Koastal Karl
Voyager 
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Jun 27, 2007 20:50:19 GMT -8
Does anyone in Washington know the quickest way to get from Anacortes to Okanagan BC  ? We are trying to decide where to go mid July and just are curious how long it would take to drive from Anacortes north to the BC boarder? We are looking at different routes as we might go to the Okanagan and thought maybe go via the USA and take the Chelan on the international run. How fast do reservations fill up for say like mid July??? Would they be gone by now?? If we took the 11:20am sailing how far could we get that day heading north to the Okanagan?? Info would be good. |
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Post by WettCoast on Jun 27, 2007 21:46:19 GMT -8
Karl,
There is a highway running across the northern part of Washington State (#20). It starts right at the Anacortes ferry terminal and heads east. It connects with US Hwy 97 a little south of Oroville, Wash., which is just south of Osoyoos, BC. I would recommend that you try it out, one way, and return via the Hope-Princeston (BC Hwy 3 - the 'Crows' Nest'), or OK Connector & Coquihalla (97C & 5).
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Post by Retrovision on Jun 27, 2007 23:50:10 GMT -8
Karl, There is a highway running across the northern part of Washington State (#20). It starts right at the Anacortes ferry terminal and heads east. It connects with US Hwy 97 a little south of Oroville, Wash., which is just south of Osoyoos, BC. I would recommend that you try it out, one way, and return via the Hope-Princeston (BC Hwy 3 - the 'Crows' Nest'), or OK Connector & Coquihalla (97C & 5). Does (currently run by) Amtrak's "Empire Builder" train between both Seattle and Portland and Chicago parallel that route, or is that by way of different passes through the mountains? |
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FNS
Voyager
The Empire Builder train of yesteryear in HO scale
Posts: 4,948
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Post by FNS on Jun 28, 2007 1:24:37 GMT -8
Karl, There is a highway running across the northern part of Washington State (#20). It starts right at the Anacortes ferry terminal and heads east. It connects with US Hwy 97 a little south of Oroville, Wash., which is just south of Osoyoos, BC. I would recommend that you try it out, one way, and return via the Hope-Princeston (BC Hwy 3 - the 'Crows' Nest'), or OK Connector & Coquihalla (97C & 5). Does (currently run by) Amtrak's "Empire Builder" train between both Seattle and Portland and Chicago parallel that route, or is that by way of different passes through the mountains? The Seattle branch of the Empire Builder runs from Seattle to Edmonds and Everett along the shores of Puget Sound, then along the Skykomish River passing spectacular Mount Index, through the 7.79 mile Cascade Tunnel, then to Wenatchee, Ephrata, and couples to the Portland branch at Spokane. The Portland branch leaves Portland, crosses the Columbia River to Vancouver (WA), runs along the north side of the river all the way to Pasco, then inland to Spokane. SEATTLE BRANCH Locomotives Baggage Car Dorm Public Sleeper Public Sleeper Diner Bi-Level Coach Bi-Level Coach PORTLAND BRANCH Locomotives Lounge Coach Baggage Bi-Level Coach Public Sleeper FULL SET EAST OF SPOKANE Locomotives Baggage Car Dorm Public Sleeper Public Sleeper Diner Bi-Level Coach Bi-Level Coach Lounge Coach Baggage Bi-Level Coach Public Sleeper A Bi-Level Coach is often added at Minneapolis for the final stretch to Chicago. |
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Post by Barnacle on Jun 28, 2007 7:31:09 GMT -8
Karl--to answer a question you asked, driving from Anacortes to the BC border takes about an hour and a half. Since you're heading east anyway, do NOT attempt to cross the border at Blaine/White Rock unless you really groove to the idea of sitting in line for another 45 minutes to an hour. I hear tale that the crossing at Lynden/Aldergrove is quick; I know for a fact that Sumas/Abbotsford took about a minute and dumps you back into Canada quite close to TC-1. I don't know about the reservation situation, but I don't think the boat overloaded more than a handful of times last year, so you can wait to finalize your plans before you go booking willy-nilly.  *edit* Also, as Wet Coast Kid pointed out, you could travel east on SR-20 (Washington State Highway 20) across the north Cascades and meet up with US 97, crossing the border just south of Osoyoos. That trip is about 232 miles by Rand McNally reckoning and thus a 4 1/2 hour drive going hard, give or take. It all depends on where your destination is. If you can work the Coquihalla in somehow, it's worth it. ;D |
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Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Jun 28, 2007 8:20:48 GMT -8
Well the idea was to take that route over the Cascades then head up through Omak to the BC boarder by Osoyoos which we have done before. We have been on the Coquihalla and Hope Princeston routes so many times we thought we would try something different. 4.5 hours isent bad it takes that long to drive from Vancouver to Kelowna. You can do it in a day though. Another idea I just had this morning was to go to Anacortes on the 11:20am sailing then zip down and do a roundtrip from Keystone then head back to Anacortes stay the night get up and go the next day and get up to Osoyoos. That it what I am thinking.
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Post by northwesterner on Jun 28, 2007 13:36:44 GMT -8
Well the idea was to take that route over the Cascades then head up through Omak to the BC boarder by Osoyoos which we have done before. Go via SR-20. Its not the fastest of mountain passes, but it is incredibly scenic, only open in the summer time, and goes through the North Cascades National Park, which is probably one of the least visited National Parks in the United States. |
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Post by hergfest on Jun 28, 2007 14:27:57 GMT -8
The North Cascades is slow, but it is a great drive. I'm heading to Calgary in August for a car show and we are going to take the Hwy 20 route across northern WA to Montana and Glacier National Park and hit some wrecking yards. And doing it in a convertible is even more fun BTW, the Amtrack train follows Hwy 2 across Stevens Pass. |
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? We are trying to decide where to go mid July and just are curious how long it would take to drive from Anacortes north to the BC boarder?
