Castlegar-Christina Lake Route
Do you like beautiful Lake views? Do you like groomed railbed gravel? Do you like getting around a mountain pass on the pavement? Do you like old railway trestles?
But….are you afraid of the dark? Bulldog tunnel is almost a kilometer long and mostly in completer darkness. Use those high-beams…
⬇️ Get the .gpx or .kml file via Gaia Gaia Tutorial on using files
Surface:
Gravel after you reach the trailhead
Distance:
87km: 1,800m very gain/loss
Access:
From the Castlegar side. Heading out of town along Arrow Lakes, past the pulp mill, down the hill and stay left on the gravel road.
From the Christina Lake side. Can be accessed in a few spots. Right from Christina Lake, or closer to the Paulson Bridge.
Bridges and Tunnels and Gravel oh my…
The bridges are old steel truss railway bridges with new decking, side rails and viewing platforms. There’s 3 such bridges along the route. Average grade of 2 per cent.
Built on history
The original KVR was constructed by the Canadian Pacific Railway to a high standard with an immense amount of quarried stone culverts, retaining walls and bridge abutments. These were all constructed by Italian stone masons brought in for this job. They are still in good condition today and in many places secure the old rail bed to the precipitous terrain. In several sections, railings have been added to make the trail safer as it is straight down to the lake.
Along the way, there are name plates at the site of the old KVR stations and an old speeder is at the old Shields site. It was nice to see some of the history preserved and there is certainly room for much more.
Approximately 30 kilometres along is the impressive Bulldog Tunnel. It is 912 metres long, starts straight with a curve at the end which means total darkness with no glimpse of the exit portal until the last 100 metres when travelling west. good time to see what those headlights are actually iluminating. The tunnel trail is fairly rough and damp with running water from the ceiling in many places. Watch for hikers and cyclists. The tunnel is immense with the top of the arch at least 15 metres high.
Before the construction of the tunnel, the rail bed went over the top by means of six switchbacks up and six switchbacks down, all at a grade of six per cent. Only very short trains negotiated this grade and they did it by travelling up the rails until they came to a switchback where they drove the train into a tail track. Then they lined the switch and backed the train up to the next switchback and tail track and repeated the process. These switchbacks are being reclaimed after many years of deterioration and will offer an exciting trip up and over the top.
Rich in heritage
You then pass the monument to Peter Verigin, leader of the Doukobors who died here in 1924 when a bomb exploded on a passenger train. Then you ride under the impressive Paulson highway bridge several hundred metres above.
