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Highway 93 The British Columbia provincial highway 93, or the Kootenay Highway, is a north-south freeway that runs through the southeast portion of the province. It has a total length of 317 km (197 mi). |
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Kicking Horse Pass A high mountain (e 1643m, 5390 ft) pass located on the Trans-Canada Highway straddling the Continental Divide, the pass extends 80 km through the Rocky Mountains between Golden, British Columbia and Lake Louise, Alberta. Connecting through the Yoho and Banff National Parks, the pass is a major route to many tourist attractions, including the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort.
Located 10 km north west of Lake Louise, Alberta, the pass was discovered in 1858 by James Hector, a geologist and naturalist who was part of the Palliser Expedition. The pass and nearby river was named after Hector who was kicked in the chest by a packhorse on the expedition and was left for dead until his fellow mates realized he was still alive.
In the 1800's, the pass was selected over the more northerly Yellowhead route as the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway. In this period, the pass was a very treacherous and often deadly route for railroaders as train derailments were routine despite the spur lines that were in place to offset the steep rail grades. CPR engineer John Schwitzer solved the problem by designing two 2.5 km spiral tunnels, which were carved into the valley walls in 1909. After 20 months, the gradient was lowered from 4.5 percent to 2.2 percent, which helped increase the speed of the trains and make the popular route much safer. Address: . Golden BC CAN V0A 1H0
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Highway 95A The alternate route to Highway 95, Highway 95A serves Kimberley and the community of Ta Ta Creek in southeastern British Columbia. North of Cranbrook, BC, Highway 95A diverts from Highway 95 and runs a 55 km (34.1 mi) course northwest before returning to the Highway 95 route south of Skookumchuck, BC. |
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Highway 95 US Route 95 runs north-south through Western America and into Canada. The highway passes through Arizona, California Nevada, Oregon, Idaho and terminates in Golden, BC. |
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Trans-Canada Highway The longest national highway in the world, the main route of the Trans-Canada stretches 7604 km (4725 mi) from St. John's, NF, to Victoria, BC. Along the route, it passes through all ten provinces. |
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Roger's Pass Reaching an elevation of 1,381 m (4,534 ft) in Glacier National Park, this sought-after passageway through the Selkirk Mountains provides a shortcut across the “Big Bend” of the Columbia River from Revelstoke to Donald (near Golden) in British Columbia.
In 1881, commissioned by the Canadian Pacific Railway, Major A.B. Rogers made his way to the summit in search of a pass for the transcontinental rail line. The following summer, Rogers confirmed the path's existence and by 1885 the rail line through the steep pass was complete. However, it wasn't long until the CPR encountered the daunting task of protecting the line from avalanches. Following an avalanche that claimed the lives of 58 rail workers, the railway ceased operations through Roger's Pass in 1910.
Between 1956 and 1962, after 35 years of relative quiet, the Trans-Canada Highway was constructed over many of the abandoned tracks. Today, measures to drastically increase the safety of the road include five long tunnels and the cooperation of the Royal Canadian Artillery, who knock down avalanches each winter.
An attractive area to anyone interested in skiing, mountaineering and other outdoor pursuits, Roger's Pass has accommodation options, an Interpretive Centre and historical remnants of Canada's initial attempt to cross the Selkirk Mountains. Address: . Roger's Pass BC CAN
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