caymann
New England
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Joined: 09/15/2002
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What sort of grades can i expect?
Is Hwy 5 the best way?
Are there walmarts to stop overnight?
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PavementPilot
Vernon, BC
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Joined: 08/21/2007
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Jasper to Kamloops the only pulls you will have is up from the river at the JCT of 5 & 16 and it is 3%. The other is south of Blue River. It is 5% and not bad. South of Kamloops on 5 is the pull to Surrey Lake Summit. It is in stages with short flat points, and only runs about 5%. The drop down Nicola Valley into Merritt is about the same. Climbing south out of Merritt is 5-6% and the drop to Coldwater is the same. Climbing off the Coldwater River is 6%. Once you leave the toll booth you will travel about 5 miles to the top of the Smasher (truckers name for Snow Shed Hill or Box Canyon as they now call it). This is an 8% drop and levels out to 2-3% after the snow shed until you get to Shylock (Protia) and it will drop at 6%. Once you get the curving left hand bridge at the bottom you are out of the woods as far as long grades go. There are some short bumps but nothing to worry about.
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parametric
Kamloops, BC. Canada
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Joined: 03/08/2008
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A little more scenic and pleasant is the 5A from Kamloops to Merritt. It is about 11km longer than the Coquahalla and joins back up at Merritt to do the rest of the Coquahalla. There's a W-M at Kamloops, Merritt, Abbotsford, and Bellingham up from the Bellis Fair Mall. You might exit at Abbotsford from the freeway (exit 92?) and then turn left to cross the border at Sumas (3km). About 7.5km turn Westward onto Hwy 546 for 12km till Hwy 539. From there turn left and go straight South. Within 20km you'll pass the Super WalMart on the left and ahead is the Bellis Fair Mall.
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PavementPilot
Vernon, BC
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parametric wrote:A little more scenic and pleasant is the 5A from Kamloops to Merritt. It is about 11km longer than the Coquahalla and joins back up at Merritt to do the rest of the Coquahalla.
If you go this route you will have to climb out of Kamloops on an 5% grade for a short bit then an 11% down grade into the valley this highway follows. Then you are done with major pulls until Merritt.
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cruiserjs
Aurora, CO, USA/ Mesa AZ/ openroad
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Joined: 07/02/2003
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From Kamloops DON'T take the Coquahalla. Take the TCH and enjoy the Fraser canyon!
John
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Cruiser CF29CK 5th wheel; 2001 Silverado 2500HD shortbed
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