Set in the THE COQUIHALLA CANYON PROVINCIAL PARK minutes from the town of Hope are what could be one of B.C.'s best kept seccrets. Here I've lived in Chilliwack and the Fraser Valley for the past eight years and NEVER I mean never have I seen the Othello Tunnels - a series of abandoned railway tunnels and bridges that will take your breath away!
As you take the windy logging rode up to the Park a large parking lot awaits you (pay parking)...From there its a 10 minutes walk along a beautifully treed gravel path.....leaves starting to turn into their autumn wonder....by your side is the babbling rush of the Coquihalla River...It's an exhilerating walk.....knowing that soon...around the corner you'll face your first tunnel....
The hike is pretty easy. There's a bit of an uphill climb to get to the tunnels, but its short. Once you get to the former railroad tracks its pretty easy going. The tunnels themselves don't take long to hike... an hour at most. But the hike is spectacular!
Designed by engineer Andrew McCulloch, the tunnels were built from 1911 to 1916 to complete the Kettle Valley Railway. Cost of building the railway was approx. 136,000 per mile - 5x the cost of normal railway construction at the time - 13 tunnels - and 43 Bridges 22 million board feet of lumber and 56 tons of steel.
The history of the tunnels is interesting... an architectural marvel in that dynamite had to be set into the mountain rock via long ladders from the top of the mountain, and those lighting the dynamite had only seconds to scamper back up the ladder to the top without being blown up. Yet all the caves form a uniform arch.
The biggest challenge was finding a way to get through the Coquihalla gorge where the river had cut a 300,000 gorge where the river had cut a 300 foot deep channel in a wall of solid granite.
"Rough quarries, rocks and hills whose heads touch heavens"....William Shakespeare
Unfortunately after it was completed, there was washout after washout with rockslides plaguing the railway continuously. Eventually the Line was to close in 1959.
The tunnels are huge, exciting and eerie at the same time, and a little flashlight definitely comes in handy. Everytime you step out of a tunnel theres a wooden bridge with incredible views.
The Coquihalla flows freely through the gorge amidst the granite backdrop ...that'll take your breath away!
*The tunnels are located less than two hours from Vancouver, close to Hell's Gate, Minter Gardens, and Bridal Veil Falls.
More links:
Map to Othello Tunnels
Kettle Valley Steam Railway
Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park
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Check out my other posts about the Hope Area!
The Hope Slide - Canada's Largest Rock Slide, Hope, B.C.
The Friendship Garden - Tashme Japanese Internment Camp - Hope, B.C.
Chainsaw Carving Capital of the World - Hope
Kawkawa Lake - Hope's Hidden Gem - B.C.
Sunshine Valley - Hope, B.C. - A Little Bit of Sunshine !
If you or someone you know is thinking of buying or selling property in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Langley or anywhere in the Fraser Valley Area of B.C. - or if you' would like more information please give Liz Moras a call! Managing Broker and Team Leader - 604-799-0459 or e-mail at lizmoras@gmail.com.
Copyright © 2008 By Liz Moras, All Rights Reserved
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Liz - Very beautiful photos and it really looks like you had a relaxing weekend. thanks!