 Poster: A snowHead
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Help required. Any  know why it is so hard to find a one way rental from Calgary to Cranbrook airports - only available provider is National offering a VW Jetta or Chrysler 300 - neither of which float my boat for a January road trip....any recommendations or suggestions welcome. Thank you
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Perhaps Cranbrook is such a small airport that they only want a couple of types there.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Your issue is likely that Cranbrook being a smaller airport may only have franchisees of the major brands who tend to have their own fleet. Bit of a weird open jaw anyway it isn't that far back to YYC from Fernie.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Don’t trust the website. Likely worth a phone call. I live locally and things tend to work out better with a phone call.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@motdoc, Good idea, will try that option too.
@under a new name, need wheels as have business en route from Calgary and Lethbridge then along a certain highway 
Anyone got experience of a Chrysler 300 in the snow (even with winter/ m + s) tyres? I have a rear wheel automatic at home and it barely moves in a cm of snow!
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I had a 100 or 200 once ( whatever was the fwd compact) that was just like a Focus. But I wouldn't focus on the specific models unless you've spoken to the desk and they are guaranteeing them.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I'm curious what you're overall itinerary looks like? Personally I'd drive back to Calgary rather than trying to fly. Flights likely delayed or cancelled pretty often as I'm guessing Cranbrook is VFR (visual flight rules) only and so it's not going to take much January weather to shut it down.
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Thanks all for the information provided. By way of an update, I have booked a one way rental from YYC to YXC and will be flying from YXC to YVR which minimizes drive time.
@sweaman22 thanks for adding another worry  never heard of VFR!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Should have added that am then picking up a Toyota Land Cruiser (forgot what they are called in Canada - Frontrunner?) at YXC for a few extra days so swapping cars same day as drive from YYC - looking at either a large SUV or Chrysler - the latter does not seem to be subject to the one way fee which is odd. 
I wonder if I pre-pay whether they can add it at airport....in which case will avoid the Chrysler as won't save 200 CADs.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Snowsartre,
I've not flown into or out of Cranbrook, but have flown into out of Castlegar in the winter (was oblivious to its reputation - amazingly managed both in and out  ) which also has VFR.
Flights were canceled every day except the day we flew out, so spent all week trying to figure out alternatives.
Now we just drive. Is there a reason you'd rather fly?
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@stuarth
Being British, I am not a huge fan of long drives and don’t have much experience of driving in snow. Further, having driven the Coquihalla a few times in lairy conditions, I prefer to fly. Saves time and stress (but not if flights are cancelled)
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You know it makes sense.
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Canadian winter flights are pretty unreliable (especially to / from local airports)... but having said that the roads also aren't brilliant either. The key thing in either circumstance is to leave lots of connection buffer and don't have your schedule down to the wire...
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@sweaman22,
How bad is the road(s - guess you can go via Fernie or Invermere?) from Cranbrook to Calgary? Not driven there so no experience myself, but I'd have thought the worst bit would be the bit of 3 west towards Creston, ie not the bit @Snowsartre needs to worry about?
Driven 3/3a west of Nelson quite a few times and that can get a little wild!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Only gradients really are over the Crowsnest on 3 and they never seemed that sketchy to me compared to Rogers Pass. Guess wind on the AB side can be an issue including polishing the road surface.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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As Dave says - the wind on the 22 S can be pretty special and I'd avoid driving it on Friday night or Sunday to avoid the Fernie weekenders but otherwise it's not as bad as Rogers pass unless you are truly unlucky. I hate the 93S (Banff to Invermere) just because it's long, dark and lonely so I'd probably go via Fernie anyway for Cranbrook.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I will be driving from Lethbridge to Nelson - is that along the roads mentioned above?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Snowsartre, Yep its along the no.3 an ok road as mentioned just around Crowsnest Pass can get closed, but never had it yet the times we've driven it.
Rumrunner there is good for food btw . 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Snowsartre, Check out "Canadian Affair" car rental deals, to see if they can sort it for you. I've never found anywhere cheaper.
I managed to get a 7 seater Suburban from them for 14 days for less then £700 the season before last. We only used 4 of the seats ... but its great to have plenty of room for the kit.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I think Avis, it was certainly one of the biggies.
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@DrLawn,
Thank you for the recommendation- have used them several times they do Avis cars at bargain prices. They could not deliver this one way rental as they don’t operate to YXC. In fact, only National has one way rentals YYC - YXC and they have just released additional vehicle categories so have hired a full size suv which should do the job. 199 cads for the one way fee but happy enough with that.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Snowsartre, I live in Nelson. If you are in Whitewater for a ski and want to I could show you round (if I’m not working)?
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| TOLOCOMAN wrote: |
| ...One way car rentals in Canada are VERY rare and MUCH more expensive.... |
About $200 last season. How much did they charge you, then? Perhaps they thought you were a tosser and charged you more.
Seriously, why are there so many people on the internet who just make stuff up? Some of us actually do this stuff, you know, so you can post BS here, but you're fairly likely to be called out on it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Last time we did Nelson to Lethbridge we had to catch a ferry? It was summer and It was free but if a vehicle carrying something dangerous ( radioactive stuff or explosive) was booked onto the ferry you had to wait for the next ferry ( 60 mins in summer ) . It was 7 years ago !
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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They have special explosive carrying ferry schedule  It's normally planned, but not always. It's the longest free ferry ride in the world and, I understand, largely sponsored by the Americans via the Columbia basin trust - ie they get to moderate the water flow so less flooding / rivers don't run dry down to Oregon. But they have to pay BC money because that's where the water is.
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Google maps shows journey being an hour quicker to dodge the ferry and head south from Nelson towards Creston to Lethbridge and the reverse to get to Nelson from Lethbridge?
@motdoc, Thanks for the offer of guiding.
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You know it makes sense.
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The Salmo Creston pass is pretty high. They look after it well but in a storm or if the freezing level is mid mountain it might be worth looking at the ferry. The pass is normally the best way, the road from the ferry down to Creston (both ways pass through) is low altitude but slow and winding.
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