Day Trip To Takakkaw Falls with the Spiral tunnel
August 20 we did a day trip into the mountains to try for a drive up to Moraine Lake. Left fairly early as in the summer now the lack of parking has the Parks Service running shuttle buses to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. As we got closer to Lake Louise (the town site) we saw that the Shuttle buses were running already.
Back up plan, keep driving. We ended up going into BC and ended up driving into Takakkaw Falls. We didn't stop there as the parking there was just as bad as Lake Louise. Not a parking spot to be found but the drive in was worth it on its own. So mainly sunroof shots on the Falls road.
After we came out we went into Field BC to find a bit of lunch. Saw that there was a train heading west which meant that it would be going through the Spiral tunnels. Over the last to many decades every time I have been through the area I have stopped at the over look for the tunnels in hope of catching a train. So lunch was put on hold and a slight race was held to beat the train to the tunnels. We won.
I hope that you like the pictures.
Starting up the road to Takakkaw Falls. Beautiful warm day and low enough speeds to have all of the windows and sunroof open.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8384/2...ef839b53_b.jpgDSCF3087 by ssicarman, on Flickr
Most interesting feature of the drive can almost be seen in the distance.
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8342/2...ffbf8f74_b.jpgDSCF3088 by ssicarman, on Flickr
Hard to see but there is a switch back up ahead. Better pictures on the way down.
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8256/2...462d90cf_b.jpgDSCF3089 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8100/2...374ac7fa_b.jpgDSCF3091 by ssicarman, on Flickr
Looking down from where we came.
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8886/2...6b0a9908_b.jpgDSCF3093 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8195/2...0655caef_b.jpgDSCF3094 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8147/2...533ff5c9_b.jpgDSCF3095 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8432/2...135bd3ec_b.jpgDSCF3096 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8225/2...3b69a35f_b.jpgDSCF3097 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8529/2...f2dda70b_b.jpgDSCF3098 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8038/2...87066bee_b.jpgDSCF3099 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8634/2...f705abba_b.jpgDSCF3100 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8025/2...21f79abe_b.jpgDSCF3101 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8794/2...8ee604fc_b.jpgDSCF3102 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8421/2...2e249537_b.jpgDSCF3103 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8484/2...5063131d_b.jpgDSCF3104 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8010/2...6c79ca06_b.jpgDSCF3105 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8701/2...bcdc1b49_b.jpgDSCF3106 by ssicarman, on Flickr
First glimpse of the falls.
https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8120/2...63ac0a14_b.jpgDSCF3107 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7526/2...d7cc8138_b.jpgDSCF3113 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8124/2...a6f8cc94_b.jpgDSCF3114 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8478/2...b428ec5a_b.jpgDSCF3115 by ssicarman, on Flickr
What the parking lot looks like all the way through.
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8437/2...7d9c26e6_b.jpgDSCF3116 by ssicarman, on Flickr
Heading back out.
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8287/2...02d74254_b.jpgDSCF3117 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8227/2...c6e9a340_b.jpgDSCF3118 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8010/2...c8f3ed99_b.jpgDSCF3119 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8261/2...dd17d757_b.jpgDSCF3120 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8215/2...2da2f124_b.jpgDSCF3121 by ssicarman, on Flickr
Coming up the the switch back.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8277/2...72a771af_b.jpgDSCF3122 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8381/2...2591968c_b.jpgDSCF3123 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8411/2...0a119864_b.jpgDSCF3124 by ssicarman, on Flickr
The really fun thing about this switchback is that tour buses (at least they used to, I don't know if they still do) take this road to the falls. The trip through the switch back (two corners the upper one is this one) involves nosing into the corners backing up up into the next corner and heading on up/down.
https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7505/2...98a89947_b.jpgDSCF3125 by ssicarman, on Flickr
In the corner from the last picture.
https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7650/2...686efff7_b.jpgDSCF3127 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8235/2...dba3bf8c_b.jpgDSCF3128 by ssicarman, on Flickr
On the way down.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8330/2...3f85205b_b.jpgDSCF3129 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8178/2...9441a75d_b.jpgDSCF3130 by ssicarman, on Flickr
Model of the tunnels. We are watching the train from the parking lot area.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8546/2...cee68ca4_b.jpgDSCF3165 by ssicarman, on Flickr
The beginning of the Spiral tunnels shots. The lower spiral tunnel is in the middle of the taller trees.
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8433/2...28146260_b.jpgDSCF3132 by ssicarman, on Flickr
The engine at the front of the train heading into the tunnel.
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8674/2...b01fe9c5_b.jpgDSCF3133 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8430/2...a5c0af45_b.jpgDSCF3134 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8380/2...7509c52e_b.jpgDSCF3135 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8313/2...df9a8ce3_b.jpgDSCF3136 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8778/2...681f9095_b.jpgDSCF3138 by ssicarman, on Flickr
Front end coming out.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8206/2...2f1502fa_b.jpgDSCF3139 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8497/2...2116b21c_b.jpgDSCF3140 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8121/2...872546cc_b.jpgDSCF3141 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8534/2...81b56ae9_b.jpgDSCF3143 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7693/2...24ab3602_b.jpgDSCF3144 by ssicarman, on Flickr
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https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8022/2...1131c800_b.jpgDSCF3146 by ssicarman, on Flickr
Green splotch in the trees is the train. If you look at the model you will see under the parking lot where the train runs.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8523/2...24acb509_b.jpgDSCF3151 by ssicarman, on Flickr
Picture with the tail end, middle and front end.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8060/2...a4ef6326_b.jpgDSCF3153 by ssicarman, on Flickr
Engine on the end of the train.
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8265/2...6b69ef10_b.jpgDSCF3160 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8252/2...a7abddce_b.jpgDSCF3162 by ssicarman, on Flickr
Done with the train. Into Field for lunch. Old railway building.
https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7474/2...f85e11b2_b.jpgDSCF3168 by ssicarman, on Flickr
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8336/2...e751b8cc_b.jpgDSCF3169 by ssicarman, on Flickr
A couple of shots up the Kicking Horse River to where the tunnels are.
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8523/2...819c6e65_b.jpgDSCF3170 by ssicarman, on Flickr
The highway with the bridge over the river can be seen at the end of the valley.
https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7784/2...157ca881_b.jpgDSCF3171 by ssicarman, on Flickr
