Vaters Airstream: Hope, British Columbia, Canada

Friday, August 16, we had pulled out of our campsite this morning early, about 7:15, and headed south. There is about 8 units that are planning on stopping at Kettle Valley Steam Railway, and we are one of them. We had arrived shorty after 9 am, with some of the other units following right after us. The train had pulled out of the station at 10:30, we were seating in an open car. We rode along the only preserved section of the original Kettle Valley Railway, which was built through the Kettle and Okanagan Valleys between 1910 and 1915. We enjoyed a 90 minute excursion through the rural beauty of Summerland and onto the Trout Creek Bridge with spectacular views of the Okanagan Lake and the canyon below.

Steam Engine 3716

Engine and enclosed cars and open car

View from train of orchards and vineyards

Okanagan Lake in background and part of canyon

Canyon

Trout Creek Bridge

We had left shorty after noon, and headed south again, what a beautiful scenery while driving. We had left the orchards and vineyards with rolling hills with some trees to mountains with pine trees every where. The road we drove was very hilly with downgrades of 8-9 percent grades. We arrived at camp about 4 pm, got setup, ate some dinner and off with the others to hike the Othello Tunnels, an old railroad bed. We had walked through 5 tunnels which took about an hour, with a creek running along side with some waterfalls and the water was really clear, so you could see the bottom which was quite deep here and there.

Othello Tunnels

Waterfall

Water and rocks seen from bridge

Going into tunnels

Saturday, August 17, we had a free day, but had a Hell's Gate Fraser Canyon tour with our badges. To get there you drive the Scenic Fraser Canyon with its 7 mountain tunnels into the historic heart of BC and visit the biggest rush on the Gold Rush Trail. We exchanged mountain ranges aboard one of the only descending gondolas in North America. Below us, 800 million liters of water per minute thunder through the 33 meter wide passage appropriately labeled Hell's Gate. In the spring, there is three times the amount of water going through this canyon, as runs over Niagara Falls.

Entering the gondola

Picture of bottom, going down

Once down we had walked across the suspension bridge and observation decks

Suspension bridge

Salmon ladder and train tunnel on hill, these had to be built because the water is to turbulate.

Statue with gondolas in background

Train coming around the mountain

After leaving, we had drove about 8 miles to the Alexandra Bridge which is 150 years old bridge, where the road used to go. Had to hike about a mile but worth every bit of time.