I heard a King Air 200 (small company) two days ago waiting for an IFR release to a fairly remote field out in eastern Oregon called Christmas Valley. The runway is good, 4000+ feet but has limited lighting and no procedures published. In our weather briefing to an area close to Christmas Valley, we noticed that the weather was poor in visibility, probably around 2 miles. How much influence is ATC going to have in bringing this IFR King Air into Christmas Valley? I can assume that the pilot is hoping for better weather as he gets closer, but let's say it doesn't get better... at what point will ATC say you're on your own to get in there, will they set them up in the vacinity and hope for the best?

ATC can take them down to their MVA - Minimum Vectoring Altitude and if still in the clouds, and there is no approach, then I'd say that he is out of luck of getting into Christmas Valley on that particular day. IME.

USMCFLYR

Don't need an instrument approach to go to an airport IFR. To fly to 62S from DSD, track southeast on V165 on the DSD 143 radial until 70 DME. The routing would be filed as DSD V165 POCIT DSD143070 62S.

The MEA along the airway is 9500 feet, and the airport is 4317, so about 5200 feet above the ground. If the minimum vectoring altitude for the controller is lower than 9500 (unlikely), that would help you get lower. The point at which ATC is done with you on this route would be at the DSD 143 radial and 70 miles at 9500 feet. Then, you'd cancel, or ATC could climb you to their MVA, and you could continue to overhead the airport at maybe 11,000 feet (my guess at the MVA). Then, you'd have to cancel IFR, or sit there in holding, 'cuz that's your clearance limit. Might want to have a plan B or C then.

If there's real weather and you can't get in, then you'll have to shoot the approach at Sun River (S21), then "scud run" over to Xmas V. Not recommended at night, in real weather, or not familiar with the mountains and terrain. Good way to get dead, otherwise.

Good questions to go over with your instructor for IFR training.

As for the departure.... zero/zero on a part 91 departure in uncontrolled airspace. But, you'd have to plan a take off alternate carefully, since you won't get back in should an engine fail.

What does the POCIT portion of the clearance mean?

That's just an intersection along the airway to terminate V165. Check out the chart here:

Flight Planning and Aeronautical Charts at SkyVector.com

then click on the "Enroute L-11" button in the upper right side. You'll see the intersection.

In hilly to mountainous terrain, the MEA is typically going to be significantly lower than the ATC MVA. Best bet is to use the airways to get as low as possible.