Rogers Pass

Rogers Pass is a mountain crossing through the Selkirk Mountains at roughly 1330 meters elevation, traversing dense forests and steep terrain. The route connects regions on both sides of the mountain range through a valley with sharp curves and exposed slopes.

A surveyor named Major Bowman Rogers found the mountain route in 1881 during expansion of the Canadian Pacific Railway. This discovery enabled completion of the transcontinental railroad and shaped transportation links between east and west.

The Discovery Centre displays exhibits about railway construction and how this route became essential for linking eastern and western Canada.

The Trans-Canada Highway provides year-round access, though winter driving requires caution due to heavy snowfall and avalanche risk. Summer visits are easier and safer, while snow clearing and avalanche control work intensively during colder months.

The region receives massive snowfall, which led the Canadian Pacific Railway to build one of North America's longest railway tunnels beneath the mountain. This tunnel lets trains avoid extreme conditions and avalanche hazard.

Location: Columbia-Shuswap Regional District

Elevation above the sea: 1,330 m

GPS coordinates: 51.30139,-117.52000

Latest update: December 6, 2025 22:02