Montrose Regional to Denver International MTJ → DEN
170 nautical miles (196 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 061°, about 049° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 52 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 78-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:34 am MDT (10:34 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MTJ is VFR, wind from the northeast (050°) at 4 knots; DEN is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 13 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: 2,848 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 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 whole route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the whole route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the whole route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 57 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Near the route, 57 nm along the route.
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 MTJ.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
Not fetched just now.
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 UTC · at 120 knots true airspeed
The eastbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: odd thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 2 forecast points nearest it (GJT, DEN). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7,500 ft | 240° at 23 kt | −23 kt | 8 °C | 143 kt | 1 h 11 min | 4:53 am MDT (10:53 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 24 kt | −24 kt | 7 °C | 144 kt | 1 h 11 min | 4:53 am MDT (10:53 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 27 kt | −26 kt | 3 °C | 146 kt | 1 h 10 min | 4:52 am MDT (10:52 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 33 kt | −33 kt | -1 °C | 153 kt | 1 h 07 min | 4:49 am MDT (10:49 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 42 kt | −40 kt | -6 °C | 160 kt | 1 h 04 min | 4:46 am MDT (10:46 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 220° at 50 kt | −48 kt | -10 °C | 168 kt | 1 h 01 min | 4:43 am MDT (10:43 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 52 kt | −49 kt | -11 °C | 169 kt | 1 h | 4:42 am MDT (10:42 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 54 kt | −53 kt | -22 °C | 173 kt | 59 min | 4:41 am MDT (10:41 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 71 kt | −70 kt | -31 °C | 190 kt | 54 min | 4:36 am MDT (10:36 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 79 kt | −78 kt | -35 °C | 198 kt | 52 min | 4:34 am MDT (10:34 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 75 kt | −75 kt | -46 °C | 195 kt | 52 min | 4:34 am MDT (10:34 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GJT | used from 0 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 220/26 6° | 230/39 0° | 220/55 -13° | 230/60 -23° | 230/78 -31° | 230/80 -35° | 230/74 -44° | ||
| DEN | used from 95 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 270/24 11° | 230/13 5° | 230/48 -8° | 230/46 -20° | 230/63 -30° | 240/78 -36° | 240/78 -48° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MTJ Montrose, CO | departure | VFR | from the northeast (050°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,758 ft | 2:53 am MDT (08:53 UTC) |
| GUC Gunnison, CO | 38 nm out, 21 nm southeast of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 7,679 ft | 08:56 UTC |
| ASE Aspen, CO | 66 nm out, 14 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 9,000 ft | 7,837 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| APA Denver, CO | 152 nm out, 12 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 22,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,884 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| DEN Denver, CO | destination | VFR | from the south (180°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,433 ft | 2:53 am MDT (08:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,837 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DEN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:34 am MDT (10:34 UTC)
Wind from the south at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for DEN
- From Mon 3:00 am MDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 4:00 pm MDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 15,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 pm MDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 3,000 feet
The forecast for MTJ, the departure
- 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
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 MTJ 6:36 pm MDT (00:36 UTC), at DEN 6:22 pm MDT (00:22 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:49 pm MDT (00:49 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at DEN is before sunrise there (7:05 am MDT (13:05 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: Montrose Regional, Denver International.