Canadian Railroads > ? On Kicking Horse pass

I drove through on Tuesday in poor weather and no trains (that I know of). Spectacular scenery, but from Hwy 1, the tracks seemed far below and not visible.
Will be in the area again tomorrow and wondered if there are any family friendly places to go and look for trains?

Posted from Android

West of Field BC, there is Ottertail Creek bridge which is right beside Highway 1 near Ottertail siding.

There is a rock cut a mile east of Leanchoil which has a spectacular mountain backdrop.

From Leanchoil, the second siding west of Field, all the way to Golden, the tracks follow the valley floor and the highway is far above.

There used to be a number of photo angles around Glenogle (first siding east of Golden) but the highway has been diverted out of the canyon here. I believe the old highway is accessible as an access road to the river.

Finally, the Golden municipal campground is right at the mouth of the canyon in Golden with the railway visible across the Kicking Horse River.

Much of the canyon is inaccessible from the highway.

eminence_grise Wrote:
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> West of Field BC, there is Ottertail Creek bridge
> which is right beside Highway 1 near Ottertail
> siding.

IMHO, this is way too dangerous a place to stop to be considered "family friendly". Great photo spot, however.


> There used to be a number of photo angles around
> Glenogle (first siding east of Golden) but the
> highway has been diverted out of the canyon here.
> I believe the old highway is accessible as an
> access road to the river.

There is a rest area with washrooms off the highway directly across the river from Glenogle siding. I would certainly call this place family friendly.


East of Field -

With the Lower Spiral Tunnel viewpoint still closed for winter, the only places that could be considered family friendly (safe) would be the parking lot on Yoho Road, the parking area on Lake Ohara Road and in Lake Louise at the train station restaurant.

Note- the section of the Bow Valley Parkway that includes Morants Curve will be closed until June.

eminence_grise Wrote:
> There used to be a number of photo angles around
> Glenogle (first siding east of Golden) but the
> highway has been diverted out of the canyon here.
> I believe the old highway is accessible as an
> access road to the river.>>

I hiked in from the Kicking Horse Rest Area (across the river from Glenogle) on Hwy.1 last summer on the old pavement. Some good angles back under the new Park Bridge, but the trees on the river bank between the river and railroad are starting to block the view. Allow a good 20+ minute walk to the curves under Park Bridge.
Dave from Missoula

Years ago there was some talk (by the tourism folks) about selective trimming of a few areas to ehance the view.

I guess the Parks people didn't go along...

Posted from Android

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> Years ago there was some talk (by the tourism
> folks) about selective trimming of a few areas to
> ehance the view.
>
> I guess the Parks people didn't go along...
>


That would have been the 'Friends of Yoho' folks. And you're right, Parks did not go along.

They are still gathering funds to build a new observation platform at the LST viewpoint. Maybe it will be a bit higher than the old one which should provide a bit better view.

This all might be moot. As anyone who has traveled through Yoho knows, the whole forest along the south side of the valley west of Field has been devastated by mountain pine beetles. It is quite possible that could also happen to the slopes of Cathedral Mountain (Upper tunnel) and Mt. Ogden (lower tunnel).

And there is also the possibility that Parks could do a 'Prescribed Burn'. CP would no doubt be very nervous about that idea however.

Thanks all. Today, we decided to go to Revelstoke and the railway museum there. Nice museum.

I was disappointed I couldn't find Morants Curve as we were turned back by a bridge construction crew east of there earlier this week. It would have been nice if they would have posted a sign that the road was closed other than a vague sign they chose to post. I was able to visit the Lake Louise depot - not easy to make your way through all of the snow piles! - and a few other random spots. When I get home, I'll post a few of the shots I was able to get in sub optimal conditions.

The mountains here are breathtaking, expansive and limited accessibility to many locations, particularly in winter, but well worth any time you are able to spend here. Absolutely amazing views.

Posted from Android

Your question is giving me an excuse to sort through and post some old pix. Hope these are of interest. Photographing trains on Kicking Horse is not easy, you need to work at it to find some good spots. Here are a few pix from from many years ago. Been a long time and much has changed The first is near Glenogle, the new highway was being built, have no idea what this looks like now. The second is west of Field where the highway crosses the railroad and there is (was?) a road down to the tracks on the east side. It may be off limits now. The third is from the former viewing platform for the lower spiral tunnel....the trees keep growing and last time I was there the platform was abandoned.

JBWX



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/14/18 20:28 by jbwest.

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The first is approaching the lower spiral tunnel before the railroad crosses under the road. The tight crop at the bottom is because the highway would be in the picture if I framed any lower. The second is exiting the upper spiral (on a MofW road, probably in a place I should not have been). And finally a shot at the top....is it called Summit Lake? The old highway on the south side of the lake used to provide easy access to this spot, but now it is a hiking trail. The passenger train is the old VIA-operated Rocky Mountaineer.

JBWX



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/14/18 20:29 by jbwest.

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How would drones with their own cameras affect these locations?

I'm thinking the old platform location might be a launch point for a drone out and west of the lower tunnel portal.

Posted from Android

Drones create a whole new world of photography. When well done the results can be awesome and I can't think of a better application that along the CP.

JBWX

Great pics and good photography is always of interest.

Notably, drones are specifically prohibited in the Canadian national parks, although as with much of railroad photography, you get in and make quick work of getting your photos and remain unnoticed and no one would be any wiser.

Posted from Android

This article is just from January of this year. Even other park visitors will rat you out for using a drone.


http://www.rmoutlook.com/article/If-you-go-online-you-can-find-the-regulations--man-fined-500-for-drone-in-national-park-20180118

Drones are one of those pain pleasure things. They can be very intrusive and annoying, but at the same time I have seen some glorious photography taken with them. Drones pose all kinds of privacy and safety issues as they become more common. How to regulate drones is just another of the many new challenges that the digital age is creating for us, with regulations (and enforcement) dragging way behind the technology.

JBWX

Thanks for the update on Canadian drone rules.

Parks Canada doesn't strike me as an outfit willing to allow zones for drone use in some Parks. Even for a fee.

Posted from Android


(Edited for a nonsensical "auto-correct" correction)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/18/18 07:26 by Lackawanna484.

Here's the latest from Parks Canada...

https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/banff/info/permis-permit/drone

This indicates fines up to $25,000 !