question for you guys in Calgary
 

What's the weather like in the first 2 weeks of Nov? Should I expect snow and black ice around the area? I am planning to drive up there in the first week of nov. I have done it only once around Christmas with my girl friend back in college in a 4wheel drive. Wondering if I need chains for the mountains? I will be in a Toyota van with 2 babies and not want to take any chances.

Jeff

Expect snow. Expect black ice.
Take chains for the mountain passes.

Typically we have a little snow around the end of October. There is actually very seldom snow in Calgary that stays on the roads until December. However it sounds like you are not going to be just be in Calgary. If you are planning on coming up thru BC, the interior, Banff, etc. There may be snow on the high passes, and there is a chance of snow anywhere. But the roads will usually clear up quite quickly. If you have all season tires and all wheel drive you will probably be OK, otherwise a set of chains is good incurance.

I got snowed on Aug 1st on Mt. Robson. in B.C. Just a little west of Banff.

Thanks, I can count on you guys here. I will be coming up Utah and thru Montana with a detour over at Yellowstone. I was going to start another thread on that. I will coming up the 15 (for us LA people) or I 15 for the rest of the country. Any tips on that?

rvanderpyl, I got caught on a snow storm in early April near Golden on hwy 1 going to Vancouver then south to home a few years back. didn't expect that.

I haver had to drive with chains outside of CA. If I am in the mountains with chains on, I will piss off a lot of people crawing along? Here, if we get a little snow in the hills, the Hwy patrol stop the whole world and demand that we put chains on. Elsewhere, they look to see if you have 4 wheel drive and send you thru. The last time I was in Canada during the winter, Mountain or no mountain, no one cared what we had on our wheels.

chains in mountains
 

I am driving for 30 years in the mountains around Alberta and BC and Never used chains. Good tires will get you through. Coming up from the south through Montana, you have lesser chance to hit snow.
You might get some cross winds going through Lethbridge towards Calgary.
bundle up your babies and come up and if you are lucky, you can built a snow man with your kids.