Crowsnest Pass

The Crowsnest Pass stretches across the Continental Divide at 1,358 meters elevation, connecting Alberta and British Columbia through the Canadian Rockies.

Canadian Pacific Railway constructed the railway route through Crowsnest Pass between 1897 and 1898, establishing vital connections to southeastern British Columbia's mineral deposits.

Indigenous peoples utilized this natural passage through the Front Ranges for seasonal movements and trade activities between mountain and plains communities.

Twenty wooden trestle bridges carry the railway tracks down the valley floor, requiring 15 million board feet of timber during initial construction.

The railway descent into the 300-foot deep Oldman River valley required temporary track construction to manage the steep terrain gradients.

Location: Alberta

Location: British Columbia

Elevation above the sea: 1,358 m

GPS coordinates: 49.63250,-114.69250

Latest update: May 27, 2025 13:13