Calgary to Cranbrook

[Fire]

I will be going to Cranbrook next weekend I wanted your opinions on the best way to go there. I know taking the Trans Canada through Banff would be more scenic but would it be faster to take Highway 2 South to Highway 3 and go west from there? I will be traveling at night if that makes any difference.

[Lanny_MacDonald]

Plane.

Seriously, take 22 through Longview. Cuts quite a bit of time off the drive and you can hall ass down that road. Not many cops out that way.

[Shawnski]

Originally posted by Lanny_MacDonald@Oct 16 2005, 05:50 PM
Seriously, take 22 through Longview. Cuts quite a bit of time off the drive and you can hall ass down that road. Not many cops out that way.

Have taken that route hundreds of times. No cops EXCEPT for going through Longview, where there always seems to be one with a radar gun in one hand, ticket book in the other, and his mouth stuffed with a donut.

[Tron_fdc]

Originally posted by Shawnski@Oct 16 2005, 06:47 PM
Have taken that route hundreds of times. No cops EXCEPT for going through Longview, where there always seems to be one with a radar gun in one hand, ticket book in the other, and his mouth stuffed with a donut.

What Shawnski said. Be super caurious coming down the big Longview hill, and make sure you do the speed limit. I drive through there quite a bit in the winter (en route to Fernie or Castle) and see all kinds of people getting tickets.

The other stretch to watch is the big long straight away after the feedlot. You'll know when you hit the feedlot, it smells like Edmonton.

Watch for cops in the Crowsnest pass as well, they're pretty daft and like to ticket tourists.

It's about a 3 hour trip from Calgary, depending on how fast you drive.

[Shawnski]

I think the Longview cops are paid by the Longview Beef Jerky people.

Blow through the town and get a ticket, or slow down, see the Longview Beef Jerky store, stop and load up.

Might as well put that ticket money into beef jerky! :P

[I-Hate-Hulse]

How much time do you save? We usually hoof it to Cranbrook via the 1 & 95 South route. How about to Kimberly - would we still save time?

[Tron_fdc]

The #1 to Cranbrook? You mean you go through Banff??? You might save some time going that route if you were speeding in the Park, but for me it wouldn't make sense going through the pass in the winter (conditions would slow you down).

I can do Fernie in 2 1/4 via #22 to #3, and Cranbrook is about 45 minutes past that. I've never done the #1 to Fernie/Cranbrook, it seems like it would be way to long. How long does it take you?

[Fire]

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Tower]

Originally posted by Fire@Oct 17 2005, 03:23 AM
Thanks for the suggestions.

I take #2 to Nanton then turn right at the last gas station (esso I think). Then cut through to hyw 22. Cuts 20 mins off then just going the 22 way all the way down.

[automaton 3]

One of my best friends lives in Kimberley and has made that drive literally 100's of times, trying every route he can find.

At the end of the day he now goes the Park route exclusively, but the key is you have to latch onto a speeder through the Park.

I've tried both the Park route and #22, and I feel more comfortable on the #22 route - less chance of a ticket IMO. Prettier drive through the Park though.

[Calgary]

Depends what part of the city you live in. If you live in the North go threw Banff. If your in the south like me go threw the Crowsnest pass. Thats best way to go even if you live in the North the view is amazing and you even get to see frank slide. It's not very busy.

[Resolute 14]

Actually just made this trip last night... got to see the Kootenay Ice play. Very nice arena they have.

Took me about 3 1/2 hours on the way down taking the 22 to the 3. Took 4 1/2 back because there were dead deer all over the Crowsnest in BC. I nearly wrecked my car running over a dead deer in the middle of the road. It's a rather interesting road to travel at night. Kinda funny though that it was raining, miserable and a windy highway right until I hit the Alberta border, when it cleared up and the road finally straightened out. Crossing the border was almost like leaving hell...

[Sylvanfan]

Originally posted by Snakeeye@Oct 17 2005, 06:35 PM
Actually just made this trip last night... got to see the Kootenay Ice play. Very nice arena they have.

Took me about 3 1/2 hours on the way down taking the 22 to the 3. Took 4 1/2 back because there were dead deer all over the Crowsnest in BC. I nearly wrecked my car running over a dead deer in the middle of the road. It's a rather interesting road to travel at night. Kinda funny though that it was raining, miserable and a windy highway right until I hit the Alberta border, when it cleared up and the road finally straightened out. Crossing the border was almost like leaving hell...

My dad used to be an insurance adjuster when we lived in Cranbrook in the 80's. As a result he drive like 50,000+ km's per year on those hiways throughout the East Kootenays. He knocked off more wild life driving the roads of the East Kootenays than most game hunters could ever dream of of. It was a good thing he drove a mamoth 1981 Buick, because if he had a Toyota he would have been dead long ago.

But we usually took hiway 22 back in the day when it was a gravel road to get to Calgary. Could make the trip in 3 hours and change that way, and it was 4 any other way.

[Cowperson]

Originally posted by Shawnski@Oct 16 2005, 05:47 PM
Have taken that route hundreds of times. No cops EXCEPT for going through Longview, where there always seems to be one with a radar gun in one hand, ticket book in the other, and his mouth stuffed with a donut.

The village employs two cops and their entire job seems to be ticketing people on main street 24 hours a day.

I'd take the 22 but, as others have noted, if you're driving at night watch out for wildlife.

Cowperson

[MolsonInBothHands]

Originally posted by Tower@Oct 16 2005, 09:39 PM
I take #2 to Nanton then turn right at the last gas station (esso I think). Then cut through to hyw 22. Cuts 20 mins off then just going the 22 way all the way down.

This is the quickest way I found... skip Longview and the smokey there, skip Okotoks, and all its lights, and Black Diamond.

You come out on 22 right at the chain lakes. The only problem is there was a pretty bad washout taking the highway down to 2/3 of ONE lane. They have goofy lights controlling one lane traffic, and you can get stuck behind a lot of traffic. Maybe consider taking 2 to Claresholm then heading west.

[Resolute 14]

There are actually two spots that are washed out on the 22. Personally, I cant believe that they havent been repaired yet, as it has been four months and this is a primary highway.