Highway 5, Coquihalla, Bear’s `Hwy 5`, B. C., Page.

Author’s note:
(`07/5) All material on this website is covered by copyrite.
Copy, in whole, or in part, without express permission of the author is illegal.

HIGHWAY 5

(Map of Interior, B. C.)
Author’s note: Original map, courtesy of
City of Penticton, B. C.
Butchered by Lee. A Wood

In the Province of B. C. Canada.

Sometime during the latter part of the last century, one of our illustrious Provincial Premiers came to the conclusion that it was too terrifying to drive from Kelowna, his home town, to Victoria, using highway 1 or highway 3.

Consequently, at a staggering cost to us poor tax payers, the Coquihalla highway was initiated.

As it was, more or less, a continuance of the highway from Tete Jaune Cache to Kamloops it was numbered `5'.

Many Many years after Bill Bennett Jr. was swept from power, unlike his father who was premier for 20 years and made something of this, once, great province, he was only in office for a short period (Thank God), Highway 5 was completed from Hope to Kamloops.

And many years later, the road that would have given Billie smooth access to the coast, the `Okanagan Connector', was completed from Merritt to Kelowna.

To this day us poor taxpayers are still paying for this colossal ???.

Literally twice, as it has a toll booth on the top of the mountain.

And don't think that isn't expensive to run, being miles from nowhere, having to truck in all supplies and personnel.

I actually helped build the Coquihalla. I pulled a load of propane from Prince George to the construction site at the Merritt - Okanagan Connector Junction during the construction.

Much as I dislike this highway, I have used it many times, but only when some company is paying me, and paying for the toll.

These are some of the pictures I took, through the windshield, along Highway 5.

For a story about a winter trip over the Cokawhatsis, visit my Truckers Page.

Unless you are fighting snow and ice in the winter the Coq. is actually a very boring road. There is very little scenery worth looking at.

(Highway splits, Mtns. in the background.)
THE BEGINNING OF HWY. 5,
HWY. 3 BRANCHES OFF TO THE RIGHT
(A few old buildings on the side of the highway.)
OTHELLO
(River beside highway going through a deep V between Mtns.)
COQUIHALLA RIVER
(Wide parking area beside highway.)
CHAIN UP AREA - WHERE TRUCKS HAVE TO STOP
TO PUT ON THEIR CHAINS DURING THE WINTER.
DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE GOVERNMENT
PROMOTES TURNING OFF LIGHTS NOT BEING USED,
THESE LIGHTS, LIKE ALL THE LIGHTS ALONG THE COQ.
ARE ON ALL NIGHT EVERY NIGHT
(Snow and rock above a show shed.)
SNOW AND ROCK, SLIDE DOWN THE SLOPE,
AND OVER THE SNOW SHED.
THE SNOW SHEDS KEEP IT FROM HITTING CARS, OR BLOCKING THE ROAD
(Close up of show shed, pictures of bears engraved in concreete front.)
VERY NICE ART WORK
(Tall shear slope above the highway.)
THE STEEPEST PART OF THE TRIP,
UP THROUGH THE SNOW SHEDS
(Tall bald mtn, toped with snow.)

If you are driving the Coq. in the poor season, October to April, it is very high and susceptible to drastic weather changes any time of the year, you can check the `Zopkios' web cam, see the `Road Condition' link below, or if you are heading South you can stop at the West bound scale, going out of Kamloops, and the scale operator will check the `Zopkios' cam for you.

This cam is located at the rest area just South of the toll booth

(Building on side of highway at base of mtn.)
CONCESSION STAND AT THE WEST BOUND, `ZOPKIOS', BRAKE CHECK
(Majestic mountain across narrow valley)
(Highway levels out between top of peaks.)
DOWN TO THE TOLL BOOTHS
(Highway goes under gantry, snowy Mtns. in background.)
TOLL BOOTHS
(Signs on gantry, tool booths under..)
(Buildings nestled in tress around a lake below the highway.)
LAKE AT THE TOLL BOOTHS
(High plateau valley.)

(Merritt, B. C. Looking down on a town.)
DOWN TO MERRITT
(Merritt, B. C. Looking down on a town.)
(Merritt, B. C. Highway going down hill.)
(Merritt, B. C. Looking down on a town.)
MERRITT
(Merritt, B. C. Looking down on a town.)
(Merritt, B. C. Looking down on a lake.)
NICOLA LAKE
(Merritt, B. C. Fields by highway.)
IRRIGATION SPRINKLERS AT WORK IN EARLY JUNE
(Highway going up hill.)
(Looking down on a valley of trees.)
(Outhouse and parking area by highway.)
WEST BOUND, `MERRITT', BRAKE CHECK
(A valley of trees.)
(Downhill to a junction.)
(Highway overpass.)
JUNCTION TO LOGAN LAKE

(Turn off to a wide parking area.)
APPROACHING BRAKE CHECK
(Tractor trailer parked in brake check.)
D. WHITE STOPPED AT BRAKE CHECK
(Highway going down hill.)
(Looking down on a valley.)
(Looking down on a valley, Mtn. in the background.)
JUNCTION TO INKS LAKE
(Fields being irrigated by highway.)
(Overlooking fields of mtn. tops.)
(Downhill to a junction.)
DOWN TO THE JUNCTION WITH THE TCH (TRANS CANADA HIGHWAY)
(Downhill to a junction.)
THOMPSON VALLEY

END

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