The Tours...
Fraser Discovery Route - Whistler to Jasper![Small Fraser Discovery Map](Javascript:KickingHorseMap("fdr-map.gif"))
Our newest route combines adventure, discovery, and legendary Rocky Mountaineer service. Experience dramatic changes in climate and scenery from lush farmland to the desert like conditions of the Fraser Canyon. Cross the Fraser River, the lifeblood of British Columbia, and peer into endless northern forests. From rolling hills to majestic mountain peaks, vast cattle ranches to mountain meadows, the Fraser Discovery Route carries you through the rarely seen beauty of the North West, the historic gold-rush region of the Cariboo and the Canadian Rockies.
Eastbound (also available Westbound) Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays Day 1 Whistler to Quesnel. Board the Rocky Mountaineer and enjoy the varied scenery from the shorelines of Anderson Lake to the sweeping views of the Fraser Canyon and along the Fraser River into Quesnel. Overnight in Quesnel. Please click on the images below for larger views.. | |||
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| Day 2 Quesnel to Jasper. Journey eastward through Prince George and climb past Mount Robson, along the Yellowhead Pass into Jasper National Park. The journey ends on arrival in Jasper. Highlights... Fraser River - The mighty Fraser River is the longest river in British Columbia and the 5th longest in all of Canada. The rushing waters carve through rock layers and carry sediment from the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains all the way to the Georgia Strait and the Pacific Ocean. Heavy with sediment, the waters are a muddy brown to milky green. Named after Simon Fraser, who originally mistook the river to be the Columbia River, the Fraser produces more salmon than any other river system in the world. It is estimated that 10 million salmon travel up the Fraser River to spawn each year and First Nations people continue to use traditional fishing methods along its shores. Anderson and Seton Lakes – Anderson and Seton Lakes were once a large body of water. An ancient landslide, resulting from a tectonic shift along the fault line of Christmas Mountain, made the large lake into two. Despite the difficulty of the pass, the piece of land separating the two lakes became an important trading route to the Upper Fraser. Rounding Seton Lake, the train hugs a narrow shelf between the lake on one side and sheer cliffs on the other. The distinctiveness of these two lakes is reflected as the diverted glacial melt-water changes the colour of Seton Lake from clear blue, like Anderson Lake, to a silty turquoise green. Cariboo Plateau – A powerful sheet of ice a mile thick created this intensely glaciated plateau. Grinding mountain peaks into valleys, the ancient glacier left behind a dry and pastoral landscape. Rolling hills, endless forests and vast cattle ranches are characteristic of the area. Fraser Canyon - South of Quesnel the Fraser has eroded a deep canyon that extends all the way to Hope, with steep sides soaring up to 600 metres (1980 feet) above the water. Rocky Mountain Trench – Leaving Prince George the rails turn southeast into the remarkable Rocky Mountain Trench. The longest valley in North America, the trench sits wide and deep between the Rocky Mountains to the east and the Cariboo and Columbia ranges on the west. It extends from just south of the Yukon border all the way to the Canada-US border and beyond. Tęte Jaune Cache - A sandy haired Iroquois man, nicknamed “Tęte Jaune” or Yellow Head, gives this spot its name. The man not only worked as an interpreter for European traders, but he also trapped fur in this region. He stored his bounty in a cache nearby during the winter until he could cross the Rockies to the nearest Hudson’s Bay Company out post in the spring. The path he took is now called the Yellowhead pass. Once home to 5000 people, Tęte Jaune Cache was a teeming scene during the construction of the railway. Mount Robson - Soaring a majestic 3,956.5 metres (12,972 feet), this heavily glaciated peak is the highest of the Canadian Rockies. Dropping into Berg Lake to the North and Kinney Lake to the South, this mountain is a towering giant compared to the snow tipped peaks that surround it. Originally, this great mountain was named Yuh-hai-has-kun, meaning “The Mountain of the Spiral Road” by the aboriginal people in the area. Jasper National Park - Declared a protected area in 1907, Jasper Park is the largest of the Canadian Rockies National Parks. Parks Canada oversees the management of the national parks with the goal to preserve them foremost as a place of nature but also as a place for people to visit, experience and learn. Significant numbers of elk, moose, bighorn sheep and other large animals make Jasper National Park their home. Other highlights include Miette Hot Springs, Maligne Canyon, Maligne Lake and the northern portion of the stunning Icefields Parkway. Enquire >> |
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Why not try our other routes below or Contact us to find out more...
Yellowhead Route Vancouver to JasperJourney between Vancouver, British Columbia, and the picturesque resort town of Jasper, Alberta, along the Yellowhead Route, named for a second pass through the Canadian Rockies. This route is known for scenic valleys and opportunities to spot wildlife, including bears. Find out more...
![Kicking Horse Route](Javascript:KickingHorseMap("khr-map.gif") "Kicking Horse Route")
Kicking Horse Route
Vancouver to Banff or CalgaryNamed for the pass over which it crosses the Canadian Rockies, the Kicking Horse Route takes you between Vancouver, British Columbia, and either Banff or Calgary, Alberta. This route traces the historic transcontinental rail line that united Canada's East and West. Find out more...
