Trestles and Tunnels : Castlegar to C&W Tunnel Station

When we set out from Castlegar it was already a warm, sunny morning, although a thin haze partially veiled the forested slopes surrounding the city.  Our route today took us along the Columbia and Western Rail Trail, which we will continue to follow for the next 160 km to Midway. 

Although the C&W Rail Trail officially begins at the old railway station in Castlegar, the first 11 km of it follow Arrow Lakes Rd.  This winding, undulating, paved road parallels the Columbia River.  Steep, craggy slopes rose up on both sides of the wide, calm, deep blue waters of the riverway.  The morning sun was turning the treed mountainsides to gold, and the warm colours were reflected in the waters of the river.

As we made our way along the waterway towards the Trans Canada Trail parking lot and trailhead, we passed the Interfor Pulp Mill.  This huge mill was apparently being shut down, and the cleaning process was creating a lot of brown and yellow smoke that billowed out of the smoke stacks and brought with it a very pungent odour. 

Just after the pulp mill we came to the Hugh Keenleyside Dam.  When this dam was created in 1968 the Upper and Lower Arrow Lakes, which were originally separated by 14 km of land, were joined.  The result was a 242 km long waterbody that became British Columbia's third largest reservoir.  The water level of Arrow Lake was raised more than 12 m, forcing several communities to relocate, and flooding most of the area's arable land.

Just past the dam we came to the gravel parking lot at the trailhead for the Columbia and Western Rail Trail.  A kiosk at the trailhead explained the history of the railway and CPR activities in the area.  In 1890, gold and copper were discovered in the nearby Rossland Range.  The Columbia and Western (C&W) Railway was chartered to run from the smelter in Trail to Penticton.  Given the incredibly steep terrain, building the railway was a major undertaking. The line was completed up to Robson West in 1897, and by 1900 it had reached Greenwood.  A passenger service was operated along the line, and ore from the Boundary region was transported to the smelter in Trail. 

By reaching the Boundary District, the Canadian Pacific Railway had scored a major victory against its American competitors in a bid to re-establish Canadian control in southern British Columbia.  Although the railway was never profitable enough to recoup the costs of its construction, it was deemed an important part of Canadian history.  The last train left Castlegar on this line in 1989.  It is now maintained as a multiuse trail open to hikers, cyclists, equestrians, and motorized vehicles.

As we took our first steps on the rail trail two Bald Eagles took flight from the tall conifers that bordered the river beside us.  It felt like we were walking in a tunnel, with tall rocky cliffs rising high up above our heads on one side, and a band of tall conifers on the other, separating us from the river. To the east, the forested slopes of the Selkirks rose up, and across the river to the west we could see the Monashees.

In the first couple of kilometres of pathway we were passed by several locals out walking their dogs, and by an older gentleman out for a bike ride.  Although we spent the day gradually climbing, gaining nearly 700 m in elevation, it felt like such a huge relief to be on such a well maintained rail trail for a change, where the terrain was undemanding and we were left free to enjoy the spectacular scenery around us. 

When we left the trailhead at km 8.8 we were more or less at water level.  However, we began to climb almost immediately.  About 3 km in we could look down into the clear, blue waters below us, and we were intrigued to see railway tracks under the water.  Soon we came to Labarthe Tunnel, a small opening in the warm yellow cliff down below us at the water level.  When the Keensleyside Dam was created and the water level in Arrow Lake was raised, apparently the railway tracks also had to be relocated to higher ground. As a result during periods when the water level is low both the original train line and tunnel can be seen from the pathway above.

It was a gorgeous morning, and the scenery was incredible.  As the temperatures began to climb into the mid-20's we were very thankful to be walking on the side of the valley that was shaded by the mountains. The sun soaked colourful slopes opposite seemed to glow, and they were reflected almost perfectly in the still waters of the river. Down below we could see lines of log booms floating along the shore, tethered to wooden posts, quietly waiting for their turn in the saw mill.  The rough chugging of a motor reached our ears, and looking down we saw a tug boat pulling more logs in towards the shore.

The Arrow Lakes are popular with sailors and boaters.  Soon we spotted Scottie's Marina on the far shore of the river, where a collection of white boats were neatly stowed among the parallel lines of the docks.  A short while later we spotted a red sailboat slipping silently down the waterway, the white triangle of its sails catching the breeze.

Although we were already climbing, we still spotted a Loon far down on the water.  Another Bald Eagle took flight from a floating log at the edge of the water, and we caught sight of a Belted Kingfisher perched on a huge piece of driftwood along the shore.  We could hear the honks of Red-breasted Nuthatches in the conifers above us, and many tiny chipmunks scampered across the trail ahead of us.

The first bit of excitement came when we arrived at the McCormack Trestle Bridge.  It was the first of three trestles we would cross today, walking high above the treetops as we passed over creeks far down below us.  The heights were a little dizzying, but apparently nothing compared to what lies ahead on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail.  We took a moment to look at how the wooden and metal bridge was constructed, and to marvel at the feats of engineering that were successfully undertaken in the Victorian age.

Our progress was slow, because every time there was a break in the trees we stopped to admire the stunning views out over Arrow Lake.  About 5 km after the trestle, we came to Shields Landing rest area.  It was situated at the site of a former water stop for steam locomotives, although nothing of the former structure remains except the foundation.  Given the importance of this line and the engineering achievements in constructing it, the absence of much of a footprint of it or those structures which supported it is stunning.  Railways which once tied the Canadas and other colonies together into a single nation and whose engineering stunned the world are now gone with only a few fading photographs and the memories of those who worked the lines to remind us of a once great age.  

A covered picnic table and a pit toilet were located at the rest stop, and the walls of the shelter around the table had interpretive plaques explaining that Shield's Landing was (inaccurately) named after pre-emptor Jim Sheill.  The location served as a supply centre for railroad construction in the section between West Robson and Bulldog Tunnel.  Once construction was complete, the station survived because it provided a convenient trailhead for trappers, prospectors, and it also supported a logging operation supplying timber to a sawmill in Greenwood.  Looking at the quiet forest landscape around us, it was difficult to imagine so much activity had once occurred there.

A few kilometres after Shields Landing we came to the first tunnel of the day, with the second one following just a kilometre later.  The first one was so short we could see straight through, which we found quite reassuring.

The second was only slightly longer, but had a few moments of darkness in the middle, which provided a small sense of mystery and adventure.  While both tunnels were short, they were nonetheless very impressive passages through the solid rocks that towered over our heads, capped with mature forests.

In the next few kilometres we crossed over two more trestle bridges - the Farr Creek Trestle and the Cub Creek Trestle which took us by surprise, because it wasn't listed on the map.  We hadn't seen a single opportunity to refill our water bottles until just past the Farr Creek Trestle, where we found a small spring coming out of the mountainside like a hose.  We didn't really want to carry extra water, but given the dryness of the landscape, we figured we'd better take advantage of the water while we could.  It turned out to be a good thing we did so.

The unexpected Cub Creek Trestle passed high above a forested valley, like all the others.  However, unlike the previous bridges, this one was gently curved and about twice as long, achieving a fancy elegance the others lacked.  We were also quite high up by this point, and views down the valley were breathtaking.  We felt very reassured by the solid decking and highly maintained appearance of the bridge.

As we approached Coykendahl we passed through another tunnel, which was the longest one yet, and slightly curved in the middle so we couldn't see straight through.  It felt surprisingly cold and damp inside, and it had its own musty smell.  For the first time it felt like we were 'inside' a mountain.

Shortly after this tunnel we came to the remains of Coykendahl Station, which really just consisted of a very short piece of train track.  Apparently there used to be a small railway cart mounted on the tracks, but it is now gone.  We were quite tired from all the climbing by this point, and decided to take a break.  Little did we know that just past this spot there was another covered picnic table, pit toilet, and water source!

By this point we were several hundred meters above the water, which we could see far below us.  We were just thinking that it felt unnerving to look down over the drop, when we came to a driveway that seemed to plunge straight over the cliff edge. Multiple signs warned that it was a private laneway, and that it lead to private properties.  Sure enough, there was a small community of nearly 40 residences way down below us!  If I lived there I would most certainly have come and gone by boat, not being anywhere near brave enough to navigate that long, steep, drive!

Just before the rail trail turned inland and skirted around a large and heavily logged or burned valley we came to George's Viewpoint.  Here a round stone picnic bench had been placed right on the edge of the road, offering panoramic views down the river valley and out across the forested slopes around us.  We couldn't resist taking a short break and stopping to enjoy the view.  The waters of the Columbia River were now 400 m below us! As such while I rested my legs on the bench Sean stayed far away with his back firmly against the mountain on the other side of the trail.

From the viewpoint we headed inland, curving around the Pup Creek Ravine.  By this time it was late afternoon, and the hot, bright sun was directly in our eyes.  A few trucks and ATVs had passed us over the course of the day, and at this point another black jeep sped around the gravel bend.  As it whipped past it left behind a large cloud of pot smoke.  I have never understood what possess people to walk or drive out into dangerous or treacherous environments and then impair themselves.  While the curving rail trail is in immaculate condition, there is a huge drop off the side, not to mention the possibility of large stones, animals, or hikers in the roadway around one of the bends!

As we continued onward, the tall, steep, forested slopes of Bulldog Mountain rose up ahead of us like a wall.  One of the greatest challenges facing the engineers who constructed the C&W railway was finding a way past this mountain.  At first, the railway went over the top, through a narrow pass that required ten switchbacks with a grade of 4%, far steeper than the standard maximum grade of 2.2% used by trains in the 19th century.  The trains had to be disassembled and eased slowly over the pass a few cars at a time, which was incredibly time consuming and expensive.

To address this problem, in 1899 construction of a tunnel through the mountain was begun.  Construction was done using air drills, which was the first time they'd been used on any railway tunnel in Canada.  Even using this modern technique, it took two years for the Bulldog Tunnel to be completed.  At 912 m in length, it is the longest tunnel found on the Trans Canada Trail, and until 1930 it was longest tunnel on any railway in Canada.

The entrance to the tunnel looked like a moss covered cave.  Water dripped in small streams from its roof, and a freezing cold, damp, wind blew out of its dark mouth. The tunnel curved at the far end, so looking down its length, all we could see ahead was pitch black darkness.  There literally was 'no light at the end of the tunnel.'

Sean photographed the entrance as I took our last break for the day.  When he returned he looked shaken and proposed hiking the switchbacks over the mountain rather than trekking through it.  The void of blackness in the tunnel was not a place he wanted to venture.  Walking out of the warm evening air into a seemingly endless tunnel was quite a creepy prospect!

When we first ventured inside, we thought the tunnel was so narrow that if a car came we'd have nowhere to go.  However, it turned out to be rather spacious inside.  We felt like we could have been part of Bilbo Baggins' crew of dwarves, entering the Mines of Moria ... only without the reassuring presence of Gandalf.  It was easy to imagine a group of orcs emerging out of the darkness, or perhaps a zombie horde, or somewhat more realistically, a large grizzly bear.

As we hurried along, wishing our tiny headlamps were stronger, we could see that most of the walls and ceiling consisted of chiselled rock.  A few parts had been reinforced with metal girders, concrete patches, or other materials.  When we got to the centre we discovered that the walls were covered in a pattern of white minerals that glowed in our weak headlamps!   Otherwise, it was cold and slimy and quiet inside, except for the dripping of water. The only sounds were those of our footsteps and the quiet splashes of water falling off the ceiling.

As we made it deeper into the tunnel our courage grew, but it was a great relief to make it to the far end about 15 minutes after entering. To our surprise, a few hundred meters later we came to Tunnel Station, another campsite with a covered picnic table, a pit toilet, and a fire ring.  With the day’s light already dimming at 6:30 pm we pitched the tent inside the shelter and made dinner at the picnic table, watching as the mountains around us faded to purple and the sky above us filled with stars.

We are at around 900 m elevation here, but as I write this at 11 pm it is still relatively warm.  A huge half moon is lighting up the mountainsides and everything is dead quiet, except for the sounds of something small chewing outside the tent.  Our food is securely locked into bear vaults, so hopefully whatever it is, it isn't chewing anything important to our endeavour.  Today has been a truly amazing day, with tunnels, trestles, gorgeous views, and a rail trail that is full of history. 

See you on the trail!

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