British Columbia Highway 5 (Coquihalla)

Hope, BC to Kamloops, BC

BC Highway 5 (Coquihalla)

Hope, BC to Kamloops, BC

British Columbia Highway 5, the Coquihalla Highway, runs approximately 315 km from Hope north through the Cascade Mountains to Kamloops. Opened in 1986 to provide a faster freight route from the Lower Mainland to the BC Interior, it carries the majority of container freight moving from the Port of Vancouver east toward the Prairies. The Coquihalla Summit (1,244 m / 4,081 ft) receives extreme snowfall and is prone to rapid weather deterioration. The highway closes multiple times each winter for avalanche control, and commercial vehicles are subject to chain requirements for extended periods.

Length
315 km
Risk Rating
HIGH

Risk Factors

Coquihalla Summit extreme snowfall (1,244 m) Rapid weather deterioration Avalanche control closures Mandatory chain requirements Atmospheric river flooding risk

Notorious Segments

  • Coquihalla Summit (Great Bear snowshed), BC
  • Hope Slide area, BC

Connected Hubs

Vancouver Abbotsford

Regions

Canada Western Canada British Columbia