Along Trans Canada 1 - Yoho National Park, Spiral Train Tracks, Continental Divide

August 10/2014  Sunny, high 80's again, cool at night 58
From camp we took the motorcycle and road Trans Canada Hwy 1 east from Golden, British Columbia to Lake Louise, Alberta.  This being a major truck route we were a little surprised in the steep inclines and descents and sharp turns. 

descent on hwy 1 into Golden

When heading into Golden it warns you of 14 kilometers/9 miles of sharp turns and decline, trucks chain up in the winter - no kidding!  Well we were glad to be on the motorcycle and not in the motorhome.  Everyone tells us we will see enough mountains with it.

in the distance is the village of Field & the Yoho visitor center

Before coming to British Columbia we had never heard of Yoho National Park.  The scenery is beautiful.  No wonder the Cree Indians named it Yoho meaning "awe".   There was a huge archaeological find in the highest peaks of Yoho, it is the 505 million year old Burgess Shale.  Kind of looks like an ancient "bug" to me but it is a marine organism.   Remember.... 505 million years ago these mountain ranges were an ocean flour.  Ok.  Now that makes you think, doesn't it!

Burgess Shale

In the Rockie Mountain range all through North America you will cross the Continental Divide.   The Great Divide separates the watersheds that drain into the Pacific Ocean from those that drain into the Atlantic Ocean.  We crossed it a few times in Montana but never saw the reality as simply as here at Kicking Horse Pass.  Divide Creek has a fork draining west and another draining east.   We were driving up to the Pass and you could see the water flowing towards us;  a few miles later you could actually see the water flowing with us!  Don't you love it with Geography comes alive???  

map showing the spiral tunnels - 1 upper and 1 lower - follow the tracks

On and off along the Trans Canada Hwy 1 you can see that it follows the CPR Canadian Pacific Railroad line, which was here before the road.  In the early 1900's the railroad track summit near Wapta Lake was the steepest in North America with a 4.5 % grade.   Extreme for trains, causing trains to come off the track and crash with fatalities.

Here comes the train!!!

 In 1901 CPR opened up a pair of Spiral Tunnels to reduce the grade to a manageable 2.2%.   You can view the tunnels and see the exhibit from a stop on the highway.  How lucky could we be? We could hear the train coming through while we were there!!! (Billy lets get that lottery ticket tonight).   This was better than Disney World,,,  so cool.

See the Engines above coming through the tunnel while the train cars are following below