Crowsnest Pass, Railway mountain pass at Continental Divide, Canadian Rockies, Alberta and British Columbia
Crowsnest Pass is a mountain passage through the Canadian Rockies linking Alberta and British Columbia at the Continental Divide. The railway winds down a steep valley with tight terrain, following grades that required careful engineering through dramatic terrain.
Canadian Pacific Railway built this line between 1897 and 1898 to tap mineral resources in southeastern mountain regions. The route opened previously isolated mountain areas to broader commerce and settlement.
Indigenous peoples moved seasonally through this mountain passage to trade between high and low communities for centuries before the railway arrived. You can still see the natural corridor they followed, now shaped by modern infrastructure.
Access is easiest from late spring through early fall when roads are fully clear, though conditions can change rapidly in mountain terrain. Bring layers and weather-appropriate clothing since elevation and exposure create sudden temperature shifts throughout the day.
Around twenty wooden trestle bridges were needed to manage the steep descent and river crossings. These structures reveal how builders had to solve extreme terrain challenges with timber engineering.
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