Day #2: Train Trip from Kamloops to Banff National Park

Day 2: Train Trip from Kamloops to Banff National Park, Alberta (309 miles)

June 2, 2017

 Leaving Kamloops at 6:15 in the morning (John complaining it is too early) the train follows gentle volcanic hills along the South Thompson River. At the base of the volcanic rocks lie sandstone mounds or ‘hoodoos’, which are moraines left by ancient glaciers. 

John who frequently references Vashon on trips tells me, “like Vashon 20,000 years ago, Alberta and part of Northern US was covered with a glacier shield”. Following the retreat of glaciers there is evidence that people lived in Alberta 8 to 18,000 years ago. (see day 6 blog for more information about fossils found in rocks discovered in Emerald Lake in 1909 which is where we stayed) 

We pass by Lake Shuswap the ‘houseboat capital of the world’ into ‘Osprey alley’ where we see many osprey nests perched on top of telegraph poles. The Rocky Mountaineer train taking the original route through tunnels in the mountains and by Stoney Creek bridge over the Columbia River, follows Kicking Horse canyon and crosses and recrosses Kicking Horse river several times. 

We continue to enjoy the train food and the people we talk with.

The train reaches the famous ‘Spiral Tunnel’ built in 1907. We start from the bottom of the tunnel and go up inside two mountains in a spiral. This tunnel was designed to replace the dangerously steep track straight  up the mountain where previously many trains came to grief. (the incline was reduced from 4.5% to 2.5%) I think of the child's story book (written in early 1900) of the train engine that thought it could go up hill.  "I wish I could." I believe I am falling in love with trains and their persistence!

Big Horn Mountain Sheep

Elk

Finally, we reach the Continental Divide, the boundary between Alberta and British Columbia which is the highest point on the trip, 5332 ft above sea level. Rainwater falling east of the divide flows to the Atlantic, and rainwater falling west makes its way to the Pacific. We turn our clocks forward an hour for Alberta time.

The train snakes through the Rockies along the Bow River, with snow-capped peaks and pine tree forests surrounding us. As we near Banff there is an impressive and imposing mountain called Castle Mountain which indeed looks like a castle.  John occasionally looks up at the views from his I-pad or book.

The train staff were incredible ~ best service ever! 

I am excited we are reaching Banff and where we will be staying at the Banff Springs Hotel. I worked here as a telephone operator during a college summer 50 years ago!  What will I remember? How will it look now? They put out the red carpet for our arrival in Banff!

Stay  tuned for day #3 in Banff for bears, elk, sheep and sasquatch! 

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