Garden City Regional to Montrose Regional GCK → MTJ
340 nautical miles (391 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 278°, about 273° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 24 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 20-knot headwind), arriving about 5:26 am MDT (11:26 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now GCK is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 21 knots, gusting to 32; MTJ is VFR, wind from the north-northwest (340°) at 6 knots. For planning, not a briefing: the legal preflight briefing comes from Flight Service (1-800-WX-BRIEF) or the FAA's own tools. Airlines fly this pair: 1 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.
The route the straight line, the warnings crossed, restrictions, pilot reports and the airports along the way · click a mark for its words
Green, blue, red and purple airport dots are the flying conditions reported there now (VFR, marginal VFR, IFR, low IFR); grey means no report. Red areas are SIGMETs, orange areas AIRMETs, hatched red areas temporary flight restrictions. Map tiles: OpenFreeMap, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Warnings the route crosses SIGMETs and AIRMETs whose area the line passes through or comes within 25 nm of
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Over the first 60 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 230 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 42,000 ft. Over the last 200 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Over the route from 190 to 310 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 10 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Near the route, at the destination end.
A SIGMET warns of weather hazardous to all aircraft; an AIRMET of weather that matters to small aircraft and to flying without instruments. "From 60 to 180 nm out" is measured along the route from GCK.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A321 at 31,000 ft, 38 nm north, 1:41 am CDT (06:41 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: mtw +/-15KT zdvwc. 190 nm along the route, 38 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
COS UA /OV BRK/TM 0641/FL310/TP A321/TB MOD/RM MTW +/-15KT. ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through COS
- Where
- over BRK
- Time
- 06:41 UTC
- Height
- at 31,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A321
- Turbulence
- moderate
- Remarks
- mtw +/-15KT zdvwc
- A21N at 33,000 ft, 38 nm north, 1:59 am CDT (06:59 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: mtw a 10-knot loss of airspeed 100FT zdvwc. 190 nm along the route, 38 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
COS UA /OV BRK/TM 0659/FL330/TP A21N/TB LGT CHOP/RM MTW +/-10KT 100FT. ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through COS
- Where
- over BRK
- Time
- 06:59 UTC
- Height
- at 33,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A21N
- Turbulence
- light chop
- Remarks
- mtw a 10-knot loss of airspeed 100FT zdvwc
- A320 at 31,000 ft, 6 nm southeast, 1:58 am CDT (06:58 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: mtw a 10-knot loss of airspeed 100FT zdvwc. 220 nm along the route, 6 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
PUB UA /OV PUB260040/TM 0658/FL310/TP A320/TB LGT CHOP/RM MTW +/-10KT 100FT. ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through PUB
- Where
- 40 nm west (260°) of PUB
- Time
- 06:58 UTC
- Height
- at 31,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A320
- Turbulence
- light chop
- Remarks
- mtw a 10-knot loss of airspeed 100FT zdvwc
- B38M at 37,000 ft, 12 nm north, 2:42 am CDT (07:42 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: mtw +/-7KT zdvwc. 230 nm along the route, 12 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
PUB UA /OV PUB280055/TM 0742/FL370/TP B38M/TB LGT CHOP/RM MTW +/-7KT. ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through PUB
- Where
- 55 nm west (280°) of PUB
- Time
- 07:42 UTC
- Height
- at 37,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- light chop
- Remarks
- mtw +/-7KT zdvwc
- E170 at 22,500 ft, 46 nm north, 12:06 am CDT (05:06 UTC): light to moderate turbulence up to 23,000 ft, remarks: during the descent tbarr star ZDVWC-13. 230 nm along the route, 46 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN216057/TM 0506/FL225/TP E170/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD BLO 230/RM DURD TBARR STAR. ZDVWC-13
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- 57 nm southwest (216°) of DEN
- Time
- 05:06 UTC
- Height
- at 22,500 ft
- Aircraft
- E170
- Turbulence
- continuous light occasional moderate below 23,000 ft
- Remarks
- during the descent tbarr star ZDVWC-13
- CRJ2 at 22,000 ft, 46 nm north, 1:35 am CDT (06:35 UTC): no turbulence up to 26,000 ft, no icing, clear from 22,000 ft to 60,000 ft, remarks: during the descent ZDVWC-26. 240 nm along the route, 46 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN220060/TM 0635/FL220/TP CRJ2/SK SKC/TB NEG BLO 260/IC NEG/RM DURD/ ZDVWC-26
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- 60 nm southwest (220°) of DEN
- Time
- 06:35 UTC
- Height
- at 22,000 ft
- Aircraft
- CRJ2
- Sky
- clear
- Turbulence
- no below 26,000 ft
- Icing
- none
- Remarks
- during the descent ZDVWC-26
- GLF6 at 47,000 ft, 20 nm south, 2:47 am CDT (07:47 UTC): remarks: moderate mtw +/-1500FPM zdvwc. 260 nm along the route, 20 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
GUC UA /OV HBU105046/TM 0747/FL470/TP GLF6/RM MOD MTW +/-1500FPM. ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through GUC
- Where
- 46 nm east (105°) of HBU
- Time
- 07:47 UTC
- Height
- at 47,000 ft
- Aircraft
- GLF6
- Remarks
- moderate mtw +/-1500FPM zdvwc
- PC12 at 26,000 ft, 8 nm south, 1:27 am CDT (06:27 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZDVWC-12. 260 nm along the route, 8 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
GUC UA /OV HBU090040/TM 0627/FL260/TP PC12/TB OCNL LGT CHOP/RM ZDVWC-12
- Report
- a routine report filed through GUC
- Where
- 40 nm east (090°) of HBU
- Time
- 06:27 UTC
- Height
- at 26,000 ft
- Aircraft
- PC12
- Turbulence
- occasional light chop
- Remarks
- ZDVWC-12
- E170 at 4,800 ft, 47 nm northwest, 1:31 am CDT (06:31 UTC): no turbulence, no icing, clear from 4,800 ft to 60,000 ft, remarks: during the descent rnav Y 11 lgjt zdvwc. At the destination end, 47 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
GJT UA /OV GJT/TM 0631/FL048/TP E170/SK SKC/TB NEG/IC NEG/RM DURD RNAV Y 11 LGJT. ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through GJT
- Where
- over GJT
- Time
- 06:31 UTC
- Height
- at 4,800 ft
- Aircraft
- E170
- Sky
- clear
- Turbulence
- none
- Icing
- none
- Remarks
- during the descent rnav Y 11 lgjt zdvwc
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 02:00–09:00 UTC · at 120 knots true airspeed
The westbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: even thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 4 forecast points nearest it (GCK, PUB, ALS, GJT). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 32 kt | +20 kt | 13 °C | 100 kt | 3 h 24 min | 5:26 am MDT (11:26 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 33 kt | +23 kt | 9 °C | 97 kt | 3 h 30 min | 5:32 am MDT (11:32 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 34 kt | +25 kt | 5 °C | 95 kt | 3 h 35 min | 5:37 am MDT (11:37 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 37 kt | +26 kt | 0 °C | 94 kt | 3 h 37 min | 5:39 am MDT (11:39 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 41 kt | +26 kt | -4 °C | 94 kt | 3 h 37 min | 5:39 am MDT (11:39 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 44 kt | +26 kt | -8 °C | 94 kt | 3 h 37 min | 5:39 am MDT (11:39 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 49 kt | +34 kt | -21 °C | 86 kt | 3 h 57 min | 5:59 am MDT (11:59 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 69 kt | +54 kt | -28 °C | 66 kt | 5 h 09 min | 7:11 am MDT (13:11 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 67 kt | +55 kt | -35 °C | 65 kt | 5 h 14 min | 7:16 am MDT (13:16 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 56 kt | +47 kt | -46 °C | 73 kt | 4 h 39 min | 6:41 am MDT (12:41 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 00:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 06:00 UTC for use 02:00 to 09:00 UTC; temperatures above 24,000 ft are below zero. Heights are above sea level; a height is left out when the forecast has no wind for it over most of the line (the ground is higher). Ground speed is the airspeed less the headwind; the time en route is for the straight line and ignores climb, descent and routing around weather.
The forecast points as issued
| Point | From | 3,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 12,000 | 18,000 | 24,000 | 30,000 | 34,000 | 39,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GCK | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 220/48 21° | 230/37 14° | 250/30 8° | 230/37 -6° | 240/37 -20° | 240/69 -28° | 250/67 -37° | 260/58 -48° | |
| PUB | used from 100 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 230/25 13° | 230/32 6° | 220/44 -8° | 230/49 -21° | 240/70 -28° | 240/67 -34° | 240/58 -46° | ||
| ALS | used from 250 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 230/37 4° | 220/54 -9° | 230/62 -22° | 240/77 -26° | 240/74 -33° | 230/59 -45° | |||
| GJT | used from 300 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 210/43 7° | 230/45 1° | 220/49 -12° | 220/62 -22° | 220/59 -28° | 230/60 -33° | 220/55 -45° |
The weather now: both ends and the airports along the way public airports with a weather report within 25 nm of the line, one for each stretch
| Airport | Where | Conditions | Wind | Visibility | Ceiling | Elevation | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GCK Garden City, KS | departure | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 21 knots, gusting to 32 | 10+ mi | none | 2,890 ft | 2:54 am CDT (07:54 UTC) |
| ULS Ulysses, KS | 30 nm out, 24 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 18 knots, gusting to 24 | 10+ mi | none | 3,071 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| LAA Lamar, CO | 90 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,705 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| LHX La Junta, CO | 130 nm out, 10 nm south of the line | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,228 ft | 15:53 UTC |
| PUB Pueblo, CO | 180 nm out, 0 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,729 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| ANK Salida, CO | 250 nm out, 9 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 7,523 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| GUC Gunnison, CO | 290 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line | VFR | variable at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 7,679 ft | 07:56 UTC |
| MTJ Montrose, CO | destination | VFR | from the north-northwest (340°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,758 ft | 1:53 am MDT (07:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,679 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MTJ when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:26 am MDT (11:26 UTC)
Wind from the south-southeast at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MTJ
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 5,000 feet, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet, a few clouds at 11,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 7,000 feet, scattered clouds at 11,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 7,000 feet, a few clouds at 11,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC) and 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, light rain showers, a broken layer at 5,000 feet, overcast at 8,000 feet
The forecast for GCK, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at GCK 7:08 pm CDT (00:08 UTC), at MTJ 6:36 pm MDT (00:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:03 pm MDT (01:03 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MTJ is before sunrise there (7:17 am MDT (13:17 UTC)).
Each restriction opens the FAA's own page with the exact area, heights and times. Ordinary notices to air missions (closed runways, lights out) are not shown: the FAA's notice search is not open to sites like this one at this time.
Radar and forecast charts for the regions crossed government pictures, the latest each time the page loads
Sources: the Aviation Weather Center's data service (SIGMETs, AIRMETs, graphical AIRMETs, pilot reports, winds and temperatures aloft, observations and terminal forecasts), the National Weather Service radar, the Weather Prediction Center's charts, the FAA's temporary flight restriction list and shapes, and the FAA's airport file for the positions, elevations and magnetic variation. Fetched when the page is viewed and kept a few minutes. Each leg is the straight line between its two airports; airways, terrain and airspace are not considered. The airports in detail: Garden City Regional, Montrose Regional.