultralight backpack hunting gear pretty dialled and I'm in good shape and only weigh 160lbs so there's weight saved there. Good point in budgeting one more flight incase of success with a moose.

[decker9]

Ime, a beaver will usually run out of cargo room before running out of weight. Depending on the aircraft and it’s upgrades, some have a bit more cargo room then others. That white beaver BC yukon owns had the least amount of cargo room of any beaver Iv flown in.

[EGT]

Hey guys, thanks a ton for the info. Yes now the price makes sense. Thanks for helping a greenhorn out.

[elknut]

EGT....You might want to ask the pilot if he can land on Level lake ..It is due east of Mezsah peak ...Its about 3/4 of a mile long ..An otter is the best for short takeoffs versus a beaver ...But I dont know if there is a Otter flying out of Dease Lake ..There is sheep on Level mtn as well as caribou and goat I think ...Talk to the pilot he will be able to answer your questions ....Dennis

[butcher]

The nearest otter is Smithers. They’ll land on Level with a beaver but reduced loads on takeoff.

[elknut]

Yah ....High elevation means reduced weight on takeoff..Too bad Ray and Ernie Sande still arent flying ..They had an Otter ...Dennis

[Baconator]

Yes the good old days. Beaver, Otter and 185. Found some old receipts for BCYukon for the Otter $2.45 a mile and a small fuel surcharge. But that was well over 30 years ago. Wish I had gone every year back then, getting the time off was the problem. Lately I have been going to Central and Eastern Europe with the wife for less than it would cost to fly into my favorite hunting lake. Times have changed!

[warnniklz]

The nearest otter is Smithers. They’ll land on Level with a beaver but reduced loads on takeoff.


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This experience still has me a little confused. Technically it did fly out of Smithers... we asked about a larger plane for our sheep trip and they said they didn't have one. But on the day we were to fly out... smaller plane just means you bring less bullshit gear

[butcher]

Is that on Tatogga? I had the same experience a few years back.

[warnniklz]

Is that on Tatogga? I had the same experience a few years back.

yes it is..........

[MattW]

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This experience still has me a little confused. Technically it did fly out of Smithers... we asked about a larger plane for our sheep trip and they said they didn't have one. But on the day we were to fly out... smaller plane just means you bring less bullshit gear
I think Alpine Lakes sometimes doesn't know where each of their planes is going to be based at a given date on the season (Smithers or Tatogga), so if you're asking about a larger plane out of Tatogga on a given date and they think the Caravan will be working out of Smithers at that point they'd answer that they didn't have a larger plane available, as in they don't want to relocate it for one flight. With that said anything can change with weather, work and flying. If you know they have the Caravan and that's what you want and you call them with the specific idea of utilizing the Caravan to get to a lake it might be different.

[warnniklz]

I think Alpine Lakes sometimes doesn't know where each of their planes is going to be based at a given date on the season (Smithers or Tatogga), so if you're asking about a larger plane out of Tatogga on a given date and they think the Caravan will be working out of Smithers at that point they'd answer that they didn't have a larger plane available, as in they don't want to relocate it for one flight. With that said anything can change with weather, work and flying. If you know they have the Caravan and that's what you want and you call them with the specific idea of utilizing the Caravan to get to a lake it might be different.

Ah yes, that makes sense.