Flying High

To get from Sonoma to Reno on an instrument flight plan you have to fly at a minimum altitude of 13,000 feet to safely clear the Sierras. It takes a while to reach that altitude when your rate of climb drops to 250 feet per minute above 10,000 feet. But once you're there, it's a beautiful view. Reno lies in a valley. Below, I'm lining up for my approach to Rwy 16L at RNO.
I had considered making Reno just a fuel stop enroute to Salt Lake City. But after checking the weather I decided to spend the night here and let a cold front currently moving through the Sasquatch and upper Plains states get a little farther east. I need as few clouds as possible when the temperatures at 13,000 feet are minus 3-5 degrees Celsius. Flying through clouds at that kind of temperature is an invitation for icing to form on the airplane.