The Canadian Rockies have all the ingredients which guarantee a unique travel experience. A spectacular scenery of huge mountains, vast forests and wild rivers, modern cities and bustling towns and an interesting history of exploration and development.
Kicking Horse Pass, 1887, Painting by L.R. O'Brian
Railways have played a fundamental role for the development of the Canadian West and the integration of the vast territories of Canada. The history of railway construction is an exhilarating story full of adventure. It was in the late nineteenth century when the final gap was closed and the first railway connection between West and East was finished in 1885. Constructing railways through the difficult terrain of the many mountain ranges was extremely difficult and a long list of amazing tunnels, spirals and bridges is testimony of the ingenious construction works.
Today, the railways in the Canadian West will satisfy all wants of the train enthusiast. The train trips in the Canadian Rockies belong definitely to the best train trips of the world. Interesting engineering constructions, spectacular views, vast landscapes, historic towns and comfortable trains. Indeed the options are so manifold that several different travels would be needed to experience everything.
The various options between Vancouver (British Columbia) in the very West and Calgary (Alberta) at the Eastern slopes of the Rockies are best known and advertised to the world as The Rocky Mountaineer. Today the Rocky Mountaineer is among the most popular train trips in North America and is operated by award-winning Rocky Mountaineer Vacations. Many awards like the World Travel Award or the nomination as one of the World’s Leading Travel Experiences by National Geographic are testimony of this popularity.
There are four options for experiencing the beauty of this region by train. The first is a day-trip journey between Vancouver and Whistler, the host of the Olympic winter games in 2010. This option is called The Whistler Mountaineer and gives a perfect overview into the coastal mountain regions and a look into the great landscape around Whistler. The train ride between Vancouver and Whistler lasts about three hours.
The other options involve a two-day train ride from Vancouver to Calgary (or alternatively Jasper) with an overnight stay in Kamloops or in Quesnel respectively (Fraser route). Thus the train journey guarantees a perfect daylight experience during the stunning scenery of the Canadian Rockies. There are three different routes to chose. The Kicking Horse Route and the Yellowhead Route are going both towards Kamloops during the first day and are then departing in different directions at the second day. The third route, Fraser Discovery, goes from Vancouver in northerly direction to Whistler and then enters the Caribou Plateau where the traveler spends the night in Quesnel, a historic gold rush town.
Kicking Horse Route (Vancouver-Kamloops-Banff/Calgary)
Stoney Creek Bridge, British Columbia, credits see below
This routes follows the historic transcontinental railway which connected the Western provinces with the East. The last spike was made in 1885 and the the Canadian Rocky Mountains which were thought as impenetrable for a long time were finally crossed. The route culminates around the Kicking Horse Pass (1630 m or 5340 ft) at the Continental Divide on the B.C. / Alberta border border. Originally the railway at the pass was named “The Big Hill” due to its steep gradient of 4.5 percent which was by far the steepest railway gradient in North America. To avoid the pitfalls of this steep gradient the railway was significantly improved in 1909 with the construction of the famous Spiral Tunnels which are still a major attraction. Another major attraction of this route is the Stoney Creek Bridge, an impressive steel truss arch bridge spanning 99 m above the wild Stoney Creek.
Yellowhead Route (Vancouver – Jasper)
The Yellowhead Route goes to the famous resort town of Jasper (Alberta). This is an extremely scenic route showcasing the quintessential landscapes of the Canadian Rockies. The Yellowhead route travels through an area known for its plentiful wildlife including black bears and mountain cariboo. The highlight of this train trip includes the famous views to the Mount Robson (with 3,954 m or 12,970 ft the highest peak of the Canadian Rockies), a huge mountain with its South Face rising almost 3000m high above the ground.
Fraser Discovery Route (Vancouver-Whistler – Jasper)
The Fraser Discovery Route follows the Fraser River, the longest river of British Columbia (1370 km or about 870 miles from Fraser Pass to the Strait of Georgia in Vancouver). The major attraction of this route is the Hell’s Gate in the Fraser Canyon. At Hell’s Gate the Fraser Canyon narrows down to only 35 meter (110 ft). The Fraser Route includes an overnight-stay in Quesnel, an historic gold rush town.
There are two different levels of service. The GoldLeaf Service includes not only gourmet meals but provides perfect panoramic views in its special Panoramic views full-length dome windows coaches. RedLeaf Service provide a basic service (including breakfast and lunch served at the seats) in classic rail cars. The Rocky Mountaineer only operates between April and October.