Hey folks, Looking at the +10 weather in Edmonton and my requirement to be in Victoria for a May 5th meeting has me itching to do a bike trip to kick off the season. Are the passes through the mountains likely to be suitable for motorcycles by about May 2nd? Are there some passes better than others? Time isn't an issue so worst case I'll head south and go west via the Columbia river valley but I'd like to keep to Canada if I can. I know I've done a lot of camping near Hinton and Jasper around the May long weekend; we've had a brief dusting of overnight snow once but it was gone by noon and the roads were easily drive able on a bike. Still this is 3 weeks earlier so I'd appreciate any advice! Cheers Craig Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
It will depend on the weather. We've had a relatively dry winter on the coast. Pick the route with the lowest pass and use every bit of daylight to ride as far as you can. And don't forget your rain & heated gear.
...if you are flexible you may be able to find a way. The Yellowhead is often better than the TransCanada or Hwy 3. Once you get to Kamloops you are generally home free as you can take the TransCanada through the Fraser Canyon rather than the Coquihalla. I went west from Calgary by car last year in early May and it was fine, but there are mud slides almost every year that close roads in the spring, so you never know. And of course, last year we had the big flood in June which ended up closing a bunch of roads for several days, but if you are willing to make the long detours there is usually a way around. I would definitely plan the trip, but have a Plan B just in case. Cheers, David
remember, you need a weather window to get back.... If I was going to do it I would have a plan B to leave the bike and fly back if the weather is not there.... Personally, May 1? I'd rather not.
Thanks for the advice fellas. Looks like route planning will be critical for this one, and making sure I have enough time on either end for issues. I'm not opposed to hanging out in a mountain hotel for a few days with a nice whiskey while I wait for the weather to clear! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
May first...I sure hope so.Gotta work until the end of April this year, will miss my rides between the snow banks. May have to head south and higher up. But then....May 11 2012 on top of the Monashee, I didn't stop long enough for the snow to accumulate on my seat.
The weather will be your factor to consider, ..it make come down to the luck of the draw on short notice. At that time of the year we could be enjoying unseasonably warm and dry, or we could be getting a flow of wet and cold coming across the mountains which would certainly equate to snow in the high passes. As stated above, you will probably do better on highway 5 versus highway 1. Be sure to bring your rain suit and be ready for a cold ride. You may also have to be flexible on your schedule. Cheers and Good luck.
Thanks for the tips RevyRider, H9669, and Pedersoli! Snooz -- that's awesome! I will for sure check out your thread . There's another totally new consideration that slipped my mind initially - campsites don't open until may 15th with a few exceptions, so I'll have to figure that out too. Thanks for the info on your thread and good luck with your ride! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I will let you know. I have fingers crossed but as it's been suggested, there's no telling what the weather is up to until 4 or 5 days before and to watch for nasty stuff coming off the coast. Camping? I'll save that for less 'frosty' evening temps!
Yeah, given it's a work trip I may not have that much flexibility -- I can use the time off, but the cost of a plane ticket should this not work out may be devastating. I'm very torn at the moment! Camping should be OK if I can ID some public land -- I've camped in -30 C, and while it wasn't necessarily 'swell', it's doable
Camping??? Some of the municipal campgrounds should be open by then. Ours will be but that's a little way south of Hwy1. Other than that....I'll give you a road report, I have to drive back from the coast late April. Hwy1/5/97c/6. But yeah at that time of the year and also late in the season I seem to see way more cruisers on the roads at higher altitudes than ADVers. And the odd BMW guys hiding behind their fairings/windscreens like me. Having said that....the cops were ticketing last year for "No snow tires or chains carried" on the winter roads. Winter roads are anything marked as such, usually are big signs to remind drivers of the law. In effect from October 1st to April 30th. Not sure if the Kamloops cops were being overzealous of if we should worry but that made the news on TV. I sure rode a lot of them roads "apparently" illegally last year. I even stopped a few times to make sure the road surface had some grip.....
Another resource I have used in the past is the Hwy camera site: http://images.drivebc.ca/bchighwaycam/pub/html/www/index-SouthernInterior.html Gives a nice false sense of SNFU
I already replied in the other thread. If you search, you will find similar threads from other years. The weather through the mountains is a total crapshoot, at any time of year. It is more so in April-May or late September-October. You will find out what it is once you get into it, not from any forecast. It is too unpredictable to rely on what some talking head in Vancouver or Edmonton has to say. Hope for the best, but plan for the worst. Use the highway cameras if you have a smartphone. They will give you a real-time idea of what lies ahead. Carry flares, food, a tent and a really good sleeping bag, just in case it snows and you have to get off the road. There will be black ice within an hour of it starting to snow. Ice and motorcycles are like oil and water. Avoid the Coquihalla and Rogers Pass. Both are very high, therefore colder, and subject to very nasty weather. I go through the Crowsnest, which has more shelter along the way and is not as subject to sudden extreme weather. Either way, expect lots of rain westbound from the Okanogan. Personally, I stay out of big mountains between October and June and I've still been caught in some really sh!tty weather. If I had to travel on my bike, I'd head for Lolo Pass and take US12 or US2 across Washington, but even that route may have nasty weather between Wenatchee and the coast. Maybe post in the US forums and see what the consensus is there. Good Luck Scott Fraser
