Glacier National Park, Canada



Columbia Mountains near Loop Brook Campground, Glacier National Park

Loop Brook Campground in Glacier National Park was where we camped during our stay in the Columbia Mountains. The campground was located on the site where the Canadian Pacific Railroad started its 'loop' into the Columbia Mountains and eventually into the Rocky Mountains through Roger’s Pass.

We walked the interpretive trail located in the campground and learned much about how the Canadian Pacific Railroad was constructed through this challenging area. To keep the grade at the required 2.2 % for the railway, a new design was needed and tall wooden trestles were constructed that took the train through almost figure 8 loops as it climbed the pass.  Later the wood trestles were replaced by stone and steel trestles.  Many of the stone and steel trestles still stand around the campground today although the trains now go through a series of tunnels.

View of stone trestles near Loop Brook Campground

 

In order to promote the railroad and create more business for themselves, the Canadian Pacific Railroad highly promoted travel in this beautiful area of Canada.  In fact, the CPR was mostly responisible for the Columbia Mountain and Rocky Mountain parks being established.  It was interesting to hike through the forest and see the old train bed and stone trestles and imagine what an adventure it would have been to take a train through this dangerous pass during the Victorian era.