need some route advice from Banff to Vancouver

[1KPerDay]

1. Is it doable in a day?
2. What are the best routes from Glacier, MT, USA to Banff?
3. Banff to Vancouver?

Thanks.

[1KPerDay]

beer? ketchup chips? poutine? Mooses?





do I have to bribe the locals for info?

[bubba zanetti]

Why a day?

Yes, it can be done. But if you are allocating a single day to this area do not expect much help from the locals as they will see right through you in a blince.  I have no idea what a blince is but there you go.  

But that means leaving Banff and taking Highway 1 to Highway 93 to Highway 3 all the way to Vancouver. You could wave at me and throw chips as you pass Castlegar.  

I do open my doors to strangers now and then so PM me.

[1KPerDay]

So if it were you, which way would you go? I have a limited amount of time I can spend away from work and the wife/chitlins, so even making it to Banff on this run is going to be questionable. Unless I fake my own death.


Again.

[bubba zanetti]

So if it were you, which way would you go? I have a limited amount of time I can spend away from work and the wife/chitlins, so even making it to Banff on this run is going to be questionable. Unless I fake my own death.


Again.

Give me an idea of where you are coming from In Utah. A week ... a weekend ?

Enigmatic does not cut it for planning ... eh?  

Peeps stay at my place for free. You? $11.37.  

[Rigger]

The best advice I can give is to stay on the black top  .   It's a long way down if you take a wrong turn .  You know I get the strangest feeling you have travelled on 2 wheels before and that you probably already know that.  But seriously see what highway 3 is like.  I have been told that the Crowsnest highway is something else.  Highway 1 can be filled with cages to end.  Have a good trip.  Remember to take pics.

[1KPerDay]

  Remember to take pics.

I don't think I'll have time.

The tentative route up is this:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=alpine+ut&daddr=N+Hwy-34%2FID-34+to:US-26%2FUS-89+to:43.428988,-110.775146+to:US-212+to:S+Broadway+Ave%2FUS-212+to:Lewis+and+Clark+Trail%2FMT-89%2FUS-89+to:US-2+E+to:HWY-1%2FHWY+93+to:vancouver,+british+columbia&hl=en&geocode=%3BFZ5WhgIdPGRX-Q%3BFWQQkwIdQDFj-Q%3B%3BFZbsrgIdOXNy-Q%3BFZZbsQIdlgJ9-Q%3BFa5q5AIdOoNE-Q%3BFXD-4wIdNtM0-Q%3BFYbBDwMd3GsU-Q%3B&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=3&sz=7&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8&sll=43.580391,-111.09375&sspn=5.976241,14.249268&ie=UTF8&ll=43.413029,-111.818848&spn=5.992799,14.249268&z=7

Depending on how long it takes I may have to burn home on the freeway back to Utar in a long day or day and a half.

I (may) have about 6 days total, with one day in VC with friends not riding. So really 5 days riding. I'm thinking 3 long days there (one day to Red Lodge, one to Banff, one to VC) but that may be completely impossible. I realize averaging 50mph over a long day takes a bit of doing, pretty much stopping just for fuel and trail mix, particularly through parks or anywhere there's traffic. I've never ridden Glacier or Banff but I know the roads up to Yellerstone and Beartooth quite well. The rest will be new for me.

[bubba zanetti]

Seems like you NEED to be in Vancouver. Why are you going to Calgary, takes you way out of your way ... so to speak. ?

Sorry to pry .. but this is an impossible plan you have given the time.

But then, again ... you are IKperday ... neh?

[apsco17]

Highway 1 between Banff and Kamloops is under built for the traffic volume and terribly congested in the summer. Also your planned route between Cranbrook and Radium is basically a straight road -some nice views, but not twisty at all. If your time is limited, I would skip going to Banff. Save it for a trip when you have the time to ride from Banff to Jasper. Instead ride from Cranbrook to Creston, and up the east side of Kootenay Lake - Hwy 3A (Designated Highways guides #1 road - and fresh asphalt to boot), take the free ferrie (see pic below) from Kootenay Bay across to Balfour, then up Hwy 31 to Kalso, Hwy 31A to New Denver then Hwy 6 to Nakusp, then to Faquier, Needles, and to Vernon, then 97 to Kamloops, then either Highway 5 to Vancouver (if in a rush) or more scenic Highway 1. I would suggest Highway 99 via Pemberton / Whistler to Vancouver but lots of road construction / congestion right now. The route I suggest between Creston through Vernon is awesome riding with lots of twistys, incredible views/scenery, and not too congested:
http://www.mapquest.com/mq/9-K0hGfSNsXwsaOR8PXuRU

[KLRchickie]

Highway 1 between Banff and Kamloops is under built for the traffic volume and terribly congested in the summer.

driven on by a bunch of freaking idiots who have no concept of speed limits and WILL pass you (in the least safe spot possible) regardless of your speed, if you leave a little extra gap between you & the vehicle in front of you.  If their pick-up truck has more go pedal left, they WILL keep pressing it....

I agree with apsco's route suggestions, great riding roads

[1KPerDay]

Thanks guys... I'll take it under advisement. I only get about one overnight ride a year so I tend to try to cram too much in.


Kinda like trying on my leathers.  

[awlittle]

Haven't looked at your route but the Icefield hwy between Banff and Jasper is perhaps the best 100 miles of scenic motorcycle road on the continent.  

[awlittle]

Just looked at your route.  I'm going to Pm you my #.  I did a very similar trip in 2007.  

[1KPerDay]

Thanks... I'm now thinking of trying to hit the beartooth and lolo pass on my way up and leave Banff for another year. I think even this is going to be pushing it... 500+ mile days every day. But danged if I'm just going to ride the freeway up and back.

[Kootenanny]

awlittle is correct about the Icefields Parkway between Banff and Jasper, but...I agree with apsco, save Banff for a trip when you can ride that (you will be right there but without any time to do it...frustrating!).  For this trip, follow apsco's trip plan; actually, I might even suggest you travel through Libby and enter Canada at Creston.  From Creston, head due north towards Crawford Bay and the Kootenay Lake Ferry, then head north to Kaslo, west to New Denver, north to Nakusp, south to Fauqier and the Needles ferry, and on to Vernon.  From Kamloops, though, don't take Hwy 5 unless you're running late...it has great scenery, but it's basically a 4- to 6-lane interstate.  Rather, take 5A south to Merritt, then get back on 5A south to Princeton, where you will meet up with Hwy 3 and head west through Manning Park to Hope and then on to Vancouver.

This would be too much for my candy ass for one day, and indeed will completely fill two days.  Me, I'd probably plan to overnight at Nakusp (dunno what accommodations are there...the Valhalla Inn in New Denver always has bikes in the parking lot, and I know some people have been happy staying at the Dome Quixote (weird little dome-shaped cabins).  Or, from New Denver you'd only be an hour from Bubba (and less from my place).  If you push on to Vernon, it's a slightly larger city and has much more choice, as does Kamloops.

There are lots of options on this ride...but I gotta say, I don't think it would be worth the hassle to get in Banff on a trip to Vancouver--it's just too far (and too far from the good riding roads).

[alphabet man]

I have done all these routes including beartooth,  what you ar planning through Banff is unreasonable and you wont enjoy it, maybe in the spring or fall with no traffic but this time of year it is almost impossible in your time frame. The most reasonable scenic and twisty route would be Lolo pass, then  Winthrop and Hwy 20 to Sedro-Wooly then North to Vancouver,  Lolo pass and 20 from Winthrop to Concrete is  







 Edit to add: when I went through Lolo this year with the KTM the  sign was not there

[veefer800canuck]

Don't do hwy 5 from Kamloops to Vancouver. The Coquihalla Highway is boring.

Swing West from Kamloops to Cache Creek, go through Pemberton, Lillooet, Whistler and Squamish, then to Van.


Much betterer 'n stuf fer shure.

And, instead of going around the southern boundary of Glacier Nat'l park in MT (hwy 2), go a little more North on the #89, and take the Going to the Sun road out to West Glacier instead.

Also agree with all the comments about Kaslo, New Denver, Nakusp, Fauqier, Needles ferry, Vernon routing.


And you need more time.  

[birdrunner]

Banff is for seeing scenery, and meeting German and Japanese tourists,  not motorcycling.  To see the sights etc, you need more than a drive by.  Take the family there some day (June or Sept is Best).

As for the rest, I'd agree with Koot and ABC.

We were in your end of the woods last month, and wanted to go to Kamloops.  
We were going to ride Jackson,  the Grand Tetons, and Yellowstone, but the Parking Lot/ Highway was so bad we said f it and went west to Chalis and Missoula.

To make time, I'd suggest skipping Yellowstone north south, and entering at West Yellowstone.  Though riding the Bear Tooth is awesome, if you're serious about Vancouver, it will cost you at least 6 hours extra.

Me, I'd go Ketchum, Stanley, Chalis, Lolo, Kooskia... Creston,  etc.  ( on the other hand, Bear tooth  )

[birdrunner]

Don't do hwy 5 from Kamloops to Vancouver. The Coquihalla Highway is boring.

Swing West from Kamloops to Cache Creek, go to Pemberton, Lillooet, Whistler and Squamish.


Much betterer 'n stuf fer shure.

And, instead of going around the southern boundary of Glacier Nat'l park in MT (hwy 2), go a little more North on the #89, and take the Going to the Sun road out to West Glacier instead. .......

And you need more time.  

I can't believe your route was going to skirt the Going to the Sun Road.  Must have been an oversight.

The back way into Vancouver is much nicer, but again requires more time.

You need more time, even skipping Banff.  (skipping Beartooth would probably free up enough time)

[ducatosh]

About the Lolo Pass, I was over it a few weeks ago and there were some 15 minute to 1/2 hour delays.   They're replacing all the culverts and were working on the West side of the Pass, if i remember correctly.  It made for lots of not so little bumps with all the 3' wide pavement patches.  However, it was still worth it as they were only working on about 1/4 of that 77 miles!  Who knows, maybe the road work is done by now.

Colin

PS  I had the best steak(a 16 oz ribeye) I had eaten in years for dinner at the Lolo Creek Steakhouse at the East end of the Pass in Lolo, MT

[birdrunner]

We'd made it to the hotsprings (camping) when some guy told us we'd have to be NUTs to take our bike over that.  Amazing what some people call speed bumps.

[Kootenanny]

Don't do hwy 5 from Kamloops to Vancouver. The Coquihalla Highway is boring.

Swing West from Kamloops to Cache Creek, go through Pemberton, Lillooet, Whistler and Squamish, then to Van.

...And you need more time.  

I'd normally strongly recommend heading from Kamloops to Vancouver via Whistler (Hwy 99, the Duffy Lake Road, is worth it--see the pics) but be aware that this year there may be a LOT of construction going on south of Whistler on the Sea to Sky highway, in preparation for the Big Expensive Party in 2010.  And I've read reports that Duffy Lake Road itself is not in such great shape.  Plus, as veefer says, you need more time!

[1KPerDay]

I can't believe your route was going to skirt the Going to the Sun Road.  Must have been an oversight.

Only because my brother just got back from another Beartooth run and says it's light years ahead of the GTTS road in views, traffic, etc.

I may have to cut the beartooth out but we'll see. Thanks to all for the advice.

[ajf]

If you need more to cut out, the Lolo Pass takes you a fair bit out of your way and I'd suggest leaving it for another day.  There's other, even better roads in the area with much less police presence that you really should ride too, but they are dead ends.  It's more of a destination than a road you ride once on the way through, and it's not too far from where you live to do it on a long weekend.

If you follow the suggested routes through the Kootenays to Vernon, the next really good road that's not too much out of the way is Merritt to Spences Bridge.  From there you could go south along the Fraser River to Lytton and do a time check.  Either continue directly to Vancouver (the ride along the river has lots of long sweeping turns, so it's kind of fun), or take the long way via Lillooet, Pemberton etc.  The latter will add roughly 4 hours, depending on construction and how fast you ride twisties.

[birdrunner]

Only because my brother just got back from another Beartooth run and says it's light years ahead of the GTTS road in views, traffic, etc.

I may have to cut the beartooth out but we'll see. Thanks to all for the advice.

Well given a choice between the 2,  Beartooth is much more impressive.

[Croak]

If you need more to cut out, the Lolo Pass takes you a fair bit out of your way and I'd suggest leaving it for another day.  There's other, even better roads in the area with much less police presence that you really should ride too, but they are dead ends.  It's more of a destination than a road you ride once on the way through, and it's not too far from where you live to do it on a long weekend.

If you follow the suggested routes through the Kootenays to Vernon, the next really good road that's not too much out of the way is Merritt to Spences Bridge.  From there you could go south along the Fraser River to Lytton and do a time check.  Either continue directly to Vancouver (the ride along the river has lots of long sweeping turns, so it's kind of fun), or take the long way via Lillooet, Pemberton etc.  The latter will add roughly 4 hours, depending on construction and how fast you ride twisties.

I also recommend the 8 from Merritt to Spences bridge, it's a great little section of road, just mind the mountain debris on the left handers.  From Spences Bridge, it's only about another hour to take the northern loop through Lillooet/Pemberton/Whistler, about 50 extra road miles, (with Downtown being the destination).  Might even be less, since you're only in metro-level traffic once you get near Horseshoe Bay, and don't actually hit seriously congested areas until North Vancouver (Lions Gate bridge traffic), which makes up for the lower posted average speed on the north loop.  

There's about a 20 klick stretch between Lillooet and Pemberton that was being actively repaved when I went through there three weeks ago, so going west you'll have some somewhat lengthy gravel stretches.  If you come through on a weekend, there won't be any actual construction going on, but expect flagmen during the week, and who knows, the contruction might even be done by then.

Taking the 1 south from Spences is nice enough, but once you get a bit west of Hope, traffic turns to crap and you'll essentially be on a busy and boring "interstate" from there to Greater Vancouver.  Bypassing the 1 and taking the 7 doesn't help a bunch, it turns into a congested surface street once you hit Mission.

[alphabet man]

+1 on #8 it' one of my favorites
 here is a pic just west of Lillooet on 99 from 3 weeks ago, was a few kilometers of gravel

[ajf]

From Spences Bridge, it's only about another hour to take the northern loop through Lillooet/Pemberton/Whistler, about 50 extra road miles, (with Downtown being the destination).

Croak, thanks for correcting my screw-up.  The four hours I suggested was an estimate I made for a different route when the thread first started.  I composed the post in a rush (I was packing for my car/SV trip to the Kootenays - weather and roads were great, traffic delayed the car a fair bit, but was no problem for the bike) and added that four hour estimate without thinking about it.

[iguana]

+1 on #8 it' one of my favorites
 here is a pic just west of Lillooet on 99 from 3 weeks ago, was a few kilometers of gravel

Another +1 on #8 and #99.

I rode both coming from Kelowna about 10 days ago. #8 was the usual no-traffic, plenty-of-speed fun. #99 was even better. The first half was pretty good, despite the short gravel section, although the asphalt needs to be redone. You can only go about 7/10ths, because there is likely a 6-inch frost heave or two in the middle of the next corner. However, I met the paving crew about halfway to Pemberton, and had to wait for half an hour. After that, riding nirvana and then some. Once we were released, I got out in front of the pack (not hard when you're only 4th in line), and it was very fresh, very twisty, traffic-and-LEO-free asphalt for the next 40 or 50 k. Pure bliss. Even fully loaded for touring, I was scraping my toes every third corner. Not that it would have mattered, but the weather was a perfect 25C, too.

That was day 1 of a long tour around BC and AB (ride report to follow when I get back home). From there, its been 1700k of what seem like straight, flat and boring roads. (Straight enough to square off my back and front tires, to the point I had to replace them today). I'm finishing up the tour next week  by riding home through the Kootenays, so there will be a good finish.

Oops, sorry for the thread hijack. Back to the point: Ride #99, and ride the bike like you stole it!