Spokane to Calgary with heavy load - best way?

Thank you, AK, that was a lot of info that I had zero knowledge of. I certainly didn't know about the weight police. Now, I am feeling better and better about sticking in the USA until I get to the MT crossing. Thanks again and thanks to you and Eric for the good wishes....much appreciated.
RC

I went across the Kootenays in 2012 upon fully loaded in my camper rig, my GVWR is 580 lbs. max overweight (front axle weight 260 lbs. over max), (rear axle weight 200 lbs. under max), however my rig does not look overloaded or heavy, and certainly not underpowered either as in 2008 I spent $3900 on new rebuilt front end work and new steering gear, new rear leaf springs, beefy front and rear sway bars and airbags......my camper rig handles supreme and does not wobble or lean upon turning despite the gross overweight figure versus that is rated.

I too went stealth travelling thru Southeast BC to get under Soup's radar, but he knows what he's talking about reference to overloaded vehicles as British Columbia has very strict criteria upon weight restrictions because of the many mountainous terrain and grades throughout the province....way too many accidents in BC happen that are clearly preventable.

I too asked around opinions of which one of three routes for me to take across the Kootenays that were the least stressful grade wise, as everyone else I asked told me to take one of the three different routes (of the four actual routes) including the visitors centre in Kamloops telling me any of the three routes are not bad at all upon grades for a camper....and of course when I contacted Sue she recommended the fourth route no one else recommended, as on my southeast BC fold up map only showed one ferry to go across as she pointed out there were two ferries to board on going eastward, as the faded red F symbol for 'ferry' I never seen where it folded right in the crease of the foldup map (Balfour to Kootenay Bay terminal).

Other than a couple of popping floorboard sounds after leaving New Denver on BC 31 while climbing on that banked surfaced road, everything was fine as the Creston to Cranbrook route was pretty smooth after that, and driving thru Kootenay Nat'l Park wasn't bad at all.

The one most fearful moment along the flat route was between Yahk and Cranbrook BC when this impatient semi wrecker rig towing a semi cab on the back of the sling passed three semis and me at the same time approaching a blind curve (and this is a two lane road) as oncoming traffic had to take evasive action as I pulled over to the shoulder as far as I could go as my speed was 58 mph or so....I swear this semi wrecker had to be moving at least 80 mph while the semicab he was towing was fishtailing at the same time as I sure wished a traffic cop was around then, this guy was just disregarding everyones safety and sorry there was not a divided or passing lane for him, and I was on my commuting schedule while not impeding traffic, not his....and I thought the two lane Trans Can 1 Hwy. between Kamloops and Revelstoke was crazy traffic.

Throughout the southern portion of BC, there is so much commercial and general traffic on these highways, there is simply not enough highways around to ease congestion because of the terrain, and what many people don't understand until they actually drive in BC is most of their main routes are NOT like US interstate roads.

Although I never experienced first hand of BC's famous weight police with portable scales, they are randomly out there and they enforce there rules diligently....I dealt with commercial enforcement once in 1991 at the commercial scales in Quesnal and it was like being audited by the IRS because I was unaware of obtaining a permit I did not know I was suppose to have, as the household goods I was hauling was well under the restricted weight total.

I seen plenty of unhooked trailers and oversized banner loads in the Trans Can 16 westbound turnout at the Alberta-BC border on both occasions, as I am assuming the weight police had something to do with those so they could not proceed into BC.

Rule of thumb is : in Canada as others noted that 'if your rig or trailer looks overweight', or in BC if the weight police determine your rig is 'one grain overweight', you are dangerously overloaded and you will not proceed to your destination until you are in compliance as BC takes their road safety very seriously.

Good luck with the OP travels.

Good luck and enjoy your trip.

... Eric

Hi Eric - I am keeping my fingers crossed, but it should go fine, at least that's why I'm paying my broker hundreds of dollars. The paperwork is amazing, but again, am confident it will be okay. And for Soup, when I say 'underpowered and overloaded', I don't mean dangerously so. I can still make the steeper hills at at least 45 MPH without pushing the engine too hard. It's just that I wish I had a lot more power.

Let us know how you make out at the border!

...Eric

Wow, thanks one and all for the responses! Looks like most everyone says HWY 3 is the best, and I would like to go that route for several reasons, but it looks like I have to go through Coutts, Alberta as per my shipping agent, thus I'll have to make the longer haul via the interstate through ID and MT (this will make Soup happy, at least :-)

Also, it should be double lanes all the way (right?) so I wont feel as pressured to push the hills so hard.

You are all so helpful and I appreciate your feedback very much!
Safe traveling!
RC

Please don't bring your under powered / over loaded vehicle into my Province and endangering my life as well as the rest of the people on the hiways
Over loaded vehicles crash and people die every year in these mountains because of what your planing on doing.
We also get people that are not used to mountain driving going to fast and crashing because the corners come up to fast.
Please don't drive the vehicle is the condition you posted, my life may depend on it.
Soup.

You cross Kootenay Pass only if you go straight north through Washington. US95 goes through Idaho, and follows rivers with few hills. Crowsnest Pass on BC/AB 3 is gentle, barely noticeable. And traffic isn't heavy, except maybe on weekends when Calgary people are heading to resorts in BC or around Kalispell.

Hwy 3 between Creston and Cranbrook is also easy. Though coming the USA there's little reason to choose the Creston crossing (except for the scenic drive up the lake to Nelson).

I wouldn't do the Salmo-Creston pass (Kootenay Pass) towing with an underpowered vehicle. Nope.

I remember the climb, and more climb and then some more climb. Wicked.

crabbin cabin wrote:
Yes - 95 to Cranbrook, 3 to Ft. Mcleod and 2 to Calgary is your best bet. Lived in Calgary and went to school in Moscow and went back and forth MANY times!!
However - as others have pointed out - overloaded and items for sale in Canada will surley cause you problems at the border. Good Luck,

I think this is your best route too as it is the easiest way to cross the Rockies. Other alternatives would be the same route into Canada and then highways 95/93/1 to Calgary. Another route would be through Kalispell and Browning in the US to cross the border at Carway.

We've travelled all those routes with a trailer and the route crabbin has suggested is the best. The only time we've had concerns with this route is when it is very windy, and then it is only on the stretch from Fort McLeod to Calgary.