BC-Alberta SCENIC road trip - Saskatoon to Kelowna

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

There's a lizard museum just down the street that's awesome.

Well, if that’s the direction we’re going, don’t forget the Gopher Museum in Torrington, a bit east of Olds.

If I remember right, they have soft ice cream there.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Cowperson

Well, if that’s the direction we’re going, don’t forget the Gopher Museum in Torrington, a bit east of Olds.

If I remember right, they have soft ice cream there.

A gentleman would include the link

http://gopherholemuseum.ca/

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

In addition to their war against Alberta's energy industry have you read about the BC NDP's proposed "speculation tax" which is clearly intended to punish Alberta residents?!

I would avoid BC altogether so long as the socialist coalition remains in power.

Boycott BC!

We can have our own mini USA-China trade war!

200% tariff on BC wine!

[calf]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Why would anybody want to get back to Saskatchewan any quicker than necessary?

Just because they have a child with them isn't really any reason they can't enjoy a long scenic drive.

We did Calgary to Kelowna (and back) when my son was 10 months old, and it was the exact reason we couldn't enjoy a nice scenic drive with all the crying and fussing, and doing everything possible to keep him entertained.

[octothorp]

I grew up near there, but I'm partial to the Drumheller area. In addition to the museum, there's just great scenery. I really like the drive east out of Drumheller along the valley, rather than staying on the #9. A few tourist stops like the suspension bridge, hoodoos, atlas coal mine (may not be open yet, not sure exactly when the tourist season starts up), and much more of a chance to see wildlife than staying on the #9. (We also like taking the Blariot ferry, but again not sure when it opens... it's at the west end of the valley, but if you follow the other suggestion of the torrington gopher museum it's right on your route.) You can cut back up at Sheerness, or stay on the 570 eastbound a bit further, and those highways are also less heavily trafficked (and policed) than the #9. Kindersley's museum doesn't suck, it can be fun to poke around the various buildings and machinery.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by octothorp

I grew up near there, but I'm partial to the Drumheller area. In addition to the museum, there's just great scenery. I really like the drive east out of Drumheller along the valley, rather than staying on the #9. A few tourist stops like the suspension bridge, hoodoos, atlas coal mine (may not be open yet, not sure exactly when the tourist season starts up), and much more of a chance to see wildlife than staying on the #9. (We also like taking the Blariot ferry, but again not sure when it opens... it's at the west end of the valley, but if you follow the other suggestion of the torrington gopher museum it's right on your route.) You can cut back up at Sheerness, or stay on the 570 eastbound a bit further, and those highways are also less heavily trafficked (and policed) than the #9. Kindersley's museum doesn't suck, it can be fun to poke around the various buildings and machinery.

Don't forget Wayne, just down the road from The Drum

http://www.ghosttowns.com/canada/alberta/wayne.html

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Cowperson

I’ve always found the drive from Jasper to Edmonton to be kind of mind-numbing. Or, to use other words, horrible.

In early May last year, after running the Vancouver half marathon, I came back to Calgary via the southern, mostly 2-lane route.

So, in your abbreviated case, Penticton, Oliver, Osoyoos, then turn east to Grand Forks, Rossland, Trail, Fruitvale, Salmo, Creston, Yahk, Cranbrook, Fernie, Sparwood, Lundbreck, etc. I had a beautiful overnight backpacking hike along the shore of Christina Lake in Gladstone Park, just outside of Grand Forks.

In early May I didn’t find the driving too crowded until after Cranbrook. Scenic along most of the route.

I’d agree a detour down into Glacier Park in the USA would be nice. Probably lots of snow in there at that time of year though. I came through Glacier in late August last year after watching the eclipse from a mountaintop in Idaho.

Does your writing suffer from purple overload?

Apologies in advance for the unsolicited feedback, but I know I'd appreciate if a stranger twigged me to an issue I was having versus having my friends and family rolling their eyes behind my back.

Purple prose is basically overly descriptive, unnatural and distracting, particularly in the context of an internet post where brevity is more appropriate. I noted the extraneous wording/descriptions above using strikethrough font.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Does your writing suffer from purple overload?

Apologies in advance for the unsolicited feedback, but I know I'd appreciate if a stranger twigged me to an issue I was having versus having my friends and family rolling their eyes behind my back.

Purple prose is basically overly descriptive, unnatural and distracting, particularly in the context of an internet post where brevity is more appropriate. I noted the extraneous wording/descriptions above using strikethrough font.

What is a Cowperson post without some extra humblebrags?

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Does your writing suffer from purple overload?

Apologies in advance for the unsolicited feedback, but I know I'd appreciate if a stranger twigged me to an issue I was having versus having my friends and family rolling their eyes behind my back.

Purple prose is basically overly descriptive, unnatural and distracting, particularly in the context of an internet post where brevity is more appropriate. I noted the extraneous wording/descriptions above using strikethrough font.

FYP - Too much purple prose.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Does your writing suffer from purple overload?

Apologies in advance for the unsolicited feedback, but I know I'd appreciate if a stranger twigged me to an issue I was having versus having my friends and family rolling their eyes behind my back.

Purple prose is basically overly descriptive, unnatural and distracting, particularly in the context of an internet post where brevity is more appropriate. I noted the extraneous wording/descriptions above using strikethrough font.

I only want to see you dancing in the purple prose.

[indes]

I've driven all those roads more times than I care to count and IMO aside from the icefield Parkway (too far out of the way I would think);

HWY 1 is incredibly scenic, I would recommend this for the way there.

HWY 3 is nice but kind of sucks from Trail/Castlegar to Kelowna. I would recommend going through Vernon and taking HWY 6 to Castlegar and then hop onto HWY 3 towards Fernie/Calgary. Nakusp has nice hot springs off the highway as well.

Another way to get south to HWY 3 is HWY 1 then 95 down through Kootenay national park and radium. You could reverse this and hit radium hot springs on your way back to Calgary.

Taking HWY 1 will be around 7 hours and the other ways will be 10.5-11.5 hours from Calgary to Kelowna.


Of all the routes HWY 6 is our favorite. I suggest the hot springs as it's something fun you can do with a 10 month old. My son loves the hot springs!

[GreenLantern]

Lots of great suggestions to pick from, I agree the ice fields might be a bit out of the way and I've actually spent quite a bit of time up on Peyto for field work, even over nighters there it's pretty cool.

The hot springs/kootenays route was suggested by a few people that might be worth a look. I'm thinking while glacier would be cool it's a bit more out of the way and that one really scenic drive will apparently be closed still then.

I'm not expecting the ride to be seamless, but we've had him on a few extended trips already and he has done pretty good. He loves car rides just watches things pass by out the side window. So should be manageable but I've scheduled in extra buffer days if we need them.

[81MC]

Originally Posted by GGG

FYP - Too much purple prose.

And yet, not enough verbs.

Highway 3 is fantastic, might be a little bit windy for some, but a really neat drive.

[GreenLantern]

Looks like we will be going back through Edmonton, my wifes decision for various reasons.. but the quickest way is to actually go to Calgary then drive north. And I refuse to directly by pass Calgary to get to Edmonton.

So... we will be driving through Jasper. I don't expect it to be as scenic but it seems up until the mountains end it should still be entertaining. We want to break it up over a few days, any suggestions on where to stop/stay between Kelowna and Edmonton taking the Jasper route?

[Fuzz]

Stay in Jasper?

[mikephoen]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

Looks like we will be going back through Edmonton, my wifes decision for various reasons.. but the quickest way is to actually go to Calgary then drive north. And I refuse to directly by pass Calgary to get to Edmonton.

So... we will be driving through Jasper. I don't expect it to be as scenic but it seems up until the mountains end it should still be entertaining. We want to break it up over a few days, any suggestions on where to stop/stay between Kelowna and Edmonton taking the Jasper route?

From Lake Louise to Jasper is spectacular.

From Jasper to Edmonton, once you clear the mountains, is awful. But it's no worse than the drive from Calgary to Edmonton on the QE II.

Hopefully it quits snowing so the parkway is open!