Vancouver & Rockies (advice)

Barry G

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Hi Fellow Tossers and seasons greetings. I'm looking for some advice from those that know||

Myself and good lady plus a couple of friends are looking to go to Vancouver in Mid Sept 15, hire a couple of bikes and have a week riding around the Rockies. I picked up some info at the NEC (bike show) from HC Travel they do a package that seems quite reasonable. Before I commit to any thing I just thought I'd ask for some advice. so here go's.

1. Bike hire and Flights I'm sure I can sort that? but open to guidance.

2. In the Rockies, is it best to pre book accommodation (Hotel or B&B) or just stop when and where and find local accom.

3. Must see places to visit in and around BC. (I would hate to ride passed something not knowing it was there, then find out later).

4. To give you some idea route so far : Vancouver-Cache creek - Revelstoke - Cranbrook - Rossland - Princeton - Vancouver.

5. After the ride will probably stay for a few days in Vancouver (site to see?).


Many thanks in anticipation.

Merry Christmas :Friday

Barry G
 
Barry

I can help with that for sure and I'm sure North will be able to chip in. I could certainly do you a route which would take in some great spots and roads Sea to Sky, Mount Robson, Jasper, Lake Louise and back across to Vancouver. I would certainly recommend booking motels as you approaching the end of the season and not everything is still open so you may find it difficult to find somewhere. We were there about the same time this year and it's a brilliant time to go.

I'm guessing you want a 7/8 day trip?

Here is a picture of Mount Robson to wet your appetite:D
 

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We did 9 days in a camper van in May 2013, we went from Calgary to Vancouver via the icefields parkway (Banff, lake Louise) to jasper and throught kicking horse pass and then across country to Avola ( the log inn where you can get the worlds best burger) then whistler, kamloops and onto Vancouver.

A stunning trip and probably the best that I have ever had.

If you are interested I think I have our route, pm me and I will send it to you.
 
Nothing much to add to the suggestions for routes but I'd second the recommendation to book accommodation up-front. If you're planning to stay in Vancouver for a few days look at spending some time on Vancouver Island - it's a short ferry ride from Vancouver and IMO there's more to see there than in Vancouver itself which I found just to be like any other big North American city.
 
I'm from that part of the world and I think you have been offered some good advise already so I will only offer a few comments. Nelson is a very nice place with great surrounding roads to ride. A nice loop is from Nelson to Salmo to Creston then up to Reondale, over the ferry, up to Kaslo accross to New Denver and back to Nelson. The route as detailed is about 200 miles, one of the best loops in Southern BC! I don't think you will have any trouble with hotels in September at all. Have fun and please tell us about your trip when you get back. One more thing, when planning your trip think of the distances there as being the same as 25% of what they are in the UK. As an example, the loop detailed above is like a 50 mile loop in the UK as there is very little traffic and few stops to impede your journey.
 
Try to get yourself a copy of "Destination Highways BC"
It has top 80+ biking roads. Each brilliant.
You should be ok for weather September. Only reason to book accom is some towns are a fair distance apart.
 
Many thanks for the information so far, One thing for sure I will pre -book accommodation. I'll get Christmas over then send out a few PMs ref route.

Many thanks once again.:clap

Barry G
 
One other attraction I enjoyed on the way from Vancouver to Jasper was the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre at, erm, Rogers Pass. See:
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/bc/rogers/visit/visit2.aspx

They had displays on the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway and of avalanche control in the pass as well as displays on the fauna and flora. I also took a flight from Jasper-Hinton airport around Jasper, the Columbia Icefield and Mount Edith Cavel and a few other glaciers with Air Jasper. It would be a flight you would remember forever, trust me.
:bounce1
 
Thanks Johnefyn. I've made a note of Rogers Pass, The flight idea is a good one.

Cheers

Barry
 
You might like to think about putting in a stop in Kelowna, BC. Lovely lakeside town and a popular holiday spot, not least because it is a wine-growing area. It also has a very friendly BMW dealer.
 


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