REDUCED SPEEDS IN EFFECT. The ascent to the Coquihalla Summit is very steep, especially from the south. Signs along the Coquihalla Highway frequently warn drivers to be aware of sudden changes in weather. In 1953, the '5' designation was moved to designate Princeton-Merritt-Kamloops Highway (present-day Highway 5A) to north of Kamloops; by 1960 Highway 5 was extended north to Tte Jaune Cache and subsequently paved. Snow accumulations less than 2cm. 's infamous 'Highway Thru Hell'. Over heating vehicles is a common occurrence. Safe travels! The toll for a typical passenger vehicle on the highway was C$10. From 6:00 PM to 3:00 AM PST on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Reinstate the toll to pay for highway maintenance; any $$ not used on the Coq. Chance of snow 60%. ADVERTISEMENT High near 0C. Low -9C. [28] Davis went onto emphasize the importance of staying put, and not stepping onto the highway without proper reflective gear and safety equipment. Work will commence in a series of phased activities along the pipeline right-of-way. Highway rescuer Jamie Davis recounts tales from one of Canada's fiercest winter roads. Winds NE at 10 to 15 km/h. Watch for slippery sections between Junction Hwy 97 and Pennask Summit for 33.0 km (West Kelowna to Pennask Summit). Othello Road Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park, Hope, British Columbia V0X 1L1 Canada Full view Best nearby Restaurants 30 within 5 kms Home Restaurant 670 2.7 km$$ - $$$ American Diner Canadian Starbucks 6 2.9 kmAmerican Spice & Grill 2 2.9 km See all Attractions 19 within 10 kms Kawkawa Lake 4 1.2 kmBodies of Water Nature & Wildlife Areas On the one hand, you have the Othello Tunnels, which is what the park is most known for; on the other hand, you have the park's epic geology, rushing water and beautiful flora. Coquihalla Summit to Othello Road Pipeline Construction July 2021 - September 2023. The ascent to the Coquihalla Summit is very steep, especially from the south. Plus the elevation means that it's frequently covered with snow and ice. The weather today in Coquihalla Thursday, 02 March 2023 . The ascent is particularly steep after passing northbound through the Great Bear snow shed. | next update Sat Mar 4 at 1:00 PM PST. 1,150mm is a measly 1 meter and 15 cm . Snow accumulations less than 2cm. Shortly after the junction it descends into the city of Kamloops where it meets Highways1 and 97 at a trumpet interchange. Careful preparation for your trip will ensure that if, and when, things do go wrong, you are prepared for the situation. These defenses include: Road alignment designed to use Boston Bar creek as a natural catchment area. To quote Highway from Hell's Jamie Davis, I cant criticize the Coquihalla. But being its a high mountain road, you have to be prepared and drive to the conditions. ICBC tracks these statistics here: https://www.icbc.com/about-icbc/newsroom/Pages/Statistics.aspx. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Sign up to receive Driving.ca's Blind-Spot Monitor newsletter on Wednesdays and Saturdays. 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. Route map: .mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:#f9f9f9;display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .side-box-flex{display:flex;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{flex:1}}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .side-box{width:238px}.mw-parser-output .side-box-right{clear:right;float:right;margin-left:1em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-left{margin-right:1em}}, British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, "Coquihalla Highway tolls dropped, says B.C. Low -11C. Her deadly weapons of choice include sheets of ice, blinding snowstorms, and avalanches. Chance of snow 40%. The Coquihalla is one of the most popular highway mountain passes in BC. The next issue of Driving.ca's Blind-Spot Monitor will soon be in your inbox. Davis has seen them: the oblivious fools who wear shorts and sandals to drive the Coq in the winter in their low-slung performance machines shod in useless all-season tires. Without your consent employers will not be able to contact with job offers, would you like to opt-in now? 's Interior helped to convince reluctant Cabinet members of the necessity of the third route to the Interior". You'll Have to go to the Southern Ocean off Antarctica, Dont Miss Springs Last Full Moon, the Strawberry Moon, Tropical Storm Cristobal Develops in Bay of Campeche, Cobbler Designs New Shoes for Social Distancing in Romania, ISS Crosses in Front of the Moon Captured in Rare Video, Cars Washed Away in El Salvador During Tropical Storm Amanda, England Cliff Collapse Leaves Houses Dangling, Murder Hornets Popping Up in New Places, Flooding Nightmare in Bangladesh Week after Cyclone Amphan, Heavy Rain Triggers Disastrous Mudslides in Southwestern China, Mosaic Floor Dating Back to the Roman Empire Discovered in Italy, Ancient Mass Extinction Linked to Collapsed Ozone Layer, India Under Attack From Insects, Outbreak and Oppressive Heat, Winters May Lose Its Punch as Climate Change Reduces Snowstorms. In CDL School Now Initial descent is posted at 8% but it's really more than that. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 km/h. Tough on what seemed like all cars except mine. Unfortunately, we dont have this information. Its one of the worst roads in all of North America in winters. Along with adequate provisions to maintain ones warmth and energy, there are the obvious car-related preparations, such as proper snow tires. minor construction | last updated Tue Feb 28 at 12:40 PM PST. [20] While road maintenance strives to keep the roads as clear as possible, it is not unheard of for the highway to shut down, sometimes with travellers forced to stay overnight in their cars. Here is a website with more information about winter tires and where they are required in BC: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/driving/traveller-information/seasonal/winter-driving/winter-tires-and-chains. It is located just south of the former toll booth plaza on the Coquihalla Highway, about 50 km (31 mi) north of Hope, and 65 km (40 mi) south of Merritt and is the divide between the Coquihalla River and the Coldwater River. Thanks for reading. Snow accumulations less than 2cm. Variable clouds with snow showers. Our BC HighwayCams also have a weather feature on each cam which will give you an idea of forecasted weather along the route. Interspersed among the chuckles and anecdotes, Davis imparted tremendous insight into what can go wrong when motorists are ill-prepared to take on Mother Nature in a battle that she usually wins. It's one of the worst roads in all of North America in winters. I do not see a lot of information about bicycles on the highway. Think AWD makes you invincible in the show? Safe travels. For highway rescuer Jamie Davis, those words of wisdom come from 10 years of pulling wrecks from gullies along the snowbound Highway Thru Hell, otherwise known as B.C.'s . Kw'ikw'iya:la (Coquihalla) in the Halq'emeylem language of the St:l, is a place name meaning "stingy container." What are the concrete bunkers visible along the #5 highway between Hope and Merritt? [23], Owing to its reputation, Highway 5 is featured predominantly in the reality docuseries Highway Thru Hell, which follows a group of towing companies that operate in the Interior and Highway 5.[24]. The Coquihalla Highway starts south of the junction with Crowsnest Highway (Highway 3) situated at the uninhabited region of Othello. Coquihalla Summit - Hwy 5, about 7 km north of Zopkios Brake Check, looking south. Road construction work between Exit 231: Mine Creek Rd and Exit 250: Larson Hill for 18.6 km (31 to 12 km north of Coquihalla Summit). Weather Coquihalla . In short, it all comes down to preparation, and this is what Davis really emphasized. Heres a blog we wrote about our avalanche program and with a video of an controlled avalanche completed using a helicopter: http://tranbc.ca/2016/03/24/what-its-like-to-watch-an-avalanche-from-a-helicopter/. It is a 186-kilometre (116mi) freeway, varying between four and six lanes with a speed limit of 120km/h (75mph) for most of its length. Partly cloudy early, then some snow showers later in the day. I note that you give average daily traffic at 10,569 which works out to 3.9 million trips per year. Coquihalla conditions today The ascent to the Coquihalla Summit is very steep, especially from the south. Youve probably driven it a few times, whether as a commuter or a BC traveller, or TONS of times as a commercial driver. Too much horsepower with too little brains. 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. an accident) or some other factor? Pothole Lake West Hwy 97C (Okanagan Connector), near Pothole Lake about 7 km east of Aspen Grove, looking west. Snow accumulations less than 2cm. The Coquihalla highway in BC, Canada is frequently traveled by Canadians and Americans. That's a LOT of white stuff coming down. 1-5 Months [citation needed] As a result of the washout events, the Canadian Forces Cormorant helicopters completed rescue evacuations of stranded motorists on the highway. Coquihalla Box Canyon North Hwy 5, near Box Canyon Chain-up Area, looking north. Scattered snow showers during the evening. If the total distance travelled is 3.3 million km, this works out to less than 1 km per trip. Each company we work with has specific experience requirements for their drivers. 61 km (38 mi) and five interchanges later, the Coquihalla enters the city of Merritt at its south junction with Highway 5A and Highway 97C. If you have specific routes which you are interested in, you may want to identify those as well. Can you guys find out the answer to Brians question? 3 day. Its totally paved. Highway 5 is a 543km (337mi) northsouth route in southern British Columbia, Canada. This section is mostly an urban freeway with a speed limit of 100km/h (62mph) it passes through 5 interchanges connecting to the core area of Kamloops before the concurrency splits and Highway 5 exits off the road to the north in a complex 5 way interchange. Partly cloudy in the morning followed by periods of snow showers later in the day. Hello Anne and thank you for your message. Touring the world with friends one mile and pub at a time; southlake carroll basketball. Becoming partly cloudy later. Please select the number of verifiable months youve been driving professionally using your Class A CDL within the last 3 years. Privacy Agreement The original statistic should have read 3.3 million annual VKT/km, instead of 3.3 million annual VKT. We recommend that you check DriveBC before you travel, specifically the webcams, to get an idea of snow levels along the route. Highway 97C. Thanks for your message. CDL Grad, No Experience el paso community college international students. High 2C. Could you provide on how many times the Coquihalla has been closed during the winter months and whether that closure was due to an incident (i.e. It is so-named because near Hope, it generally follows the Coquihalla River, for about 60km (37mi), and uses the Coquihalla Pass. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. 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. Appreciate the suggestion. minor road condition | last updated Sat Mar 4 at 6:45 AM PST. Why Are Workers Doing the Safety Dance on the Sea-to-Sky? 5+ Years, Please select ALL of your current, valid drivers licenses. Winds light and variable. [7][8] To ensure the project was completed on time, more than 10,000 people were needed to fill all of the jobs and more than 1,000 pieces of heavy equipment worked non-stop every day during the summer of 1985 to get it done. High 2C. Zopkios Northbound N Hwy 5, northbound at Zopkios Rest Area, near the Coquihalla Summit looking to the north. Exit numbers on the Coquihalla are a continuation of those on Highway 1 west of Hope as it is an extension of the freeway that starts in Horseshoe Bay. 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. The B.C. Low -9C. Low -4C. High avalanche hazard between the start of Highway 5 and Exit 286: Merritt - 97C for 109.3 km (Hope to Merritt). Snow showers. Members are encouraged to submit articles about driving the Coquihalla. 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. Southern Yellowhead Highway 5, southbound. It soon passes through the community of Valemount where a traffic signal is located. Horrific in the winter! Winds light and variable. Coquihalla Highway is the largest of 4 routes connecting the Vancouver area with interior centres. 2. Winds NE at 10 to 15 km/h. Aspen Grove North Hwy 97C (Okanagan Connector), at Hwy 5A Junction, near Aspen Grove, looking north. The Coq starts near sea level at Hope and then gains over a kilometre in elevation in less than 50km distance. Thanks for connecting with us here. [25][26] The heavy amount of rain eventually caused several large washouts at multiple points along the highway, including the destruction of multiple bridges. [9] The opening celebrations featured a ceremony in Hope followed by a convoy led by premier Bennett in an open air convertible that smashed through paper banners strung across the new highway lanes, stopped at the Coquihalla summit to dedicate a time capsule, and continued to Merritt for further celebrations. It refers to a fishing rock near the mouth of what is now known as the Coquihalla River. The list goes on. There were 32 fatal crashes between 2004 and 2013 (according to ICBC). I recently had the pleasure of interviewing him on this very topic. Brenda Mine West Hwy 97C (Okanagan Connector), about 22 km west of 97/97C Junction, looking west. [27] A welcome email is on its way. The Coquihalla Highway - Phase 1, Hope to Merritt - was completed in time for Expo 86 in 1986. Safe travels. minor construction | last updated Wed Mar 1 at 8:21 AM PST. Periods of rain except periods of snow near the summit. Mostly cloudy skies early. Coquihalla conditions today. Wow, is David Poile ever rolling out the red carpet for his GM successor Barry Trotz. Watch premium and official videos free online. Chance of snow 60%. It looks like the statistics presented on the page dont go back to 1986, when it originally opened, but you might be able to reach out to ICBC for more information. To use information contained on this site is to do so at your own risk. The location of the former toll booth is 13km (8mi) north of the snow shed, passing through another interchange and the In summer, because of the steady uphill grade of the highway, motorists must monitor their vehicles for overheating. GENERAL STATS Larson Hill N Hwy 5 at Larson Hill, 36 km south of Merritt, looking to the north. Now that you are a Highway thru Hell fan you might be interested in some of our Highway Thru Hell content: https://www.tranbc.ca/2012/11/01/5-things-to-learn-from-watching-highway-thru-hell/ Title: Elevation and Grade Profile on Highway 5 - Coquihalla Pass Author: BC Ministry of Transporation Subject: Snow accumulations less than 2cm. Could you tell me what the annual accident statistics are for the last five years? Regardless, Highway 5 is designated as a core route of Canada's National Highway System. government says Highway 1 south of Hope should be reopened this. It is not affiliated or sanctioned by the Government of BC, nor is it part of the provincial governments - DriveBC program or websites, operated by the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. 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. Al Quiring and his team of heavy-tow operators have been rescuing trapped drivers and their vehicles from the treacherous Coquihalla Highway in British Columbia for years. A big part of the show takes place along the Coquihalla Highway, a 201-mile stretch of road that . It crosses a low divide between the Thompson River and Fraser River drainages entering the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George. Also I read that Surrey Lake Summit was formerly known as Clapperton Creek Summit. Safe travels. His "conviction that the route provided important benefits and an essential link to B.C. government privatizing toll highway", "B.C. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. It was a little nerve wracking in my little Toyota Matrix but I am glad I did it. Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the evening. The highway is particularly dangerous during winter seasons, with extreme snowfall that can exceed more than 10 centimetres (4in) per hour. Utility work planned between Harmon Rd and Vavenby Bridge Rd (Vavenby). High -1C. Now they just drop bombs from the helicopters in the exact location of the avalanche hazard. The ascent is particularly steep after passing . For most of this section it is a 4 lane divided highway with several signalized intersections and a speed limit of 80km/h (50mph). 13 km (8 mi) north of the snow shed, after passing through another interchange and the 1244 m (4,147 ft) Coquihalla Pass, Highway 5 reaches the former toll booth; it was the only highway in British Columbia to have tolls. Partly cloudy. The B.C. 4 Years City folk drive out of Vancouver and forget that they have to go through a mountain pass, halfway up they are at the point of no return and arent equipped. And thats when things go wrong. Its highest altitude is the Pennask Summit (1728 m, 5760 ft, above sea level). Drivers could avoid becoming stranded and helpless if they were more conscientious about filling their gas tanks at each opportunity and carrying cable chains. [11] Phase 2 between Merritt and Kamloops opened in September 1987, re-routing Highway 5, while Phase 3 was opened in October 1990 and designated as Highway 97C. The highway has since been fully reopened, allowing full traffic from Hope to Kamloops. This information obtained from bchighway.com should not be used as a basis for making financial or other commitments. [2] After 10 years in office, Waterland retired from the Cabinet in 1986 a few months after seeing this part of the project through to its completion. High 2C. 1. Mountain pass in British Columbia, Canada, Southern approach to Coquihalla Summit as viewed from, List of mountain passes of the Cascade Range, "Editorials: Farewell to a prime politician", "Coquihalla Highway reopens after massive avalanche control operation", BC Ministry of Transportation and Highways Infopage, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Coquihalla_Summit&oldid=1138202497, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from November 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 8 February 2023, at 14:53. Did you find this content interesting? Highway 5 continues east for 7 km (4 mi) concurrent with Highways 1 and 97 through Kamloops. 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.. 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. Coquihalla Box Canyon South Hwy 5, near Box Canyon Chain-up Area, looking south. Single lane alternating traffic will be in effect. A single-vehicle crash has closed the left lane of southbound traffic on the Coquihalla Highway, at the Zopkios brake check, Saturday morning. This group is for the idiots that drive the Coquihalla Highway that think they are experts drivers. Tomorrow. From 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM PST on Friday and Saturday. The Coquihalla Highway then enters the city of Merritt, which is accessed by two interchanges, both of which also provide access to Highway 5A, Highway 97C and Highway 8. Hwy 5 - Coquihalla Pass 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 0 1020 30405060 708090 100 Kilometers Elevation (meters) 1.5% 5.4% 8.5% 1.2% 4.7% Hope Merritt. ", "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. Snow showers. Both passenger and commercial vehicles rely on it as a primary connection between the Lower Mainland and the Interior. 26 | Day -5 90% SW 30. Forecast issued: 3:45 PM PST Monday 6 February 2023. The highway 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. Discover our featured content. I know you said 235cm snowpack but I doesnt specify how much snow actually falls annually. Highway 5, in both directions. The Coquihalla Snowshed Protocol: 10 Steps to Highway Safety. Theres no help around the corner, so you must rely upon your own smarts to survive. Check Coquihalla conditions. There are many tools engineered into the design of the Coquihalla Highway to reduce the likelihood of avalanches affecting the route, which is why the Coquihalla sees less frequent closures for avalanche hazard and avalanche control than many other mountain passes in the province. Precip is the water equivalent of the accumulated snowfall plus the amount of any rainfall, measured in mm. Low -4C. Ten earth structures (stopping dams and mounds) which you probably wouldnt notice because they are now covered with vegetation. Low around -5C. Coquihalla Highway is an extreme freeway located in British Columbia, Canada's westernmost province. kamloops to merrit is absolutely treacherous right now, blowing blizzards and low vis, i can imagine the smasher will be 10x worse They dont look quite as dapper after chilling roadside a few hours. The main factor is youre driving over a mountain. In order for you to receive the best possible offers, please make sure your answers above are accurate prior to submitting. Winds light and variable. Snow accumulations less than 2cm. On Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022, the Coquihalla Highway (Highway 5) will reopen to regular vehicle traffic between Hope and Merritt. It also experiences extreme snowfall rates, with accumulation sometimes exceeding 10 cm per hour. This information is collected by ICBC heres their contact information: https://www.icbc.com/about-icbc/contact-us/Pages/default.aspx. Ran it opening day may long weekend in 86 no signs for brake check at top of smasher it was quite the ride coming over the top at 100 km apparently motor ways put 6 in the runaway lanes that week so I was told. Coquihalla Summit N Hwy 5, about 7 km north of Zopkios Brake Check, looking north. I saw this in the Vancouver Province this morning and wondered if it could be true it was easy to trace it to this web page. Winds E at 10 to 15 km/h. Why the change? High -1C. minor road condition | last updated Sat Mar 4 at 6:31 AM PST. Winter driving is indeed dangerous, but that is more a reflection of the high elevation and mountainous terrain rather than the road itself. 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. Its a fine highway. 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. North of Barriere it encounters a junction with Highway 24 in the village of Little Fort. [1] It is the highest point on the highway between the cities of Hope and Merritt. Please feel free to delete my original post if you wish. 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. Winds SW at 10 to 15 km/h. Low -8C. Walloper Hwy 5, about 30 km south of Kamloops, looking to the south. 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. Watch for traffic control. Highway 5, southbound. Starting Thu Mar 9 at 9:00 AM PST until Thu Mar 9 at 4:00 PM PST. Over the course of November 14 and 15, some 200 millimetres (7.9in) of rain fell along the route of the Coquihalla. It was a mistake to take the toll off the Coquihalla hwy. Canadian Covid -19 Emergency border measures have ended. can be used for maintenance on other BC highways. Watch for slippery sections between Exit 202: Portia and Exit 231: Mine Creek Rd for 25.2 km (6 km south of Great Bear Snowshed to 12 km north of Coquihalla Summit). The round concrete blocks your referring too are at the widened breaks in the highway barriers where the Military used to pull off and set up and shoot up into the snow packed mountains for avalanche control.