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This spot is currently the most popular spot in the fall. It offers dramatic shots of jets in full sun with the background in full shade as well as views of jets doing ridge crossings over The Needles.
Where is this spot?
Where is this spot?
***NOTE*** I've only been to this spot once and don't think I was at the ideal place. The directions listed here are to what I think is the better place to hike to. That being said, this spot is so popular these days that you should be able to easily follow foot prints.
Start off by driving past Johnsondale to the pullout marked by the GPS pin to the right on desktop and below on mobile. Once you pass the Packsaddle trailhead parking lot, the road narrows up significantly and becomes more mountainous (more twists/turns/elevation changes). While you can go quite fast driving from Kernville up the Packsaddle trailhead, you will need to slow down quite a bit after.
Also note that you gain around 1000ft of elevation getting to this spot and will drain quite a bit of gas as internal combustion engines will struggle climbing at the higher elevation (that being said, you can mostly coast back down to the Johnsondale bridge).
IMPORTANT: while the directions to in and out are very straightforward there is NO SERVICE up here. Download offline maps or have paper maps to ensure you can safely get to the spot AND leave the area without getting lost.
From here, the hike is off trail but there are lots of footprints to follow. Start off by climbing to the top of a hill and then descending down the ridge. As things flatten out, you will reach a rocky outcropping. This is where I stopped when I went here, but this is not a great spot to be at (mostly because jets are really far away and banking away from you). From the rocky outcropping, continue another third of a mile north east following the ridge down to a flatter part.
Use caution when descending from the rocky outcropping as it gets steep from here. Hiking poles may be useful for this section. It takes roughly 15 minutes to get from the parking spot to the rocky outcropping. My best guess is that it takes another 10-15 minutes to hike the rest of the third of a mile. There isn't an exact spot I had in mind so once you get to the flatter section and have a direct sightline to Fairview Ridge you can stop.
Spotting Logistics from here
Spotting Logistics from here
The view from the rocky outcropping can be seen to the right on desktop and below on mobile. At the rocky outcropping there is a tree for shade and plenty of rocks to sit on. I'm not sure about shade and rocks to sit on at the further spot.
From this vantage point, you can see all the way down to Fairview Ridge and beyond! To the north is a clear view of The Needles. At the earliest, you can see jets as they bank around Fairview. This gives you lots of visual warning for passes (it's almost a full minute in some cases!).
Due to the high positioning, you will be able to hear most if not all jets that call point alpha. From jets calling alpha to getting up to this spot is around 4-5 minutes. For an average pass, you'll see them bank around Fairview and follow the river valley up towards you. An average pass is fully visible from when they bank around Fairview all the way until they get up to you. Lower passes will drop into the valley and not be visible the entire time. Extremely low passes may not be visible until they get up to you. Low passes will be banking away from you most of the time they're flying by. If at the recommended spot, low passes will roll wings level as they pass you. Jets that are higher and still land locked will tend to fly by wings level.
Lighting
Lighting
Lighting is either the biggest pro or biggest con of this spot. You won't get a well lit pass until the afternoon from here no matter the time of year. For those who are very picky about lighting, it doesn't get good until around 2PM in the winter. I do not recommend this spot for anyone who does not want most of their pictures to be backlit.
That being said, if you are not picky about backlit shots, the background you are shooting against is also often in shadow. It is common to get shots of the plane in sun but the background in shade.
Pros and Cons
Pros and Cons
Pros of spotting here:
For almost every pass you can get a shot of the jet in sun and background in shade.
You can hear every radio call of jets entering Sidewinder so you know when something is coming.
There is a long sight line down the valley so you can start seeing jets right after they bank around Fairview Ridge. You have plenty of time to find and frame the jet (and if you're keen eyed you can visually identify what kind of aircraft it is from quite far out).
The background mountains are quite tall meaning that even if jets are a little higher up they can still be land locked.
Cons of spotting here:
Lighting is the biggest con here if you are picky about backlit pictures. Lighting does not get good until afternoon at the earliest and mid-afternoon if you are very picky.
You're often looking into the sun to find jets coming towards you
Not every jet follows the river valley. Some are quite high up or pull out of the river valley early to do a ridge crossing over The Needles.
Jets usually bank away from you as they approach and pass you here. If you stop at the rocky outcropping, low passes will be banking away from you for almost the entire pass. If you go to the spot I recommend, low passes will be banking away from you as they approach and then roll wings level as they pass you
Sample Shots
Sample Shots
900mm, plane fills half frame, 2:45PM winter
900mm, plane fills third of frame, 11:40AM winter
900mm, plane fills half frame, 1:50PM winter
900mm, plane fills half frame, 10:00AM winter
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