Matt,

Thanks for the description - it sounds perfect, and I'm looking forward to
it! :-)

In fact, it sounds a lot like the Hurley FS Road in BC, except it's paved.
Now *that* is an unforgettable road!

On Wed, Jul 21, 2010 at 3:01 PM, Matt Thyer <matt_thyer@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Howdy Shawn,
>
> Hwy 20 between Burlington and Omak is:
> a) Beautiful:  You won't want to drive this one straight through.  There
> are
> a lot of things you need to stop and look at.  If you don't stop you'll
> regret not stopping after you've passed them and end up either turning
> around or perishing with regrets.  You own a VW so I doubt you're likely to
> die with regrets.
> b) Twisty:  It's not nearly as bad as most of the highways that cross the
> Cascades further south in Oregon (tractor trailers make their way to the
> east via this route), but there are places that require your tender, loving
> attentions to detail.  Otherwise, if you're returning to a place you passed
> by earlier you'll die with regrets.
> c) Steep:  Again not as bad as many lower passes in Oregon, but there comes
> a point when those angles only obtain diminished returns.  You'll be
> looking
> across many glacier carved valleys and crawling up switchbacks.  Take your
> time, enjoy the view, watch the edge of the road, and pay attention to your
> engine temperature.  If the last gets high, stop and take care of viewing
> the beauty.
>
> It's worth your time,
>
> MT
> http://zenoswagen.wordpress.com/
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Shawn Wright
> Sent: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 8:06 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Info on Hwy 20 in Wa?
>
> My new tire/wheel purchase will require a detour to Blaine, Wa while
> enroute
> to Calgary, so we're thinking of taking Hwy 20 between Burlington and Omak,
> Wa. I'm interested in reports on this road - I expect it will be a tough
> climb, especially with my new larger 28" tires. The plan is to head north
> from Omak via Osoyoos to see family in Enderby, but we could also continue
> East toward Whitefish and then on to Calgary.
>
> I'm interested in hearing about road conditions and sights on Hwy 20, and
> also the area around Whitefish. We've visited the area between Spokane -
> Sandpoint many times, but usually via Hwy 2 or I-90, and haven't been east
> of Hope, ID before. Unfortunately, we'll only have a few days to spend
> camping.
>
> Also, if there's any listees near Blaine who would like some free stock
> wheels with tires, let me know. If not, if someone could advise of a place
> to dispose of them properly near Blaine, I'd appreciate it.
>
> --
> Shawn Wright
> '88 Westy 1.6TD, soon to have new MSW 16" wheels & BFG AT 215/70R16 :-)
>
>

--
Shawn Wright