Flying the Mountains to Leadville, Colorado

Many, if not most pilots, have a Leadville, Colorado landing on their bucket list.  Leadville Lake County airport (LXV) is North America's highest elevation airport at 9,927'!  So just barely shy of 10,000 big ones!  Just like hiking and exploring the mountains on foot, this is a trip best made in the morning before thunderstorms move in around lunch time.  Of course flatlander pilots and other aviators who don't have experience flying in the mountains should get with an experienced flight instructor and get some formal mountain flying training before flying in the mountains.  I personally recommend Colorado Pilot's Association's (CPA) mountain flying school that is typically held twice a year in the summers and includes both a day-long ground school and a training flight in the mountains.  I went to the course last year and found the instruction to be very high quality and helpful.  Now I am putting the training to use and being rewarded with majestic scenes like these as I fly the mountains of Colorado.