BC Kootenay Highways - Road Report News

Highway 3A, 3B, 6, 31, 31A, 93, 95, 95A through Nelson, Grand Forks, New Denver, Nakusp, Salmo, Creston, Castlegar ... Many Thanks to the ministry of Transportation for the information contained in this report.

Use this link for Highway 3 Conditions

Current Kootenay Highway Road Conditions

Route	Description	Last Updated
Highway 1 Both Directions	Bridge Maintenance 23 km west of Revelstoke 8:00 am to 3:30 pm on Wed Mar 10. The road is reduced to single lane alternating traffic. Updated on Wed Mar 10 at 7:24 am. (ID# -19687)	Mar 10, 2010 07:24 AM
Highway 1 Both Directions	Falling Rock at Three Valley Gap. Updated Wed Mar 10 at 12:51 pm. (ID# 96367)	Mar 10, 2010 12:51 PM
Highway 3 Both Directions	Wildlife on Road from Greenwood to Eholt Summit (16.7 km). Updated on Wed Mar 10 at 12:34 pm. (ID# 95225)	Mar 10, 2010 12:34 PM
Highway 3 Both Directions	Slippery Sections from Paulson Bridge to Junction with Highway 3B at Nancy Greene Lake (23 km). Updated Wed Mar 10 at 12:57 pm. (ID# 96654)	Mar 10, 2010 12:57 PM
Highway 3 Both Directions	Slippery Sections from Junction with Highway 3B, in Meadows to Salmo (10.4 km). Updated Wed Mar 10 at 4:32 am. (ID# 96622)	Mar 10, 2010 04:32 AM
Highway 3 Both Directions	Slippery Sections from Salmo to Junction with Highway 6 (14.1 km). Updated Wed Mar 10 at 4:47 am. (ID# 96625)	Mar 10, 2010 04:47 AM
Highway 3 Both Directions	Falling Ice at Irishman Creek. Updated Wed Mar 10 at 12:29 pm. (ID# 95304)	Mar 10, 2010 12:29 PM
Highway 3 Both Directions	Falling Ice 20 km west of Cranbrook. Updated Wed Mar 10 at 12:29 pm. (ID# 95305)	Mar 10, 2010 12:29 PM
Highway 3 Both Directions	Falling Ice at Elko. Updated Wed Mar 10 at 12:29 pm. (ID# 95681)	Mar 10, 2010 12:29 PM
Highway 3 Both Directions	Road side Maintenance Between Hosmer and Sparwood from 8 am to 6 pm 7 days a week until March 12. Single lane alternating with up to 20 minute delays. Updated on Thu Feb 25 at 12:38 pm. (ID# -19562)	Feb 25, 2010 12:38 PM
Highway 3 Eastbound	Slippery Sections from Christina Lake to 7.5 km east of Paulson Bridge (31.6 km). Updated Wed Mar 10 at 12:54 pm. (ID# 96652)	Mar 10, 2010 12:54 PM
Highway 3B Both Directions	Slippery Sections from Nancy Greene Summit to Trail (30.8 km). Updated Wed Mar 10 at 12:50 pm. (ID# 96609)	Mar 10, 2010 12:50 PM
Highway 6 Both Directions	Slippery Sections from Salmo to Ymir (12 km). Updated Wed Mar 10 at 4:28 am. (ID# 96621)	Mar 10, 2010 04:28 AM
Highway 23 Both Directions	Falling Ice at Birch Creek. Updated Wed Mar 10 at 12:51 pm. (ID# 96531)	Mar 10, 2010 12:51 PM
Highway 31 Both Directions	Bridge Maintenance 46 km north of Kaslo through Fri Mar 12 at 4:00 pm. Updated on Tue Mar 9 at 7:58 am. (ID# -19680)	Mar 09, 2010 07:58 AM

Kootenay Weather Locations

Salmo     Creston     Castlegar     Nelson      Radium Hot Springs       Grand Forks

General Route Information

Kootenay Pass, known locally as "the Salmo-Creston" is a mountain pass in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. It is utilized by the Crowsnest Highway to transverse the Selkirks, connecting the communities of Salmo and Creston. At its opening the highway route was also dubbed the Kootenay Skyway

Highway 3A runs from Keremeos 35km north thru Olalla and up the long hill to Yellow Lake, then east past Twin Lakes and thru the Marron Valley to Kaleden Junction where it intersects with Highway 97, the North-South Okanagan route. You can turn left (north), 10 km along Skaha Lake to Penticton, or turn right (south), 10 km to Okanagan Falls. The distance south from the Kaleden Junction thru OK Falls and Oliver to Osoyoos on Highway 97 is about 50km (30mi).

Highway 6 has a total length of 407 km (253 mi). It begins at the Canada-U.S. border crossing at Nelway, where it connects with State Route 31. It travels north for 10 km (6 mi) to the Burnt Flat Junction, where the Crowsnest Highway merges onto it from the east. The Crowsnest carries Highway 6 north for 14 km (9 mi) to the town of Salmo, where the Crowsnest diverges west. From Salmo, Highway 6 goes north for 41 km (25 mi), mostly following the Salmo River, to the city of Nelson, where access to the Whitewater Ski Resort is located. Highway 3A merges onto Highway 6 at Nelson, and the two highways travel west for 21 km (13 mi) along the Kootenay River, passing through the communities of Taghum and Bonnington Falls, to where Highway 3A diverges southwest just west of South Slocan.

From South Slocan, Highway 6 follows the Slocan River north for 79 km (49 mi) to the community of New Denver, where Highway 31A meets Highway 6. 48 km (30 mi) northwest of New Denver, Highway 6 reaches its junction with Highway 23 at the resort community of Nakusp. Highway 6 then turns southwest and proceeds to follow the east bank of the Columbia River for 57 km (35 mi) to Fauquier, on the east shore of Lower Arrow Lake.

From Needles, Highway 6 takes a winding path northwest through the Monashee Mountain range, passing through the community of Cherryville on its exit from the mountains, until it reaches the community of Lumby, 110 km (68 mi) away. Highway 6 then proceeds west on its final 26 km (16 mi) through the town of Coldstream, to its ending at a junction with Highway 97 at Vernon

Highway 23, which is 250 km (155 mi) long, begins in the south at Nakusp, where it meets Highway 6. Highway 23 winds north along the eastern shore of Upper Arrow Lake for 49 km (30 mi) to its junction with Highway 31 at Galena Bay. The Upper Arrow Lakes Ferry continues Highway 23 across the Upper Arrow Lake to a location known as Shelter Bay. North of Shelter Bay, Highway 23 follows the west bank of the Columbia River for 49 km (30 mi) to where it meets the Trans-Canada Highway. Highway 23 follows the Trans-Canada east through the city of Revelstoke for 1 km (about ½ mi), finally turning north after leaving Revelstoke.

North of Revelstoke, Highway 23 entirely follows the east bank of Revelstoke Lake for 151 km (94 mi), past the old townsite of Mica Creek to its northern end at the Mica Dam facility.

Highway 31 is a slightly minor north-south highway through the Selkirk Mountains. The highway first gained its number in 1973, and it is one of the few numbered highways in the province that is not fully paved. Highway 31 has a total distance of 109 miles (175km)— 23 miles (37km) along Kootenay Lake between Balfour (a junction with Highway 3A) and Kaslo (a junction with Highway 31A) and 86 miles (138km) between Kaslo and Galena Bay, where it ends at Highway 23

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