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  1. #51
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
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    entrapped
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    Quote Originally Posted by BFD View Post
    Since you brought up Nakusp I will sidetrack the thread a bit. I am thinking about spending a chunk of time there next summer. Was wondering if you or anyone else has connections there. Did a quick VRBO search and did not turn up anything. Would like to rent for about a month.
    Pm'ed

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  2. #52
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Galena
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    1,033
    I’ve done the Powder Hwy loop three times so I’ll chime in. Did two trips with a buddy and last one with my 16 yr old son. We flew to Calgary, rented an RV and hit the road from there. Had a great time each trip. Canadian’s may be the friendliest, nicest people I’ve ever met. My 1st trip with my Bro we were super high on BC bud, totally lost (no coincidence), trying to find Whitewater during a raging storm. Without exception, every Tim Horton’s or Petro Canada we walked into and threw a map on the counter we were greeted with “Oh, goin skiing eh? Gonna be some good powder there eh?”, followed by patiently showing a couple of clueless Californians how to get there. Nice folks.

    During my three trips we skied Lake Louise, SV, KH, Revi, Panorama, Kimberly, WW, Red, & Fernie. Conditions ranged from insane waist deep pow in some of the steepest tree skiing I’ve ever done at Fernie, to fog and drizzle at Revi, to sub zero temps at SV, and everything in between. If I had to pick a favorite, probably Kicking Horse. 4000 vert feet of ass kicking skiing. Super fun.

    As far a overnighting in the RV, we never had a problem staying in the lots right at the ski areas. Most of the time we would walk up and find someone, a security type, introduce ourselves and be directed to the appropriate section of the parking lot and were good to go. At Whitewater we told the lodge was open all night and were welcome to use the bathrooms anytime. I developed a healthy addiction to Kokanee’s, my teenage son now loves Poutaine.

    I highly recommend it as a ski trip. Exchange rate still looks favorable, gas is a bit more expensive these days, but oh well. If you’re an ikon pass holder bring it along as some of the resorts are affiliated. Good luck & safe travels.


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  3. #53
    Join Date
    Sep 2022
    Posts
    50
    I’d rent a car in Spokane. Doing the loop from Spokane to Spokane is a lot of driving if you’re going to spend three days at Schweitzer; personally, I’d head north you’ll find better skiing elsewhere. It’s an honest 9-10 hrs on good roads from Spokane to Golden.

    Red has great terrain, but the snowpack has been an issue the last few years. WH20 is a great slackcountry hit. The Nakusp hot springs are worth a visit if you head to Revelstoke. Revelstoke and Golden would be my two choices for reliable conditions and terrain.

  4. #54
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Bottom feeding
    Posts
    10,827
    I just drove Route 3 from Fernie to Grand Forks.
    That road’s a blast. I recommend a very fast car.
    Well maybe I'm the faggot America
    I'm not a part of a redneck agenda

  5. #55
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Spokane/Schweitzer
    Posts
    6,741
    Quote Originally Posted by Arctos Guides View Post
    I’d rent a car in Spokane. Doing the loop from Spokane to Spokane is a lot of driving if you’re going to spend three days at Schweitzer; personally, I’d head north you’ll find better skiing elsewhere. It’s an honest 9-10 hrs on good roads from Spokane to Golden.
    If you go through Nakusp, Revelstoke, Rogers Pass to Golden, yeah, maybe 9 hours or so with breaks. If you go Bonners Ferry, Kimberley, Radium, it's about 7 hours with breaks. As noted before, I've done it in 6. It's 6 hours to Revy from Spokane, also so nothing is too much of a drive, assuming decent weather, of course. And also assuming you take the best route.

  6. #56
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Banff, AB
    Posts
    465
    I can help with F&F discounts at various hotels in Banff if you end up this way. Just PM me with notice.

  7. #57
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    Before
    Posts
    27,908
    Quote Originally Posted by DanoT View Post
    Don't bypass Whitewater. You can thank me later.
    We only made it past Red and Whitewater once. WH2O r00lz.
    Merde De Glace On the Freak When Ski
    >>>200 cm Black Bamboo Sidewalled DPS Lotus 120 : Best Skis Ever <<<

  8. #58
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    438
    Did the powder highway in February just before everything shut down for covid. A friend was supposed to join me but bailed at the last minute and I decided to do it solo anyway. Flew into Spokane, rented a car and drove up to Red the same day. Only had a week, so could only spend a limited amount of time at each resort. Went to Red (Day 1), Whitewater (Day 2), Revelstoke (Day 3,4), Kickinghorse (Day 4,5), Fernie (Day 6), Schweizter (Day 7 on the way back to Spokane).
    In hindsight, I would not do it that way again, especially solo. Too much driving at night, especially after skiing all day. Definitely would recommend either a longer stay or fewer stops along the way. You do have to take a ferry on the way to Revelstoke. I didn't pay attention and luckily got on one of the last ones for the night (runs from 5:30 am to 12:30 am). Of all the resorts, Revelstoke and Kickinghorse are worth spending the most time exploring, with KH being my favorite.

  9. #59
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,881
    Duno if its been mentioned but while Revy & Golden are not that far apart if its snowed or snowing Rogers pass is often closed in the AM for aviy blasting

    also I think there might be a time change in there as well

    I don't know if there are other bus lines but there are no more greyhound buses in western Canada
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  10. #60
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,881
    " Any time is train time " as the slogan goes so the Railway runs every day moving freight not tourists
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  11. #61
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Big Sky/Moonlight Basin
    Posts
    14,413

    Powder Highway Planning Help

    Quote Originally Posted by CoorsLight99 View Post
    Other question - is Rt 37 from Eureka MT to Libby MT open in the winter? Anyone driven it?
    Yes, it’s open and EZ in winter. Done it lots of times in a semi, never had to chain up. It follows the valley of the Kootenai River, mostly along Lake Koocanusa, so low elevation.




    Koocanusa = KOOtenai river + CANada + U.S.A. (!)









    edit to add link: https://www.visitmt.com/listings/gen...a-scenic-byway

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    Last edited by Harry; 09-20-2022 at 03:50 PM.
    "Zee damn fat skis are ruining zee piste !" -Oscar Schevlin

    "Hike up your skirt and grow a dick you fucking crybaby" -what Bunion said to Harry at the top of The Headwaters

  12. #62
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Sun Peaks Resort
    Posts
    865
    [QUOTE

    Does the Train run in the winter even? Jasper and Kamloops aren't really ski towns and are the only train stops between Vancouver and Edmonton. Wonder why it wasn't built through the tourist towns and Calgary.[/QUOTE]

    Jasper is a summer tourist town with Marmot ski area 20 minutes away and Kamloops is a pulp mill and university city with Sun Peaks Resort 45min away. If flying into Vancouver, then a short connector flight to Kamloops airport and a shuttle bus from there would take you to Sun Peaks without the need for a car.

  13. #63
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    355
    Quote Originally Posted by DanoT View Post
    [QUOTE

    Does the Train run in the winter even? Jasper and Kamloops aren't really ski towns and are the only train stops between Vancouver and Edmonton. Wonder why it wasn't built through the tourist towns and Calgary.
    Jasper is a summer tourist town with Marmot ski area 20 minutes away and Kamloops is a pulp mill and university city with Sun Peaks Resort 45min away. If flying into Vancouver, then a short connector flight to Kamloops airport and a shuttle bus from there would take you to Sun Peaks without the need for a car.[/QUOTE]

    30+ years ago you could take the CP Rail passenger train through Calgary, Banff, Kicking Horse River canyon through Golden, Rogers Pass, Kamloops, the Fraser Canyon to Vancouver. The CN Rail passenger line was through Edmonton, Jasper, down throughMt Robison park, then Frazier Canyon to Vancouver, if memory serves. As kids, we did the CN route from Montreal once and Toronto the other time.

    Now, there is a luxury Rocky Mountaineer that funds the CP route in the summer, but that is pretty posh, almost first class travel.

    Greyhound Bus lines pulled out of Canada, or at least Western Canada about 8 or 10 years ago. Not much in the way of bus service unless you have airport to Banff. Panorama resort runs a service from Calgary Airport to the resort several times a week as well. At least they did pre-covid.


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  14. #64
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Shuswap Highlands
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    4,345
    Quote Originally Posted by DanoT View Post
    [QUOTE

    Does the Train run in the winter even? Jasper and Kamloops aren't really ski towns and are the only train stops between Vancouver and Edmonton. Wonder why it wasn't built through the tourist towns and Calgary.
    Jasper is a summer tourist town with Marmot ski area 20 minutes away and Kamloops is a pulp mill and university city with Sun Peaks Resort 45min away. If flying into Vancouver, then a short connector flight to Kamloops airport and a shuttle bus from there would take you to Sun Peaks without the need for a car.[/QUOTE]

    The Rocky Mountaineer only runs during tourist season and has fewer stops. VIA rail is the year-round ‘budget’ passenger train service and can/will stop in the weirdest small towns along the route. COVID shut down a list of the passenger service, especially the mountaineer, but I think everything is back on track now. But ya, no one has time for trains and everyone flies to ‘loops now if driving isn’t desirable.

  15. #65
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Posts
    2,528
    Quote Originally Posted by CoorsLight99 View Post
    If I were to fly to Calgary and ONLY hit Castle and Fernie is that doable via bus? I think those two would be plenty for an 8ish day trip and a good destination Xmas-NYE to avoid hoardes.

    Or should the mountains to the south just simply not be considered without a rental car?


    There is a bus to Golden BC correct? Is Kicking Horse with a stop in Banff the only reasonable trip from Calgary sans rental car?
    Why no rental car?

    Just planned a shorty with my buddy in late January. Fly to YYC, drive 5 hours to Revy, then 2 days later drive back to Golden, then 2 days later drive back to YYC and take off. Done this twice before, it's dynamite. You could also extend this a little by skiing Lake Louise and/or Sunshine on the way back to Calgary. In my experience all rental cars we've ever gotten in the winter have had the M+S logo on them. The tires were still shit mind you, but legal. It's not something I worry about anymore.

    Rental car opens up a lot in these towns. You can explore a little better, ski/apres on your own schedule, check out that weird looking truck stop, stretch your legs at a scenic rest stop, take a piss on the continental divide, etc. Totally worth it I think, but as always depends on your circumstances and what you're after.

  16. #66
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,881
    What are they quoting you for the rental car this winter and compared to when you did the same trip before ??

    this summer buddies of mine were talking about a couple of K for a week to rent cars back east
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  17. #67
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
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    2,528
    Quote Originally Posted by XXX-er View Post
    What are they quoting you for the rental car this winter and compared to when you did the same trip before ??

    this summer buddies of mine were talking about a couple of K for a week to rent cars back east
    It's about the same. Might be $50 more or less, not enough for me to notice.

    Just rented a car for a week in the keys in November, same thing as 2019 - can't tell a difference.

  18. #68
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Golden BC
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    4,136
    Quote Originally Posted by XXX-er View Post
    Duno if its been mentioned but while Revy & Golden are not that far apart if its snowed or snowing Rogers pass is often closed in the AM for aviy blasting

    also I think there might be a time change in there as well

    ...
    Yes there is a time change between Golden and Revie, Just before the park so you can leave Golden and get to Rogers Pass before you left ( by your phone anyway)

    A fairly frequent closures going through Rogers do to avie. Big snow means longer closures.

    Also nightly closures in Kicking Horse Pass ( Calgary to Golden) 10 pm to 7am . If you miss the time cut off its an extra 75-90 minutes. If you mistime your run from Calgary to Golden and miss the cutoff you will have to back track and that adds an extra 120 minutes to the 75min. See https://www.kickinghorsecanyon.ca/co...tion/calendar/
    Last edited by DougW; 09-26-2022 at 03:18 PM.
    Mrs. Dougw- "I can see how one of your relatives could have been killed by an angry mob."

    Quote Originally Posted by ill-advised strategy View Post
    dougW, you motherfucking dirty son of a bitch.

  19. #69
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    inpdx
    Posts
    20,197

    Powder Highway Planning Help

    Weird question for winter, but I’m pretty uninformed on the cold north…do people use an engine block heater Banff & north?
    (I’ve not penetrated the powder highway beyond Nelson)

  20. #70
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,881
    its a good idea for sure, at the Glacier park lodge which was right in the middle of the pass we would get a ground floor room & run a 50' extension out the window to plug in my VW TDi cuz the diesel didn't always like starting

    we also ran a kettle & toaster oven so the first thing you do is figure out where the electric breaker panel is in the hallway

    A block heater is actualy a smart question for the narth along with a good battery, studded snow tires, window scraper, you would get extra points for having a battery blanket

    IME most cars will start at -20, -30 is getting pretty cold and at -40 a lot of cars are not going to start

    I forget if it was standard but I had a block heater in my Ranger and a battery blanket on an electrical T adapter and my Tacoma has it as part of the narthern package

    I have never used one but this magnetic block heater might be an easy to instal portable option compared to paying to instal a heater
    https://www.princessauto.com/en/200w...t/PA0004270099
    Last edited by XXX-er; 09-25-2022 at 08:53 PM.
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  21. #71
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Posts
    2,528
    Quote Originally Posted by DougW View Post

    Also nightly closures in Kicking Horse Pass ( Calgary to Golden) 10 pm to 7am . If you miss the time cut off its an extra 75-90 minutes. If you mistime your run from Calgary to Golden and miss the cutoff you will have to back track and that adds an extra 30 minutes to the 75min. See https://www.kickinghorsecanyon.ca/co...tion/calendar/
    Isn't this temporary, and supposed to be finished by Christmas?

  22. #72
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Posts
    2,528
    Quote Originally Posted by ::: ::: View Post
    Weird question for winter, but I’m pretty uninformed on the cold north…do people use an engine block heater Banff & north?
    (I’ve not penetrated the powder highway beyond Nelson)
    It's not really any colder in the interior than your average mountain town in CO or whatever. Same variances week-to-week, but nothing shocking. I've frozen my ass off in both locations, and have been rained on as well.

  23. #73
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Golden BC
    Posts
    4,136
    Quote Originally Posted by paulster2626 View Post
    Isn't this temporary, and supposed to be finished by Christmas?
    Pretty sure its all this winter for night closures. The project is supposed to be completed winter 2024 so while they have made a lot of progress still some time to go. I have heard that a good % of the total 24 hour closures are done after this fall but I would still check for night closures next winter. Spring and fall the pass is totally closed as it is right now so have to do the long route.

    From website
    "From now until Winter 2023/24
    As a rule of thumb, the contractor will be required to abide by the following during the course of the project:

    Fall, Winter and Spring
    Daytime may see stoppages from 20 minutes to 2 hours.
    There may be closures of up to nine hours overnight, which will require significant advance notice.
    In addition, there may be multi-day extended closures from April 1 to the end of May and from mid-September to the end of November.
    The highway will be kept open for Easter and Thanksgiving long weekends, and there will be two daily peak-hour windows to allow passage for school buses, commuters and other essential local traffic/trips. Extended closures will also require significant advance notice, and the first is now expected to occur in spring 2021.
    Mrs. Dougw- "I can see how one of your relatives could have been killed by an angry mob."

    Quote Originally Posted by ill-advised strategy View Post
    dougW, you motherfucking dirty son of a bitch.

  24. #74
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Maine Coast
    Posts
    4,681
    Dang, thanks for this information. I likely would not have known otherwise

  25. #75
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Posts
    2,528
    Quote Originally Posted by DougW View Post
    Pretty sure its all this winter for night closures. The project is supposed to be completed winter 2024 so while they have made a lot of progress still some time to go. I have heard that a good % of the total 24 hour closures are done after this fall but I would still check for night closures next winter. Spring and fall the pass is totally closed as it is right now so have to do the long route.

    From website
    "From now until Winter 2023/24
    As a rule of thumb, the contractor will be required to abide by the following during the course of the project:

    Fall, Winter and Spring
    Daytime may see stoppages from 20 minutes to 2 hours.
    There may be closures of up to nine hours overnight, which will require significant advance notice.
    In addition, there may be multi-day extended closures from April 1 to the end of May and from mid-September to the end of November.
    The highway will be kept open for Easter and Thanksgiving long weekends, and there will be two daily peak-hour windows to allow passage for school buses, commuters and other essential local traffic/trips. Extended closures will also require significant advance notice, and the first is now expected to occur in spring 2021.
    Oof. I'm an idiot who doesn't know what year it is anymore.

    A 2 hour stoppage during the day would be ultra annoying.

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