Micra Photography

[Micra In The Mountains]

...More from BC:




Now just outside of Field BC, on our way to Takakkaw Falls in Yoho National Park...


Definitely more Micra In The Mountains...




The Falls are spectacular!


Now visiting the Kicking Horse Rest Area and Park Bridge


Spending the day at Kimberly BC (can you spot the Little Guy? He's in the middle somewhere...)


On the way back home, stopping for a rest & the scenery at the Kootenay Valley Viewpoint

Have a great week everyone!

[Micra In The Mountains]

My 2015 Nissan Micra aka Lil Zilla Attachment 3763Attachment 3764

That's one sweet ride, thanks for sharing!

[Micra In The Mountains]

While driving thru southern AB and southeastern BC we noticed quite a few other Micras but they all had the AB rental car license plates, which is kinda interesting...

[MetroMPG]

Thanks for the pics, M.i.t.m. Looks like a beautiful road trip.

[Micra In The Mountains]

Thanks for the pics, M.i.t.m. Looks like a beautiful road trip.

It was, and we had no problems finding a parking spot at any of these places either!

[ABMicra17]

It was, and we had no problems finding a parking spot at any of these places either!

How was the gas mileage going through "the pass?" How was the car in general going through the mountains of the southern interior?

[Micra In The Mountains]

How was the gas mileage going through "the pass?" How was the car in general going through the mountains of the southern interior?

We were averaging around 5.7 L per 100 km for the entire trip, as per the trip computer. In the mountains (depending on the incline) we would get 8 to 10+ litres per 100 km going up 6% to 8% grades, although some sections of the road from Invermere to Panorama and from Field to Takakkaw Falls were fairly steep. We used 2nd gear quite a lot, and 1st gear on some really steep switchbacks on the way up to Takakkaw Falls (larger vehicles, campers and buses that couldn't turn around had to go backwards up and down the switchback):





Here's a video on You Tube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUYizM0qisA

This is one of those times we really did appreciate the Micra's tight turning circle!

Gas prices at Fairmont, Golden, Canmore and Invermere averaged around $1.15 to $1.17 per litre of regular over Canada Day Long Weekend, so a full tank would come to about $40+. For the entire round trip (about 2000+ km from Edmonton to the Kootenays & back) we probably spent about $150 or so for gas.

It was just my wife and I with our luggage so Little Guy wasn't too weighed down to keep up with highway traffic and pass slower vehicles going uphill.

[ABMicra17]

We were averaging around 5.7 L per 100 km for the entire trip, as per the trip computer. In the mountains (depending on the incline) we would get 8 to 10 plus litres per 100 km going up 6% to 8% grades, although some sections of the road from Invermere to Panorama and from Field to Takakkaw Falls were fairly steep. We used 2nd gear quite a lot, and 1st gear on some really steep switchbacks on the way up to Takakkaw Falls (larger vehicles, campers and buses that couldn't turn around had to go backwards up and down the switchback):





Here's a video on You Tube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUYizM0qisA

This is one of those times we really did appreciate the Micra's tight turning circle!

Gas prices at Fairmont, Golden, Canmore and Invermere averaged around $1.15 to $1.17 per litre of regular over Canada Day Long Weekend, so a full tank would come to about $40+. For the entire round trip (about 2000+ km from Edmonton to the Kootenays & back) we probably spent about $150 or so for gas.

It was just my wife and I with our luggage so Little Guy wasn't too weighed down to keep up with highway traffic and pass slower vehicles going uphill.

Those switchbacks remind of me when I was in school and we were going to Silver Star Ski Resort outside of Vernon, BC. The school bus had such a hard time driving up the mountain, it was kind of scary. I remember coming back when it was dark. I don't know how the driver could see.
The Micra is going to be the smallest car that I have ever taken through the Rogers Pass, Kicking Horse Pass etc. It's also going to be the smallest engine I have ever driven into the mountains. The speed limits have been raised in some areas of the Southern Interior. Just wasn't sure how the Micra is in limits of 90 km/h, especially hills outside of Field, Golden, BC etc. I wonder how it would handle? I think of coming up Highway 93 South from Invermere. Steep!!!!

[Micra In The Mountains]

Canadian Tire had another sale today, so we thought we'd complete "Little Guy's Canadian Tire Collection" by adding a chrome exhaust tip and new wheel covers in addition to the splash guards we bought for him last year:




















The Collection is now complete! Those cheap Canadian Tire wheel covers look better on him than the factory Nissan wheel covers, we think...

[Micra In The Mountains]

Those switchbacks remind of me when I was in school and we were going to Silver Star Ski Resort outside of Vernon, BC. The school bus had such a hard time driving up the mountain, it was kind of scary. I remember coming back when it was dark. I don't know how the driver could see.
The Micra is going to be the smallest car that I have ever taken through the Rogers Pass, Kicking Horse Pass etc. It's also going to be the smallest engine I have ever driven into the mountains. The speed limits have been raised in some areas of the Southern Interior. Just wasn't sure how the Micra is in limits of 90 km/h, especially hills outside of Field, Golden, BC etc. I wonder how it would handle? I think of coming up Highway 93 South from Invermere. Steep!!!!

In the late 90's we used to drive a '95 Suzuki Swift, 1.3L engine with about 70 hp and a 5 speed manual. It was "challenging" to take that down the Coquihalla, particularly on the steeper sections. With about 39 more hp, the Micra is definitely more capable, especially under load. Again don't expect Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat or Demon levels of torque, but I'd recommend manually downshifting to the lower gears (1st or 2nd) and don't push the little 1.6L too hard up steep inclines and you should do fine. We were staying in Farmont during our road trip and took Highway 95 from there up to Golden then the #1 to Field, Takakkaw Falls & back, with no complaints from the Little Guy. Taking Highway 93 thru Vermilion Crossing was a pleasant drive, all the road construction notwithstanding. This was before the BC fires started to affect the Kootenays, hopefully they're not doing too badly out there...