Ride the rails to winter in the Canadian Rockies

Published 9:00 pm Saturday, October 16, 2004

When I arrived at Pacific Central Station in downtown Vancouver, B.C., the early December snow had switched to rain. But that didn’t dampen my spirits as I checked in for the 7 a.m. departure on Rocky Mountaineer Railtours’ “snow train.”

I made the trip in June the year before, and was eager to see the transformation of the summer scenery into a winter wonderland of glacier-capped mountains and snow-filled valleys.

Carolers in Edwardian garb greeted travelers at the station, and shortly after departure, an attendant handed me a glass of orange juice and “B.C. bubbly.” Let the journey begin.

Now in its sixth year, the snow train is a two-day trip between Vancouver and Banff, with bus connections to Calgary. For winter 2004, there are four departures: eastbound on Dec. 19 and 27 and westbound on Dec. 21 and 29. In addition to the two-day snow train, there are nine other winter rail packages ranging from four to 10 days.

Two classes of service are offered: RedLeaf and GoldLeaf. RedLeaf is less expensive, similar to sitting in coach, with meals at your seat. GoldLeaf is akin to traveling business or first class, with seating in a two-story glass domed car and a dining room below.

All passengers enjoy two specialty coaches: one featuring a children’s entertainer who leads the kids in songs, crafts and board games, and one coach for adults, with live music, a dance floor and a bar.

The first two hours we traveled due east. During our daylong journey of 276 miles to Kamloops, we passed through the Fraser River Valley, spotting snow-covered blueberry fields under a sky of blue. Mount Baker loomed in the distance.

Food is a focus of the Rocky Mountaineer trips, and by noon we had enjoyed breakfast, a snack and lunch. There is no assigned seating, and it’s a good opportunity to meet the other passengers on board.

At Mile 40 we were at Hope, the gateway to the Fraser River Canyon. We were told that the Sylvester Stallone movie “First Blood” was filmed here and it’s also the “Chainsaw Carving Capital of the World.”

Soon we were in the heart of winter country, passing through Yale, population 300, and heading into Hell’s Gate. Passengers were at the ready with their cameras, trying to capture the narrowest point of the Fraser River. The water level is at its highest here, with more water going through Hell’s Gate than over Niagara Falls.

During lunch, we spotted osprey nests atop telephone poles. Ashcroft, famous for the Great Slide of 1880, was next. The trip is both more entertaining and more informative because of onboard commentary and the Rocky Mountaineer, a mock newspaper complete with route maps and descriptions.

Our journey ended at Kamloops, where we transferred to buses and checked into the Palace Hotel. Rocky Mountaineer Railtours wisely developed the “Two Junction Dinner and Musical Review” in 1996, giving passengers something to do in the evening.

As we headed back to the buses, an inch of snow had fallen. The next day, we were Alberta bound.

Leaving Kamloops early the next morning, we journeyed through Chase, Little Shuswap Lake, where someone spotted a coyote, Notch Hill, Salmon Arm, Shuswap Lake, Canoe, Sicamous and Mara Lake. We crossed the Eagle River 15 times and Craigellachie is where the last spike was driven, completing the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885.

No surprise, it was time to eat again. The food in GoldLeaf is delicious, served on white tablecloths and with fine dinnerware and cutlery. The menu included winter squash soup, maple-glazed duck breast, oven roasted Fraser Valley turkey and eggnog cheesecake, all accompanied by B.C. wines and other beverages.

After a leisurely lunch we returned to our perches upstairs, eventually entering Rogers Pass.

Between Revelstoke and Golden to the east we passed through the Columbia Mountains, with its four ranges, the Monashees, Selkirks, Purcells and Cariboos. We traversed the Stoney Creek Bridge on the eastern slop of Mount Tupper, towering 325 feet about the creek bed.

After the Spiral Tunnels, one of the steepest links on the CP line, we reached the Continental Divide at Stephen. This is the highest point in the trip, 5,332 feet above sea level, and the boundary between Yoho National Park In British Columbia and Banff National Park in Alberta.

Somebody shouted, “Santa Claus!” and there he was, standing outside in the snow, waving. The train slowed to a halt and Santa and his reindeer assistant boarded the train and passed through the train’s cars, handing out treats before disembarking.

Most of the passengers left the train in Banff, but I opted to continue to Calgary and soak up that city’s winter offerings. But I missed the cozy atmosphere of the Rocky Mountaineer and the new friends I met on board. Especially Santa.