BEST RAIL JOURNEYS
Snake through Canada on a wild rail journey from Vancouver to Banff to witness the region’s shifting landscapes. BEST RAIL JOURNEYS, WORDS: Stuart Forster
Rocky Mountaineer
It may seem odd that I’m spending so little time in my seat. But there’s an open vestibule at the back of the Rocky Mountaineer — and it’s proving a great spot to take in the landscape as we roll north east towards Kamloops. This two-day route from Vancouver to Banff is called the First Passage to the West because it encompasses locations associated with the early settlement of western Canada. Places along this route have rugged, evocative names. At Hell’s Gate, 200 million gallons of water churn between the rocks of the steep canyon every minute. Scuzzy Creek, meanwhile, is named after a steamboat that transported supplies during the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). Cisco’s name comes from a First Nations’ term for the dangerous waters of the Fraser River: it’s the location of the longest single-span bridge on the line — a sun-bleached structure that stretches 425ft.
One day I chat with Ira, one of the train’s staff, about his favourite locations. He talks passionately about the line snaking alongside the river, through Kicking Horse Pass, into Yoho National Park. “I still get excited about seeing bears,” Ira adds, raising my hopes of seeing a grizzly. “That’s one of the things that I love about working here. If we see bears, I’m still as excited as my first day on board.” I notice we’re now following the sweep of the river in an otherwise desert-like landscape. Disturbed by the passage of the train, a bald eagle takes off from a boulder and soars low above the water. I completely forget about my empty seat a few carriages away.
HOW TO DO IT
The First Passage to the West Classic from Vancouver to Banff is available from £1,672.78 per person. rockymountaineer.com
sources: National Geographic Traveller UK , July 2018
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