Okanogan and Squamish BC

[trtog7]

Looking at doing a trip from Ontario to BC next fall
Would like to leave Ontario mid to late October Spend some time n the Okanogan Valley ending up in Squamish to spend Christmas with Family. Any comments about this idea?

[Wrong_Lane]

Two years ago we drove from Kelowna to Calgary around late-October. We were not in an RV. Temperature was 15 C in Kelowna, 10 c in Calgary but below zero in the mountain passes.

Highway enforcement officers were in the mandatory truck turn out/brake check areas checking for tire chains in larger vehicles.

We encountered a few flurries along the way and one real winter storm around Golden on the TransCanada.

I think the general consensus from the replies is that your plan is a little late in the season but could be done.

It really would be a great trip but for me personally the enjoyment factor would be significantly higher in September/October vs November/December

[canadafan]

Have a look at:
http://www.travel-british-columbia.com/camping/winter-camping/

This lists campgrounds which are open all year round.

Also you may find a number of Municipal sites that are open, such as Golden for example.

Trevor

[garyhaupt]

BC_Explorer wrote:

garyhaupt wrote:

If Sqaumish is your Christmas destination, you should know that that can be snow/ice country. If you are planning to use the RV, plan accordingly for heat and a dehumidifier. I don't think you are going to find an RV park up there for winter.
Gary Haupt

There are a few year round RV parks /campgrounds in the Squamish/Whistler corridor.

In no particular order:
WhistlePunk Hollow Adventure RV Park (Squamish)
(Formerly known as Eagle Vista RV Resort & Campground)

Klahanie Campground (Squamish)

Porteau Cove Provincial Park (20 km south of Squamish)

Whistler RV Park & Campground (Whistler)

Huh..so there you are. Opportunities abound.


Gary Haupt

[BC_Explorer]

garyhaupt wrote:

If Sqaumish is your Christmas destination, you should know that that can be snow/ice country. If you are planning to use the RV, plan accordingly for heat and a dehumidifier. I don't think you are going to find an RV park up there for winter.
Gary Haupt

There are a few year round RV parks /campgrounds in the Squamish/Whistler corridor.

In no particular order:
WhistlePunk Hollow Adventure RV Park (Squamish)
(Formerly known as Eagle Vista RV Resort & Campground)

Klahanie Campground (Squamish)

Porteau Cove Provincial Park (20 km south of Squamish)

Whistler RV Park & Campground (Whistler)

[garyhaupt]

trtog7 wrote:
Sidehillsoup
What to people in BC do if they are travelling south after Oct 1 in their RV Do they do it without snow tires and hope not to get caught?

Lots of people in 'BC' don't even have snow tires, let alone chains. But, you are comparing apples to oranges. You are talking an RV...and you haven't said what kind. Trailer, camper, A, B or a C. I would venture that most heading south, don't carry anything more than a zest to get 'south' before the weather causes troubles. And many roads in BC do not require you have snows and or chains

Here is a link showing which highways require what.

http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/driving/traveller-information/s...


If Sqaumish is your Christmas destination, you should know that that can be snow/ice country. If you are planning to use the RV, plan accordingly for heat and a dehumidifier. I don't think you are going to find an RV park up there for winter.


Gary Haupt

[garyhaupt]

As far as finding places to put the RV in the Okanagan...that is an A, not an O...you will be able to find spots. Once you head towards Squamish, are you going via Lilloett Highway 99, or Vancouver, #1? Via Lilloett is much much prettier and slower and twistier and nicer. Via Vancouver is just boring highway..but..there are open RV places that way. I suppose the questiuon then is...do you require an RV place? If so, then via Vancouver is it. If you can stand being on your own without wifi or tv for a day or two..and don't 'require' power for the microwave, you'll be good via Lilloett.

Gary Haupt

[explorenorth]

trtog7 wrote:
Sidehillsoup
What to people in BC do if they are travelling south after Oct 1 in their RV Do they do it without snow tires and hope not to get caught?

I carry chains, the legal requirement for a Class A in BC.

[SideHillSoup]

It was 26 on my sun deck last weekend. not and clear. the last 2 years have been abnormally warm with little precipitation. we didn't get snow where I live until the week before Xmas and then we got a couple of small snowfalls after that. by the second week of Jan there wasn't snow in my yard for the rest f the winter. they say we are supposed to have another dry warm winter, however that is the same weatherman that can never get the forecast right around where I live anyways.
as for campground. I don't know of any campgrounds that are open in the West Kootenays of BC, but there could be. I know there are exceptions, but I haven't seen them.
also they RCMP will in the cases I have seen at the foot of Kootenay Pass which is the highest mountain pass open year round in Canada just turn people around that don't have the correct tires. I have yet to talk with anyone that has gotten a fine, but they could be out there I just never talked with them. I have seen the RCMP at the bottom of that Hwy 3 times over the years so it does happen, but those three times were when it was snowing.
Soup
PS: I put my winter tires on this last weekend and it was sunny and 12c.

[Fizz]

We had snow in Eastern Ontario this week.
Leaving at this time of year you could possibly have snow the whole way, almost certain to have snow north of Superior.

[koladog]

That is correct - a lot of people in BC start traveling after October 1st to make the most of their 6 months in the sunny south. Even though proper winter tires are required on BC mountain roads after Oct 1st the highways people do not enforce it unless snow is actually on the ground at that time. You will get at most a warning.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2256297/how-are-the-rcmp-enforcing-mandatory-winter-tire-rules/

Your situation is different in that you plan to be here during the snowy periods so you'll need proper tires.

[trtog7]

Sidehillsoup
What to people in BC do if they are travelling south after Oct 1 in their RV Do they do it without snow tires and hope not to get caught?

[portliz]

Friends are doing that trip right now. They went through the states but heading north to Brandon, Manitoba. They have not had a problem so far finding campgrounds open -I was surprised. They are in Medicine Hat today. I will keep you posted on their progress.

[SideHillSoup]

Your wanting to do this in your RV I take it?
if that's the case, you’re not going to find to many campgrounds open if any at all. There will be some in the Okanogan and the coast, however your speaking of late October and early November so the number of open campground will be limited.
Besides the campground issue, do you have the correct tires on your RV for winter driving? I copied and pasted what is required for Tires in BC after Oct 1st every year, and this is right from the BC Gov website.

“Install winter tires. Use four matched winter tires that carry the mountain/snowflake winter tire symbol and with tread no less than 3.5 mm – even when driving a 4 X 4 vehicle. Tires marked with an M+S (Mud and Snow) are also legally acceptable but do not provide the same degree of performance as a mountain snowflake tire in severe winter conditions.”

The chances of having a winter out west here like we did last year is anyone guess, however there are those that say it will be another mild winter in the west so Time will tell. But that dies nothing for next year.
Soup