Day 4: July 7, 2019
It took us forever to get out of Calgary with road closures and traffic. But once we were on the Trans Canada Highway going west, the next stop was Banff. The front was very abrupt, it was a true front in that the mountains were there, with no foothills.
In Banff, it is a lot like like Vail. Beautiful scenery, gondola rides, resorts, people engaged in all sort of Mountain sports. But there is also the Banff Springs Hotel. Approximately 100 years ago, the Canadian Pacific Railroad was seeking to expand the use of its rails going west. To promote tourism in what was a very remote area, it built a string of magnificent hotels. There is a CP hotel in Banff, called the Banff Springs Hotel, and it is a gem.
The Banff Springs Hotel is built on the Bow River. Just below the hotel is Bow Falls:
On our way north, we ventured into British Columbia to see the spiral tunnels. Because of the grade, the trains had a difficult time making it over the pass. And in a brilliant stroke of engineering, the Canadian Pacific created the "spiral tunnels" to reduce the grade making it easier for trains to get through.
The Big Hill on the Canadian Pacific Railway main line in British Columbia, Canada, was the most difficult piece of railway track on the Canadian Pacific Railway's route. It was situated in the rugged Canadian Rockies west of the Continental Divide and Kicking Horse Pass. The problem was that the railway had to ascend 1,070 feet (330 m) along a distance of 10 miles (16 km) from Field at 4,267 feet (1,301 m) climbing to the top of the Continental Divide at 5,340 feet (1,630 m). The narrow valleys and high mountains limited the space where the railway could stretch out and limit the grade. Hence, the later decisions to bore extra mileage under the mountains and lower the grades.
Upon leaving the spiral tunnels, we traveled back into Alberta and rode the Icefields Parkway. The scenery was beautiful, and we saw actual glaciers.
The last hour of driving was through rain, and 56 degree temperatures. That is what our whole day will be tomorrow.
In Banff, it is a lot like like Vail. Beautiful scenery, gondola rides, resorts, people engaged in all sort of Mountain sports. But there is also the Banff Springs Hotel. Approximately 100 years ago, the Canadian Pacific Railroad was seeking to expand the use of its rails going west. To promote tourism in what was a very remote area, it built a string of magnificent hotels. There is a CP hotel in Banff, called the Banff Springs Hotel, and it is a gem.
The Banff Springs Hotel is built on the Bow River. Just below the hotel is Bow Falls:
On our way north, we ventured into British Columbia to see the spiral tunnels. Because of the grade, the trains had a difficult time making it over the pass. And in a brilliant stroke of engineering, the Canadian Pacific created the "spiral tunnels" to reduce the grade making it easier for trains to get through.
The Big Hill on the Canadian Pacific Railway main line in British Columbia, Canada, was the most difficult piece of railway track on the Canadian Pacific Railway's route. It was situated in the rugged Canadian Rockies west of the Continental Divide and Kicking Horse Pass. The problem was that the railway had to ascend 1,070 feet (330 m) along a distance of 10 miles (16 km) from Field at 4,267 feet (1,301 m) climbing to the top of the Continental Divide at 5,340 feet (1,630 m). The narrow valleys and high mountains limited the space where the railway could stretch out and limit the grade. Hence, the later decisions to bore extra mileage under the mountains and lower the grades.
Upon leaving the spiral tunnels, we traveled back into Alberta and rode the Icefields Parkway. The scenery was beautiful, and we saw actual glaciers.
The last hour of driving was through rain, and 56 degree temperatures. That is what our whole day will be tomorrow.
Today, we drove 370 miles for a trip total of 2119 miles. Tomorrow, it is back into British Columbia for the start of the Alaska Highway.
I remember the beauty, so happy for you my brother! Have lots of fun ya ole iron butt😉 God bless. . keep it safe
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