Best way to Bush from I-87?

[Shredder of Gnar]

I've been doing the 22A to 17 route -- could someone please explain the "Brandon Pass" route (or others)? Is either faster? The 22A/17 route takes 2 hours to the Lake George outlets from the Bush parking lot...

 

[kcyanks1]

I've been doing the 22A to 17 route -- could someone please explain the "Brandon Pass" route (or others)? Is either faster? The 22A/17 route takes 2 hours to the Lake George outlets from the Bush parking lot...

Where are you coming from? From the outlets, I'd take Rt. 149 to Rt. 4 to Rt. 100, probably (go through Rutland). You also can take Rt. 4 to Rt 7. From Rt. 7 you can either go all the way up to Rt. 17 (so 7 is an alternative to what you use 22A for), or you can take Rt. 7 to the Brandon Gap (Rt. 73, I believe), which goes from Brandon to Rochester, dumping you onto Rt. 100. I haven't tried the Brandon Gap, but was actually considering given it a try this weekend.

 

[thetrailboss]

IMHO Route 17 is a faster route. Brandon Gap is less steep, but the trade off is that you have more miles of windy Route 100 and 73 than the other way.

From Rutvegas, I'd suggest Route 7 North to Route 116 into Bristol, and the Route 17 over the mountain. Route 125 is rougher than hell....

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

87 north to 74 east to 9N over the Champlain bridge..17 west over the app gap..make a right at German Flats road which will take you to Paradise..

It's a great route because hardly anybody uses it...way less slow zones than the Rutvegas/Route 100 way..

 

[kcyanks1]

87 north to 74 east to 9N over the Champlain bridge..17 west over the app gap..make a right at German Flats road which will take you to Paradise..

It's a great route because hardly anybody uses it...way less slow zones than the Rutvegas/Route 100 way..

At the outlets I don't think it's worth going back on to 87, which takes you too far west. Coming from a bit further north (Bolton Landing), I would take 9N to the Champlain Bridge to 17. But since he's already right by Rt. 149, it seems that it makes sense to get east, rather than backtrack west, even if I87 is a quicker road.

 

[kcyanks1]

IMHO Route 17 is a faster route. Brandon Gap is less steep, but the trade off is that you have more miles of windy Route 100 and 73 than the other way.

From Rutvegas, I'd suggest Route 7 North to Route 116 into Bristol, and the Route 17 over the mountain. Route 125 is rougher than hell....

Guess then I will continue to never have taken the Brandon Gap if you are advising against trying it this weekend

I think the Appalachian Gap on 17 is slower than 100, though maybe 100 has more curves overall. Probably in the end it doesn't matter that much.

 

[thetrailboss]

87 north to 74 east to 9N over the Champlain bridge..17 west over the app gap..make a right at German Flats road which will take you to Paradise..

It's a great route because hardly anybody uses it...way less slow zones than the Rutvegas/Route 100 way..

Another good suggestion.

As to Brandon Gap: at that point, it is really fast to go up 7 to Bristol. The windy part of 17 is very short actually...it is only something like 15 miles from Bristol to German Flats Road. Brandon Gap, on the other hand, dumps you out just south of Rochester and then you go up Route 100 (which can be fast in places) through Hancock and Granville before coming to Warren. Granville Gap slows you down...

But you're right, KC. It really doesn't matter because "you just can't get the'ah from he'ah." :wink:

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Wait is this from the outlets or I-87?

 

[kcyanks1]

Wait is this from the outlets or I-87?

From outlets. I mean the outlets are right near I-87, because that far south, I-87 is right near 9N. But further north I-87 goes west. Even if I were on I-87 already, I'd get off at exit 20.

 

[Shredder of Gnar]

Thanks everyone -- sounds like 17 it is. I figured that Brandon Gap was not the way to go, but wanted to ask. Now the question is best way to Addison. I'm actually coming from below Saratoga (just used LG outlets as a reference point in earlier post), so it's either:
1) Exit 20 -- seems better to go to 21 though.
2) Exit 21 -- seems best way to 9N.
3) Exit 28 to 74, etc., but as steeze points out, 87 goes west after 20/21 -- in fact, according to google maps, it's 40 mi. tween 20 and 28, then another 17 east to ticonderoga, but only 36 miles right up 9N to ticonderoga from LG.

If I do the 20 or 21 thing, just wondering how 9N is along lake, is it shortest but lower speed limits, or is it 55 mph in parts?

 

[kcyanks1]

Thanks everyone -- sounds like 17 it is. I figured that Brandon Gap was not the way to go, but wanted to ask. Now the question is best way to Addison. I'm actually coming from below Saratoga (just used LG outlets as a reference point in earlier post), so it's either:
1) Exit 20 -- seems better to go to 21 though.
2) Exit 21 -- seems best way to 9N.
3) Exit 28 to 74, etc., but as steeze points out, 87 goes west after 20/21 -- in fact, according to google maps, it's 40 mi. tween 20 and 28, then another 17 east to ticonderoga, but only 36 miles right up 9N to ticonderoga from LG.

If I do the 20 or 21 thing, just wondering how 9N is along lake, is it shortest but lower speed limits, or is it 55 mph in parts?

Exit 22 is the best way to 9N, but not much different than Exit 21. 9N is not a highway. The speed limit does get low at times, and the road is curvy at times. There are large stretches that you probably are in the 45mph range, I don't know that it hits 50+ for very long, if it at all. On a couple occasions it will drop closer to 30mph for brief stretches, I think, but I would generally expect mid 40s, if I remember correctly.

But you can get to 17 by taking Exit 20 to 149 to Rt. 4 to either:
(a) Vt. Rt. 22A to 17
(b) Vt. Rt. 7 to 116 to 17

Honestly not sure which of the 3 ways to 17 is the best, but my guess is it is not going straight up 9N. I probably would only take 9N to the bridge if you were starting out north of the outlets.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

IMHO any of the routes getting off I87 to 149 work just fine. I feel using 30 or 22A from Rt4 is faster then going thru Rutland and heading north on Rt 100 near the kmart entrance. Course if I'm hungry I will go to Rutvegas as I enjoy eating at either the Mid-City Diner or Gilles.

I agree that staying on I87 further north doesn't work that great. I grew up north(3 miles) of Bolton Landing on Rt 9N and that route mentioned is slow and winding getting over the mountain to Hague then Ticonderoga to the bridge to Rt 17. One caveat tho is when you hit the last hill on the I87 access road to Rt 9N the view of Lake George as it lays in front of you is absolutely gorgeous.

 

[kcyanks1]

IMHO any of the routes getting off I87 to 149 work just fine. I feel using 30 or 22A from Rt4 is faster then going thru Rutland and heading north on Rt 100 near the kmart entrance. Course if I'm hungry I will go to Rutvegas as I enjoy eating at either the Mid-City Diner or Gilles.

I agree that staying on I87 further north doesn't work that great. I grew up north(3 miles) of Bolton Landing on Rt 9N and that route mentioned is slow and winding getting over the mountain to Hague then Ticonderoga to the bridge to Rt 17.

Where'd you grow up? My family used to go to Bolton Landing for vacations when I was growing up.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Where'd you grow up? My family used to go to Bolton Landing for vacations when I was growing up.

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