Jasper to Kolawna by Clearwater -- Route 5 (?)

Question

Scenery is very important.After driving up from Calgary to Lake Louise and up to Jasper -- a three-week camping trip we will exit the national parks going west. Our next stop is Kelowna.  My question since we’ve already driven the Icefield Parkway and do not want to fight the traffic on the east side of the mountains, how is the road crossing the mountain from Jasper down to Clearwater? I think it is Canadian Route 5. We will be towing a 36-foot 5th wheel.My original plans were to backtrack down the Icefield Parkway and stop a day or two at Mt Revelstoke, but now I am thinking about bypassing Glacier National Park and the traffic on the Icefield Parkway in favor of “scenic route 5”. This is about 650Km without a break; we have done this and more in a day’s trip but is there anything special that we should stop and see along the way. I know the town of Kamloop is on our way. Is there any other place for a good lunch break about halfway on our trip?Your thoughts are welcome.

obgraham · Answer

Driven that a few times over the decades. BC5 is a good surface, though a bit winding in some areas. Not as scenic as Icefields, more of a mix of forest and farmland. Small towns only, so for us lunch stops utilize our rig. Plenty of roadside tables, though.

Kamloops to Kelowna you have 97 and 97C -- both okay. I prefer 97C only because 97 can be so slow going north of Kelowna.

z-peller · Answer

Be aware that if you take the 97c route suggested you will have a big climb and back down again between Kamloops and Merritt on 5, then another really big climb and back down on 97c between Merritt and Kelowna....the 97 has only one small short climb where it leaves the 1 after Kamloops then nothing much for hills rest of the way to Kelowna.... 97 is two lane and twisty in places....Kamloops-Merritt-Kelowna 97c is all 4 lane high speed highway.

stircrazy · Answer

Z-Peller wrote:Be aware that if you take the 97c route suggested you will have a big climb and back down again between Kamloops and Merritt on 5, then another really big climb and back down on 97c between Merritt and Kelowna....the 97 has only one small short climb where it leaves the 1 after Kamloops then nothing much for hills rest of the way to Kelowna.... 97 is two lane and twisty in places....Kamloops-Merritt-Kelowna 97c is all 4 lane high speed highway.he will never hit the Coq.  the road from jasper to kamloops is a major highway proabably the best rout between alberta and bc in the winter.  if you turn back towards salmon arm at kamloops and then take the 97 to kelowna it is a little more senic and no major hills between kamloops and kelowna.Steve

z-peller · Answer

he will never hit the Coq. the road from jasper to kamloops is a major highway proabably the best rout between alberta and bc in the winter. if you turn back towards salmon arm at kamloops and then take the 97 to kelowna it is a little more senic and no major hills between kamloops and kelowna.

Nothing said about the Coq route (which is Merritt to Hope)... Kamloops to Merritt to Kelowna is not the Coq!!... this route was suggested as an alternative to the 97....go back and read all the posts to see what is being discussed here.

stircrazy · Answer

Z-Peller wrote:he will never hit the Coq. the road from jasper to kamloops is a major highway proabably the best rout between alberta and bc in the winter. if you turn back towards salmon arm at kamloops and then take the 97 to kelowna it is a little more senic and no major hills between kamloops and kelowna.Nothing said about the Coq route (which is Merritt to Hope)... Kamloops to Merritt to Kelowna is not the Coq!!... this route was suggested as an alternative to the 97....go back and read all the posts to see what is being discussed here.why would you go that way it's longer and a crapy road in the winter, will they are all a crapy road in the winter, but that conector from merrit to kelowna is worse than most .Steve

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Jasper to Kolawna by Clearwater -- Route 5 (?)

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