Topic: Feature: Great Roads of Western Canada: Highway 8 - The Nicola Highway

[Autos_Editor]

Connecting B.C's Highway 1 and the Coquihalla Highway (97C), Highway 8 follows the Nicola River for about 60 kilometres. "Few highways can compare when it comes to delivering an exhilarating driving experience," says Russell Purcell.

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[D70]

A great road.

I just hope not too many read this and try the road making a clear run at it that more difficult.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/d70w7/4923346466/

[tpl]

In this day and age this article is useless without either a link to Google maps or equally good for most, a Google earth KML or KMZ file to tour us on the highway.


I hate these double posts from the Editor

[ovr50]

That is a great road but I haven't driven it for about 10 years, must do it again in the M3. When I did drive it, twice actually - once each way, it was not in a fun car but a Jeep. The drive over to Merritt from Kelowna on the Coq is boring, but you can run at some better speeds (detector in car!!). A full day trip from here would be to go south to Keremeos, then along Hiway 3 to Hope (a fun drive but watch for  ), up the Fraser Canyon, over the Hiway 8 as in the article, and home to Kelowna on the Coq (boring but fast). It would be a very long day, but lots of differnt road types and scenery.

Another great drive using Kelowna as a base is Hiway 33 from east side of Kelowna, past Big White turnoff and all the way to Rock Creek. This a neat road with some open sections and some great twisties and little traffic. Can return by driving Hiway 3 west to Penticton (down Anarchist Pass - long, steep with hairpins) and back to Kelowna on 97. Can do this one in half a day. Watch for wildlife on 33.

[DCypher]

Not to be that guy but the 97C is not the Coquihalla, the 5 is. The 97C is the continuation of the 8 from Merrit east through to Okanagan Lake and Kelowna/Penticton.

It is a beautiful drive though, especially in the right car. And I think any Porsche (Cayenne excluded) would qualify.

[ovr50]

Not to be that guy but the 97C is not the Coquihalla, the 5 is. The 97C is the continuation of the 8 from Merrit east through to Okanagan Lake and Kelowna/Penticton.

It is a beautiful drive though, especially in the right car. And I think any Porsche (Cayenne excluded) would qualify.

I would not be so quick to exclude the Cayenne. It and the BMW X5M handle very well for their bulk. But, of course, not as well as their car bretheren. 

[DCypher]

Not to be that guy but the 97C is not the Coquihalla, the 5 is. The 97C is the continuation of the 8 from Merrit east through to Okanagan Lake and Kelowna/Penticton.

It is a beautiful drive though, especially in the right car. And I think any Porsche (Cayenne excluded) would qualify.

I would not be so quick to exclude the Cayenne. It and the BMW X5M handle very well for their bulk. But, of course, not as well as their car bretheren. 

I wasn't excluding the Cayenne as well-handling vehicle, especially for its size. I just wouldn't consider it the 'right car' for that drive.

[Slide748]

If you want an excellent book on all the best roads in BC, then pick up "Destination Highway BC". Every avid motorcyclist uses it.

 

[NgtRdr]

Ohh yummy!!  Dessert landscapes (2nd paragraph)?  I live in BC but I don't recall seeing mountains made of hot fudge sundae, sno cone, or strawberry cake.  I can't wait to try out this highway, it must be the road to Candyland!