Integrating BC Transportation Travel News Services and Products. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure shares with you what we do and why we do it. The weather today in Coquihalla Thursday, 02 March 2023 . I do not see a lot of information about bicycles on the highway. Chance of snow 60%. Hello Anne and thank you for your message. The ascent is particularly steep after passing northbound through the Great Bear snow shed. Zopkios Southbound N Hwy 5, northbound at Zopkios Rest Area, near the Coquihalla Summit looking to the south. 3 Years Subscribe to our Blind-Spot Monitor newsletters to catch up on all the top automotive stories of the week, Subscribe to our newsletters to catch up on all the top automotive stories of the week, Best in Class: 7 of the most fuel-efficient SUVs of 2023, Ontario insurer to issue free trackers to oft-targeted cars, Motor Mouth: This patent may be Fords dumbest idea ever, Driving By Numbers: Canada's 10 best-selling electric vehicles in 2022, News Roundup: Free trackers for oft-stolen cars, Canadas top-selling EVs, and more, Surviving B.C. Mostly cloudy skies early. 5+ Years, Please select ALL of your current, valid drivers licenses. Winds S at 10 to 15 km/h. Nighttime driving is the worst for this, and the most dangerous. 1 Year Initial repair estimates include temporary reopenings consisting of temporary bridges, operational for early 2022 with full repair completed in September 2022. Snowfall amount 5 cm near the summit. If you have specific routes which you are interested in, you may want to identify those as well. This stretch of road, which carries 97 South and 5 North on the same lanes (and vice versa), is the only wrong-way concurrency in British Columbia. It becomes a two-lane highway at Heffley Creek and the exit to Sun Peaks resorts, both of which indicate the final northern boundary of Kamloops. Our BC HighwayCams also have a weather feature on each cam which will give you an idea of forecasted weather along the route. Hope that this helps. High -2C. premier", "New route changed the face of the province forever", "Construction of the Coquihalla: Still Amazing After 30 Years", "B.C. After leaving the concurrency it immediately crosses the South Thompson River and enters a First Nations Reserve, temporarily leaving Kamloops city limits. There are remnants of a few structures which might be visible along this stretch: Avalanche bunkers where avalanche techs might have set up and used older military style explosives to trigger avalanches in the area; avalanche benches which are installed to stop the flow of snow onto the highway; or there is also the remnants of an old telecommunications gondola, which carried service workers up to the peak of Dog Mountain back in the day. Coquihalla Road Reports (And Area) | kamloops to merrit is absolutely I would like to know, too. Snow showers. [7], On May 16, 1986, Phase 1 was officially opened and Highway 5 was re-routed between Hope and Merritt; its construction required 31 bridges and underpasses and over 3.7million tonnes (4,100,000 short tons) of gravel. Variably cloudy with snow showers. [citation needed] As a result of the washout events, the Canadian Forces Cormorant helicopters completed rescue evacuations of stranded motorists on the highway. Winter tires or chains are required on most routes in British Columbia from October 1 to April 30. Coquihalla Highway | The Canadian Encyclopedia A long steep 8%. The Coquihalla was closed north of Hope on Sunday due to the July Creek wildfire, which jumped the highway and merged with the Brook Creek blaze on the other side. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. Low around -5C. Britton Creek N Hwy 5, by Britton Creek Rest Area northbound turnoff, looking north. We reached out to our weather and avalanche group for clarification and they let us know that the issue is the difference between measurement of precipitation and snowfall. The Coquihalla approximately traces through the Cascade Mountainsthe route of the former Kettle Valley Railway, which existed between 1912 and 1958. The road is named after Coquihalla River. Considerable clouds early. Variably cloudy with snow showers. ), Collisions (when a vehicle crashes into something) and the subsequent investigation and clean up, BC day long weekend (29,114 on August 1, 2014), Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT): 10,569, 3.3 million Annual VKT/km (VKT/km represents the annual vehicle kilometres travelled, divided by the length of the roadway), Busiest traffic month: August (based on 2012 stats), The Coquihalla has twice or more the volume of traffic compared to any other highway that crosses a mountain path in BC (based on 2012 stats). Davis is from a hauling family, learning the ropes at an early age from his parents before establishing his first towing firm with his brother in the 1980s. Coquihalla Highway - Hope to Merritt, BC - 7 Day Forecast - Weather Smart drivers have lots of gas, carry winter clothing, a candle (for warmth) and sleeping bag in the car ' just in case' (chances are that you will never need those extras). This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Families headed for ski trips, folks on business, and of course the inept holiday traveller so well-satirized by Clark Griswold in National Lampoons Vacation series. High near 0C. Unless my logic is incorrect, something is wrong here. Low -4C. Videos showing interesting road situations. People often leave after work not realizing that as the sun goes down the temperature drops, and the storm starts. The B.C. Its one of the worst roads in all of North America in winters. Download Millions Of Videos Online. Zopkios Southbound N Hwy 5, southbound at Zopkios Rest Area, near the Coquihalla Summit, looking northeast. It's a 12-mile hill for those of you watching from the United States and might end up in British Columbia going down one of the more notorious hills, made famous by the TV series, "Highway thru Hell." So we're going to do today, we're going to give you a bit of information on the descent down the hill from the Coquihalla summit. Over heating vehicles is a common occurrence. Variably cloudy with snow showers. Also the total trips in addition to the average per day these are impressive numbers showing the importance of the Coquihalla to travellers in BC. Check Weather and Road Conditions at the Great Bear Snowshed Highway Cam Road Condition Reports for the Coquihalla Hwy5 and Highway 97C 1. Utility work planned between Thunder Creek Bridge and Blue River Bridge for 13.5 km (Blue River). Title: Elevation and Grade Profile on Highway 5 - Coquihalla Pass Author: BC Ministry of Transporation Subject: The recreation area was established on September 4, 1987, with the goal of protecting the transition zone between the wetter coast and drier southern interior regions of the province. CDL Grad, No Experience Highway 5, southbound. High -1C. Chance of snow 50%. 35 km (22 mi) north of Othello, after passing through five interchanges, Highway 5 reaches the Great Bear snow shed, which is a landmark on the route. High 2C. REMINDER - #BCHwy5 CLOSED in both directions between #HopeBC and #Merritt due to heavy congestion and extreme winter weather. OBEY ALL SIGNAGE. The Coquihalla Highway is one of the province's busiest mountain passes. 's Interior helped to convince reluctant Cabinet members of the necessity of the third route to the Interior". The Coq starts near sea level at Hope and then gains over a kilometre in elevation in less than 50km distance. Chance of snow 60%. In addition to getting a 2023 first-round pick and solid prospect in Reid Schaefer in the Mattias Ekholm trade . BC Transportation (@TranBC) November 17, 2021 The Coquihalla is one major route connecting the Interior to the Coast, and it remains closed between Hope and Merritt. Brenda Mine East Hwy 97C (Okanagan Connector), about 22 km west of 97/97C Junction, looking east. Now they just drop bombs from the helicopters in the exact location of the avalanche hazard. A diamond interchange at Exit 336 provides an important turn off to Logan Lake on Highway 97D and Lac le Jeune. He spoke of an incident that claimed the life of a Good Samaritan trying to help others involved in a crash on a dark snowy night. minor road condition | last updated Sat Mar 4 at 6:31 AM PST. Safe travels. The toll booth once marked the halfway point of the formerly tolled Hope-to-Merritt portion of the highway. It was a mistake to take the toll off the Coquihalla hwy. Coquihalla, BC 10-Day Weather Forecast - The Weather Channel He sees it all the time, people milling around their cars at the side of the road exposing themselves to traffic unable to see them until its too late. The heartache in Daviss voice was palpable as he described the accident scene. Old toll plaza washrooms closed. It's called British Columbia Highway 5 (Coquihalla Highway). Hes been the one constant along the hellish stretch of road that truckers rely upon, and as such hes seen it all more than once. After separating from Highways 1 and 97, Highway 5 proceeds north for approximately 19km (12mi). Daviss trucks never leave the yard without stopping in the nearby town of Hope to fill up on gas, and there are always food and survival provisions on-board. Before tackling a merciless winter highway, be sure youre carrying some basic necessities, such as thermoses of hot fluids, food, warm clothes, blanket, flashlight, and proper winter footwear. What you see are likely the old avalanche howitzer guns and bases that are roadside within avalanche paths. Expect minor delays. Chance of snow 60%. Chance of snow 60%. Explosives, dropped from helicopters, and three days were needed to clear it. ", "Coquihalla Highway set to reopen to regular traffic | BC Gov News", "Highway Exits & Landmarks - Coquihalla Highway 5 Starts (Yellowhead Route)", Template:Attached KML/British Columbia Highway 5, 7 Things You Need to Know BEFORE Driving the Coquihalla and High Mountain Passes, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=British_Columbia_Highway_5&oldid=1134238496, East end of Hwy3 concurrency; south end of, Coquihalla Lakes Rest Area (former site of toll booths), Coquihalla Lakes Road Britton Creek Rest Area, South end of Hwy1/ Hwy97 concurrency; north end of, North end of Hwy1/ Hwy97 concurrency; Hwy5 exits freeway; exit numbers continue on Hwy1, This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 17:46. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 km/h. thecanadaweather.com Canada British Columbia Coquihalla. Larson Hill S Hwy 5 at Larson Hill, 36 km south of Merritt, looking to the south. Snow accumulations less than 2cm. Starting Thu Mar 9 at 9:00 AM PST until Thu Mar 9 at 4:00 PM PST. Some of the old railroad grade is now part of the Trans-Canada Trail network, including the Othello Tunnels of the Coquihalla River section, which are accessible via exits from the Coquihalla Highway. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 km/h. When can you count on there being no more snow on the Coq? The Coquihalla Highway starts south of the junction with Crowsnest Highway (Highway 3) situated at the uninhabited region of Othello. Highway 5 proceeds northeast for another 107km (66mi), passing Vavenby and Avola en route to the community of Blue River: a popular heliskiing location. Pothole Lake West Hwy 97C (Okanagan Connector), near Pothole Lake about 7 km east of Aspen Grove, looking west. Highway 97C. Winds light and variable. The ascent to the Coquihalla Summit is very steep, especially from the south, and is particularly steep north of the Great Bear snow shed. Hope that this information is helpful. Prepare for the seasons worst with our winter driving guide. Coquihalla Summit is not actually the highest point on the Coquihalla Highway, rather the Surrey Lake Summit[clarification needed] at 1,244m (4,081ft) is the highest point on the Coquihalla, which goes from Hope to the Highway 1 interchange outside of Kamloops. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Earlier, a witness shared photos of another section that appeared to be washed away near the Othello Tunnels. High 3C. Chance of snow 60%. Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park - Tripadvisor Thanks for your questions. I would appreciate your clarification of this statistic. Low around -10C. That's a LOT of white stuff coming down. It may take several hours of travel time and a hundred dollars in burnt fuel to obtain a jerrycan of rescue. The Coquihalla highway in BC, Canada is frequently traveled by Canadians and Americans. Pennask Summit Hwy 97C (Okanagan Connector), about 74 km west of Kelowna, looking east. Snow showers before midnight. Coquihalla Box Canyon South Hwy 5, near Box Canyon Chain-up Area, looking south. Highway 97C then travels 6 km (4 mi) west from Ashcroft to where it converges with Highway 1, which takes Highway 97C north for its final 5 km (3 mi) to its end at Highway 97 in Cache Creek. We hope that this is helpful. Go prepared, or go home. ADVERTISEMENT Winds light and variable. It refers to a fishing rock near the mouth of what is now known as the Coquihalla River. Partly cloudy. 30 km (19 mi) north of Little Fort, while continuing to follow the North Thompson and the CN Railway, Highway 5 reaches the community of Clearwater. At this time, we are not considering making the Coquihalla a tolled route. It is a major link connecting Vancouver to the BC inland. The key phrase being: know before you go. In order for you to receive the best possible offers, please make sure your answers above are accurate prior to submitting. In its whole length there is only one traffic signal, which is in the town of Valemount. Does an agency record statistics for the number of highway road closures per year? which shows MVKM (Million Vehicle Kilometres) for many highway segments. Trucks have been known to avoid the route, but most motorists don't have any hesitation about driving the route in spring-summer-fall conditions. The pass is named after the Coquihalla River, from which the highway also derives its name. Watch for slippery sections between Junction Hwy 97 and Pennask Summit for 33.0 km (West Kelowna to Pennask Summit). The Coquihalla Valley has long been a major transportation route from the coast to the interior. Tough on what seemed like all cars except mine. Signup for our newsletter to get notified about our next ride. We hope that answered some questions or piqued your curiosity around the Coq. WIDE LOADS OVER 4.5 METERS USE BOTH SOUTHBOUND LANES AT BOTTLE TOP BRIDGE. In British Columbia, motorists will find such information at www.shiftintowinter.ca. But thats not the entire story because there are signs on the highway directing bicyclists, so clearly it can be used. Coquihalla Great Bear Snowshed N Hwy 5, Great Bear Snowshed looking to the north. Could you tell me what the annual accident statistics are for the last five years? Chance of snow 60%. Chance of snow 50%. I will be driving that route every other month during the non-snow tire months. where is the smasher on the coquihalla. Winter driving is indeed dangerous, but that is more a reflection of the high elevation and mountainous terrain rather than the road itself. Mine Creek Hwy 5 southbound, at Mine Creek Rd, looking south. Regardless, Highway 5 is designated as a core route of Canada's National Highway System. Variable clouds with snow showers. minor construction | last updated Tue Feb 28 at 12:40 PM PST. Once the roads are passable, Davis or one of his drivers will come back with gas, but be prepared to pay. Here is a link with more information on BC highways and cycling restrictions: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/cycling/cycling-regulations-restrictions-rules. Privacy | Occasional snow showers. Chance of snow 30%. The ascent is particularly steep after passing . Downtown Valemount as seen from the west side of Highway 5. Chance of snow 30%. Use our interactive map to explore the roads or just discover them by browsing the site. The main factor is youre driving over a mountain. Sometime in March? Touring the world with friends one mile and pub at a time; southlake carroll basketball. Chance of snow 40%. Variably cloudy with snow showers. North of Barriere it encounters a junction with Highway 24 in the village of Little Fort. PDF Hwy 5 - Coquihalla Pass - Gov VKT/km represents the annual VKT divided by the length of the roadway, and provides a good relative indicator of the average intensity of usage over the length of each highway. Winds light and variable. Is there a highwqy that runs the complete length of Canada? Along with adequate provisions to maintain ones warmth and energy, there are the obvious car-related preparations, such as proper snow tires. The Coquihalla highway. It is typically open all year round, with the occasional closure in winters due to dangerous weather conditions. Expect a fee of $200 or more to relieve the empty feeling. In May 2022, I drove the Coquihalla to/from my way to Edmonton for the first time. Coquihalla conditions today The ascent to the Coquihalla Summit is very steep, especially from the south. Winds SW at 10 to 15 km/h. (Submitted by Jeremiah Steberl) B.C.'s Coquihalla Highway could be . 4 Years REDUCED SPEEDS IN EFFECT. Crews will have cleared the road, and youll be fresh., Davis goes on to say that the weather on the Coq, and in fact all mountain roads, can change in 20 minutes or less, and all the best forecasts can be wrong you just dont know.. Snow can fall on high mountain passes in BC, such as the Coquihalla, well into the spring and occasionally into the summer. Highway 5 re-enters the city at the Rayleigh community, where it passes two busy at-grade, but not signallized intersections; traffic volumes steadily decrease as it gets farther from the core area of Kamloops. [7] The three phases have been credited with transforming Merritt into an important transportation hub between the coast and interior, as well as significant growth in both Kamloops and the Okanagan due to improved accessibility. Coquihalla rescuer: Nothing is staged for 'Highway Thru Hell' ICBC tracks these statistics here: https://www.icbc.com/about-icbc/newsroom/Pages/Statistics.aspx. We want your experiences too! The tunnel entrance of the mountain pass on B.C.s Highway 5. tap here to see other videos from our team. Helmer Lake Highway 5, 24 km north of Merritt at Helmer Interchange, looking to the north. We are looking into this for you. Low -8C. The highway, varying between four and six lanes, is pretty good, some sections have frost heaves and uneven pavement but it's 2 lanes each way so slower traffic like trucks are not an issue. You've probably driven it a few times, whether as a commuter or a BC traveller, or TONS of times as a commercial driver. Hourly weather forecast . On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Jamie Davis behind the wheel of one of his heavy rescue tow trucks. Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the evening. This stretch of road, which carries 97 South and 5 North on the same lanes (and vice versa), is the only other wrong-way concurrency in British Columbia, along with 99 North and 12 South, near the town of Lillooet. 's infamous 'Highway Thru Hell'. This rock is a good platform for spearing salmon. The severe winter snow and winds threaten even the most experienced and best-equipped drivers. There are some portions of the Coquihalla where cycling is prohibited. If the total distance travelled is 3.3 million km, this works out to less than 1 km per trip. Snow accumulations less than 2cm. Rule of thumb conversion from water equivalent to snowfall is about 10:1, so that would have been approximately 1150 cm of snow, but we were talking precipitation, not snow depth. Can you tell me the amount of fatalities on this pass since it opened? [7][10] The total cost for the highway between Hope and Merritt was approximately $848 million. Coquihalla Summit - Hwy 5, about 7 km north of Zopkios Brake Check, looking south. Compact snow. I am puzzled by the statistic Annual vehicle kilometres travelled (VKT): 3.3 million which appears in the page about the Coquihalla. Canadian Covid -19 Emergency border measures have ended. To quote Highway from Hell's Jamie Davis, I cant criticize the Coquihalla. Vehicle recovery between Inks Lake Rd and Chuwhels Mountain Rd for 4.0 km (13 to 9 km south of Kamloops). Highland Valley Road Highway 97C, at Highland Valley Rd, about 61 km north of Merritt and 46 km south of Ashcroft, looking north. [12] In response to strong opposition from the public, and numerous businesses, in the Interior of British Columbia, the provincial government shelved the move three months later. Wait until morning. Bottom line: be certain you can spend five hours or possibly a day or two by yourself in a snowstorm. won't privatize Coquihalla Highway", "Alberta highway shouldn't claim Coquihalla", "Actions to improve safety on B.C. The small signs in the shape of old steam locomotives, The Coquihalla averages 1,350mm of precipitation of which 1,150mm falls as snow, The annual average peak snowpack (depth of snow on the ground) is 235cm at the summit, Average amount of winter abrasive used yearly: 40,000 m3, Average amount of anti-icing liquid used yearly: 3 million litres, During storm events, in addition to other equipment and snow plows VSA maintenance uses 3. The data and electronic links provided in this web site are for informational purposes only and bchighway.com disclaims all responsibility for the accuracy of site content or linked information. Good info, glad I dont have to drive it this winter (no tourists or school trips!) Highway 1, 3, 7 and 5 in Coquihalla suffered extensive damage . Why we already paid for it plus some. Snow level 1200 metres lowering to 900 metres in the afternoon. Winter surprises are a real fear, sudden snow storms, blowing snow and fog, often make winter driving hazardous and slow. British Columbia is grappling with the aftermath of intense rainfall and floods, which washed away parts of major highways and forced people to evacuate from affected locations in the southern part of the province. Check out these related links: Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "ae97b9131b164e536984c2e38dcabe60" );document.getElementById("b69d9e56eb").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Sowhats the grade for north of the snow shed? I have not been able to find information on Surrey Lake Summit on the website. It is located just south of the former toll booth plaza on the Coquihalla Highway, about 50 km north of Hope, and 65 km south of Merritt and is the divide between the Coquihalla River and the Coldwater River. High avalanche hazard between the start of Highway 5 and Exit 286: Merritt - 97C for 109.3 km (Hope to Merritt). As Davis puts it, Its you, your vehicle, and a very lonesome feeling. While such words may be apropos for a hurtin song, they carry a far more serious meaning when delivered by Davis. There is also one concrete stopping wall and one snow shed, Since the winter of 1990/1991, in regards to avalanche closures, Less than one closure per year due to avalanche hazard, specifically .96 per year over 25 years, 13 out of the last 25 years had no closures due to avalanche hazard, Of all the 24 avalanche closures, 11 were under 2 hours, The top 3 reasons for closures on the Coquihalla (in order of time spent) are, Vehicle incidents (such as stalls, vehicle fires, trucks spinning out, etc. Our local avalanche staff has let us know that while we dont have a weather station there, we do have the following info to share: Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Highway 5follows the North Thompson River north from Heffley Creek for approximately 54 km (34 mi), along a parallel course with a branch of the Canadian National Railway, passing through Barriere, to a junction with Highway 24 at Little Fort. Chance of snow 60%. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. Sadly, she was struck and killed by another motorist. 26 | Day -5 90% SW 30. Stay tuned. We hope that this information is helpful. Variably cloudy with snow showers. British Columbia Highway 5 - Wikipedia minor construction | last updated Wed Mar 1 at 8:21 AM PST. Aspen Grove North Hwy 97C (Okanagan Connector), at Hwy 5A Junction, near Aspen Grove, looking north. Stunningly beautiful in the Summer! The section of highway between Merritt and Kamloops is 72km (45mi) long. Privacy Agreement Highway 5 was the only highway in British Columbia to have tolls; a typical passenger vehicle toll was C$10. Single lane alternating traffic will be in effect. 7 day. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 km/h. Also I read that Surrey Lake Summit was formerly known as Clapperton Creek Summit. Chance of snow 50%. Lane Closure. Coquihalla, BC 10-Day Weather Forecast - The Weather Channel | Weather.com 10 Day Weather - Coquihalla, BC As of 04:40 PST Winter Storm Warning Today -5/ -12 90% Sun. All rights reserved. Also if the steepest part of the Coquihalla between Hope to Merritt is the Smasher, is there an equivalent between Merritt and Kamloops? So how does one ensure survival in such an epic struggle? This will be a much more convenient route for people who need to travel between the Lower Mainland and the Interior, and is another significant milestone in the province's recovery from the devastating storms. We encountered an issue signing you up. Compact snow. Highway 5, in both directions. Brace yourself winter is here. Comstock Highway 5 at Comstock Rd, about 15 km south of Merritt, looking to the north. A big part of the show takes place along the Coquihalla Highway, a 201-mile stretch of road that . The area retains some remnants of the Kettle Valley Railway which travelled this route from early 1900s until 1961. Youve got to be a survivalist, he says. [7] Surveying commenced in 1973 and in 1979 the first construction contract was issued for 4.5km (2.8mi) section of highway between Nicolum Creek and Peers Creek near Hope; however, work progressed slowly until 1984 when Premier Bill Bennett announced that the project would be fast-tracked so it could be completed to coincide with Expo 86.