Along The Rails Through Mountain Passes & Raging Rivers

with Rocky Mountaineerby Suzanne Christie

What a dream - the scenery, the service, the food and the total relaxation. Gold Leaf Service aboard the Rocky Mountaineer is as expected... the peak of luxury. I was lucky enough to enjoy the experience recently when my 91-year-old mom announced she wanted to take the trip. So we booked the next day and caught the last train of the season. It’s the perfect experience to share with another travel enthusiast who loves mountains, lakes, streams, wildlife and great food. You could enjoy the Rocky Mountaineer with just about anybody, but having the chance to do it with my mother was extra special.

We rode the rails from Jasper via Kamloops to Vancouver along with a full coterie of enthralled passengers from Canada, the U.S., U.K., Australia, Jamaica and India. You really can’t do justice to the gorgeous, ever-changing scenery in words or even in pictures. This journey is a must for every Canadian – and everyone else too.

We were literally waited on hand and foot for the entire train journey. Regaled with legends about the early explorers and those seeking their fortune during the gold rush, as well as insights from our local hosts about the communities we rolled past. And, if there were animal spottings or particularly scenic photo ops, the word would quickly spread or the train would slow to allow everyone to soak it in or take out their cameras.

The end of the season isn’t the best time to see some of the larger animals, but we did spot a few elk, bears and goats from the train, as well as dozens of eagles feasting on the end of the salmon run.

The open air platform at the rear of each car provides the opportunity to breathe in the mountain air and to get a different view from the one our beautiful, glass-domed car provided.

What is confusing to everyone when I tell them I’ve been on a Rocky Mountaineer trip is that out of the 9 day tour, the train ride through the Rockies is only 2 days – whichever of the 3 routes you choose to take. You do not sleep on the train – you sleepover in Kamloops or Quesnel and only travel during daylight hours so as not to miss a bit of the stunning scenery. Darkness or even dozing off during any part of the journey would be a total waste.

Rocky Mountaineer partners with Fairmont Hotels – which features some of my absolute favourite properties anywhere. There is nothing that can compare to the spectacular Banff Springs, the setting of Chateau Lake Louise or the ambience of Jasper Park Lodge. Our Canadian Fairmont properties are so much a part of our history and their character is unique.

But, what is somewhat awkward about the land portion of the tour compared to the rail portion is how Brewster handles all of the land arrangements. There is no Rocky Mountaineer presence until your train departs or arrives. Brewster oversees all of the coach travel and tour guiding, and owns or operates many of the attractions visited.

We were whisked from one to the other, while each segment was handled by a different driver/guide who told or re-told the same stories and never forgot to mention that he expected a tip. The tour was timed to ensure we spent the most at Brewster attractions and only arrived in time for check-in at our hotels. Although the Brewster folks looked after us well and were genuinely concerned that we were well informed, I couldn’t help but feel like a little cog on the tourist assembly line.

In my opinion, the pace and schedule of the land tour limited the ability to relax and enjoy the ambience of the mountain towns. But this ultimately allowed my mother and I to truly relish the Rocky Mountaineer’s onboard experience... a journey we’ll never forget.