Looking for advice on the best route through the rocks from Edmonton to Penticton. We have had our class A(36ft V10) for a year but this will be the first time through the mountains.
Quickest route is not the best. Quick is Edmonton to Calgary then #1 to Sicamous then south to #97 through the Okanagan to Penticton. The best route is Edmonton to Jasper then down to Banff and then west on #1 to Sicamus then south to 97. You have to do the road from Jasper to Banff if you can. It is one of the nicest trips in the world. Eddy
It depends on your definition of best.
#2, #1, #97 is the shortest. The Stoney Bypass of Calgary is not complete and there is construction at Airdrie so you might want to cut over to #22 at Olds and go through Cochrane to #1. #22 is a good road with a lot less traffic.
#16, #5 definitely the least hills hut you have to cut back quite a ways.
Jasper, Lake Louise definitly the most scenic. A variation of this would be to take 11 west through Rocky Mountain House. It is a good road and would cut off some of the angling back east that you get on the Parkway. You would still get to see a lot of the scenery but not the icefields. On either of these options you will need a park pass which you will not need on #16 or #1 if you drove through without stopping.
The final option is to go south on #2 to #3 (Crowsnest pass) and across the south of the provinces. #3 is very winding, it would take a lot more time and fuel.
eaw46 wrote: The best route is Edmonton to Jasper then down to Banff Eddy
There are weight restriction on Hwy. 93 Jasper to Banff.
I would travel 16 Edmonton to Valemount, 5 Valemount to Kamloops south to Merritt, 97C From Merrit to Peachland, then 97 from Peachland to Pentiction.
If you don't want to pull the hills from Kamloops to Merritt then over to Peachland, you can take Hwy 1 east out of Kamloops to Monte Creek and take Hwy 97 that way through Vernon and then south to Penticton, but going through Merritt and Peachland, will put you more on Interstate type hwys, avoiding the cities and traffic lights of Kamloops, Vernon, Lake Country, Kelowna, etc.
Down to Calgary on 2 across to Sicamous on 1 and then 97D from Sicamous down is another good option, but the Valemount route is the easiest more leisurely drive, that isn't as windy. Also there are less idiots on 5 than the twits that travel on 1 from Calgary to Kamloops.
Drive times (approx. by truckers.)
Edmonton to Kamloops 8.5 hrs,
Edmonton to Calgary 3 hrs,
Calgary to Sicamous 5.5 hrs,
Calgary to Kamloops 7.5 hrs
Kamloops to Penticton via Merritt 5,97C 3.5 hrs
Kamloops to Penticton via Vernon, 4 hrs
Sicamous to Pentiction via 97D, 4hrs
eaw46 wrote: The best route is Edmonton to Jasper then down to Banff Eddy
There are weight restriction on Hwy. 93 Jasper to Banff.
I would travel 16 Edmonton to Valemount, 5 Valemount to Kamloops south to Merritt, 97C From Merrit to Peachland, then 97 from Peachland to Pentiction.
If you don't want to pull the hills from Kamloops to Merritt then over to Peachland, you can take Hwy 1 east out of Kamloops to Monte Creek and take Hwy 97 that way through Vernon and then south to Penticton, but going through Merritt and Peachland, will put you more on Interstate type hwys, avoiding the cities and traffic lights of Kamloops, Vernon, Lake Country, Kelowna, etc.
Down to Calgary on 2 across to Sicamous on 1 and then 97D from Sicamous down is another good option, but the Valemount route is the easiest more leisurely drive, that isn't as windy. Also there are less idiots on 5 than the twits that travel on 1 from Calgary to Kamloops.
Drive times (approx. by truckers.)
Edmonton to Kamloops 8.5 hrs,
Edmonton to Calgary 3 hrs,
Calgary to Sicamous 5.5 hrs,
Calgary to Kamloops 7.5 hrs
Kamloops to Penticton via Merritt 5,97C 3.5 hrs
Kamloops to Penticton via Vernon, 4 hrs
Sicamous to Pentiction via 97D, 4hrs
For the benefit of anoone else reading this thread I believe there is a ban or commercial trucking on highway 93. There are a multitude of large motorhomes and tour buses on this major tourist route so I can't see there being any weight restrictions which would impact them.
Edmonton to Penticton. With no mountain passes
Take #2 south to Naton,
Just south of Naton hang a right cross over to Hwy 22.
Follow 22 down to Hwy 3
Take Hwy 3 west to Creston
At Creston take Hwy 3-A across the Belfour Ferry
From the Balfour side of the ferry follow Hwy 3-A down through Nelson
14 miles south of Nelson is the Playmore Jct take a right and follow hwy 6 to Nakusp
At Nakusp take hwy 23 to the Galena Bay Ferry
After you cross the Galena bay ferry drive towards Revelstoke.
Once at Revelstoke take a left and follow Hwy 1 west to Sicamous
At Sicamous take a left on Hwy 97-A follow that to where it joins Hwy 97.
Follow Hwy 97 to Penticton.
If you have time this may be a round about why of getting there but you won’t be going over any major mountain passes, and it’s a beautiful drive.
Soup
2006, Komfort 261FS
2007 Sierra SLE, 2500 HD / 4x4 / Duramax with a 6 speed Allison Transmission
For the benefit of anoone else reading this thread I believe there is a ban or commercial trucking on highway 93. There are a multitude of large motorhomes and tour buses on this major tourist route so I can't see there being any weight restrictions which would impact them.
It's definatley for commercial vehicles over 5500 kgs/12000 lbs, after a quick phone call to the Icefields information center, there is NOT restrictions for recreational vehicles of any size.
Here is a link to the BC/Alta National parks system.
Edmonton - Leduc
West on 39, South on 20, West on 13 (there is a small CG at Buck Lake) South on 22
Rocky Mountain House.
West on 11, South on 93 (no major hill on this section of the Parkway) West on 93 at Castle Mountain (Kootenay NP) to Radium.
South to Cranbrook, Hwy 3 to Creston, North on 3A to Nelson via the Balfour ferry.
You then have a choice, Stay on the 3A back to Hwy3. Or the long way round, North on 6 and 23 to Revelstoke, West on Hwy 1 to Sicamous then South on 97.
Personally, I would, after crossing the Balfour ferry, go north to Kaslo and west on 31A (no major hills but a little twisty). North on 6 to Nakusp then South to the Needles ferry then on to Vernon( you have to cross the Monashees on this route, a great drive but it is hilly and twisty in places)
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