A SKYMASTER PLT; DECLARED AN EMER; IN ORDER TO REMAIN IN VFR CONDITIONS; AND CONTINUE; ENRTE; TO DEST. THE EMER WAS DECLARED SO THAT THE ACFT COULD RECEIVE A CLRNC INTO CLASS A AIRSPACE.

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ON FEB/SAT/95; I DEPARTED FROM SKYHARBOR INTL; PHOENIX; TO BOULDER; CO. THE DEP WAS DONE AROUND XA00 AM. THE WX WAS DESCRIBED AS VFR; WITH A FEW POCKETS OF CLOUDS ENRTE; WHICH WOULD NOT CONSTITUTE A PROB; ACCORDING TO THE BRIEFER. I LEFT PHOENIX ARPT; REQUESTED FLT FOLLOWING AND CLBED TO 17500 FT WITHOUT ANY PROB. THE VISIBILITY WAS GREATER THAN 50 MI; AND ONLY A FEW CLOUDS WERE SEEN. SOON I WAS WITH ZAB FOR ADVISORIES. THE FLT CONTINUED IN VERY GOOD VFR CONDITIONS. I WAS PASSED TO ZDV. ABOUT 100 NM FROM DENVER; I STARTED TO ENCOUNTER A FEW POCKETS OF CLOUDS; WHICH I NEEDED TO GAR; TO MAINTAIN LEGAL DISTANCE. AT ONE POINT; I HAD TO START TO DSND; TO STAY UNDER THE CLOUDS; STILL MAINTAINING GOOD SEPARATION; FROM THE CLOUDS. THEN; 15 MINS LATER; I HAD TO DSND EVEN FURTHER; TO MAINTAIN CLOUD SEPARATION. I NOTICED; THEN; THAT I WAS FLYING INTO AN AREA OF FOG; AND OPTED TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN. I FOUND MYSELF TRAPPED AND I DID A 360 DEG TURN; LOOKING FOR A HOLE IN THE CLOUDS. I WAS STILL IN VFR; AND FOUND A WAY OUT; WITHOUT ANY DIFFICULTY. I HAD TO CLB TO STAY ON TOP OF THE CLOUDS; AND THIS WAS NOT JUST 'A FEW POCKETS OF CLOUDS.' DURING THIS TIME; I WAS IN CONTACT WITH ZDV. I TOLD THEM THAT I WAS NOT ABLE TO KEEP VFR BELOW FL180. I REQUESTED TO CLB TO FL200. I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TO FILE AN IFR PLAN. I TOLD THEM I WAS NOT IFR QUALIFIED. THE CTLR TOLD ME HE WOULD GRANT PERMISSION ONLY IN AN 'EMER SIT.' I CALLED THEM BACK; GAVE MY CALL SIGN; AND DECLARED 'EMER STATUS.' I CLBED TO FL210 FOR 15 MINS. I CALLED THE CTR TO CANCEL; LANDED AT BOULDER MUNICIPAL; AND CALLED THE CTR UP; FOR A RPT. THE FLT WAS TERMINATED SAFELY.