Rogers Pass is a high

mountain pass A mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge. Since many of the world's mountain ranges have presented formidable barriers to travel, passes have played a key role in trade, war, and both Human migration, human a ...

through the

Selkirk Mountains The Selkirk Mountains are a mountain range spanning the northern portion of the Idaho Panhandle, eastern Washington, and southeastern British Columbia which are part of a larger grouping of mountains, the Columbia Mountains. They begin at Mica Pe ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

, but the term also includes the approaches used by the

Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...

(CP) and the

Trans-Canada Highway The Trans-Canada Highway ( French: ; abbreviated as the TCH or T-Can) is a transcontinental federal–provincial highway system that travels through all ten provinces of Canada, from the Pacific Ocean on the west coast to the Atlantic Ocean o ...

. In the heart of Glacier National Park, this tourism destination since 1886 is a National Historic Site.

Topography

Rogers Pass is the lowest route between the Sir Donald and Hermit ranges of the Selkirks, providing a shortcut along the southern perimeter of the Big Bend of the

Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, C ...

from Revelstoke on the west to

Donald Donald is a masculine given name derived from the Gaelic name ''Dòmhnall''.. This comes from the Proto-Celtic *''Dumno-ualos'' ("world-ruler" or "world-wielder"). The final -''d'' in ''Donald'' is partly derived from a misinterpretation of the ...

, near

Golden Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall * Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestershi ...

, on the east. The pass is formed by the headwaters of the

Illecillewaet River The Illecillewaet River is a tributary of the Columbia River located in British Columbia, Canada. Fed by the Illecillewaet Glacier in Glacier National Park, the river flows approximately to the southwest,Beaver River to the east. These rivers are tributaries of the Columbia, which arcs to the north.

Railway

Proposal & planning

During the 1870s, when the transcontinental was being planned, the preferred route through the

Canadian Rockies The Canadian Rockies (french: Rocheuses canadiennes) or Canadian Rocky Mountains, comprising both the Alberta Rockies and the British Columbian Rockies, is the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. It is the easternmost part ...

was the northerly

Yellowhead Pass The Yellowhead Pass is a mountain pass across the Continental Divide of the Americas in the Canadian Rockies. It is located on the provincial boundary between the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, and lies within Jasper ...

. After awarding the contract, the government allowed CP to amend the designated crossing to the

Kicking Horse Pass Kicking Horse Pass (el. ) is a high mountain pass across the Continental Divide of the Americas of the Canadian Rockies on the Alberta–British Columbia border, and lying within Yoho and Banff national parks. Divide Creek forks onto both s ...

. Although believing the change advantageous, hindsight indicates the Yellowhead and CP's 1898

Crowsnest Pass Crowsnest Pass (sometimes referred to as Crow's Nest Pass, french: link=no, col du Nid-de-Corbeau) is a low mountain pass across the Continental Divide of the Canadian Rockies on the Alberta– British Columbia border. Geography The pass is ...

would have provided a more economical and strategic combination. Poor judgement best describes this unfortunate decision that created lasting impediments for both the railway and highway.

Discovery of the pass

While the transcontinental advanced across the prairies, the railway sought a way over the unexplored Selkirks. In April 1881, CP offered Major A.B. Rogers naming rights and a $5,000 bonus to locate a pass. Walter Moberly had discovered Eagle Pass just to the west, and based on suggestions in Moberly's reports, Rogers started out from what is now Revelstoke, up the Illecillewaet River. On May 28, 1881, the party followed a branch of the river past "Syndicate Peak" (now

Mount Sir Donald Mount Sir Donald is a mountain summit located in the Rogers Pass area of Glacier National Park in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. Its good rock quality and classic Matterhorn shape make it popular for alpine rock climbers, ...

), discovering a large level opening between the mountains where the waters flowed east and west. (Some secondary sources state that Rogers only saw the pass from a distance, but this is contradicted by first-hand reports.) To get a better view of the landscape, Rogers, his nephew A.L. Rogers and some of their Shuswap guides then climbed to the crest of a nearby mountain ridge, later identified as the ridge between

Mount Macdonald Mount Macdonald is a mountain peak located in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, immediately to the east of Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park. It is notable as the location of the Canadian Pacific Railway's Connaught and ...

and Avalanche Mountain. From here they could see the Beaver River valley on the east side of the Selkirks. Running out of food, the party turned back west. Although they had found a pass, they had been unable to explore its eastern approach, a distance of from the junction of the Beaver and Columbia rivers. Returning in 1882 from the east, Rogers followed the Beaver River and Connaught Creek (formerly Bear Creek), and on July 24, 1882 he reached the same pass, confirming its existence and the feasibility of a railway route. Rogers refused to cash the $5,000 cheque, and instead framed it upon his wall until CP General Manager

William Cornelius Van Horne Sir William Cornelius Van Horne, (February 3, 1843September 11, 1915) is most famous for overseeing the construction of the first Canadian transcontinental railway, a project that was completed in 1885, in under half the projected time. He succe ...

offered him a gold watch as an incentive to cash it. Folklore has generated many later variations of this story. Eastbound over SCB

The discovery was due in part to the efforts of Moberly, his assistant Albert Perry and their First Nations guides, who had explored the Illecillewaet River on the west side of the pass fifteen year earlier. In later life Moberly stated that Perry reached the pass in 1866, but there is no contemporaneous evidence for this.

Planning & construction

Rogers blindly believed the pass presented no special engineering difficulties. By May 1883, the westward railhead had only reached

Medicine Hat Medicine Hat is a city in Southern Alberta, southeast Alberta, Canada. It is located along the South Saskatchewan River. It is approximately east of Lethbridge and southeast of Calgary. This city and the adjacent Town of Redcliff, Alberta, ...

, still leaving time to find an alternative to the equally problematic Kicking Horse Pass. Moberly advocated

Howse Pass Howse is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Joseph Howse (1774-1852), English explorer, linguist, and scholar * Hilary Ewing Howse (1866–1938), American businessman and politician * Neville Howse (1863–1930), Australian ...

. During the time it took to determine a practicable Kicking Horse/Selkirks route, the railhead had advanced up the

Bow Valley Bow Valley is a valley located along the upper Bow River in Alberta, Canada. The name "Bow" refers to the reeds that grew along its banks and which were used by the local First Nations people to make bows; the Blackfoot language name for th ...

making it too late to use Howse, which required an access from the

North Saskatchewan River The North Saskatchewan River is a glacier-fed river that flows from the Canadian Rockies continental divide east to central Saskatchewan, where it joins with the South Saskatchewan River to make up the Saskatchewan River. Its water flows event ...

Valley. Since the immediate capital costs for the Selkirks and Big Bend options were similar, the additional operating costs expected from the increased mileage eliminated the latter. As a general rule, if the interest payable on a capital investment was less than the expected savings on operating costs, CP made the investment. Decisions were a trade-off between immediate costs and delayed costs. Later traffic revenue enabled upgrades. The acute capital shortage during 1885, meant months of unpaid payroll, and minor strikes. Captain Steele and his small

North-West Mounted Police The North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) was a Canadian para-military police force, established in 1873, to maintain order in the new Canadian North-West Territories (NWT) following the 1870 transfer of Rupert’s Land and North-Western Territory ...

force protected construction manager

Ross Ross or ROSS may refer to: People * Clan Ross, a Highland Scottish clan * Ross (name), including a list of people with the surname or given name Ross, as well as the meaning * Earl of Ross, a peerage of Scotland Places * RoSS, the Republic of Sou ...

from confrontations with workers. When the Riel Rebellion drew Steele away, Ross formed his own 25-man armed police force. To survive the capital crisis, infrastructure costs were reduced to a bare minimum. Not only did untreated wooden trestles provide all bridging, but cuttings were of minimum width, track was not

ballast Ballast is material that is used to provide stability to a vehicle or structure. Ballast, other than cargo, may be placed in a vehicle, often a ship or the gondola of a balloon or airship, to provide stability. A compartment within a boat, ship, ...

ed, and no

snow shed Avalanche control or avalanche defense activities reduce the hazard avalanches pose to human life, activity, and property.avalanche An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a slope, such as a hill or mountain. Avalanches can be set off spontaneously, by such factors as increased precipitation or snowpack weakening, or by external means such as humans, animals, and earth ...

s struck. At MacKenzie camp, west of the summit, a worker was buried. At McDermot camp, away, three buried men were never found. At the summit, three occupants escaped through a camp store window. Later that month avalanches totally destroyed the store, and buried six men in the vicinity. These slides, followed by heavy summer rainfall, delayed the work. Abandoning the damaged right-of-way on the western slope, north of the river, CP built the switchback Loops well clear of avalanche paths. The railhead crossed the summit that August. After the last spike ceremony that November, the line was shut down for the winter. After slide damages were repaired, the line opened to through traffic the following June. Rogers Pass Historic Site,

Route

Only the crest and eastern slope of the Connaught Tunnel route is underground.

Early operation

CP's traffic predictions proved largely correct. Contrary claims that early traffic would be mainly eastbound were unfounded, but became a reality within 20 years. Two

pusher locomotive A bank engine (United Kingdom/Australia) (colloquially a banker), banking engine, helper engine or pusher engine (North America) is a railway locomotive that temporarily assists a train that requires additional power or traction to climb a grad ...

s, each needing crews, were adequate for each side. However, pusher gradients were expensive to operate. Most loaded freight trains required a single pusher, because they were longer than 9 cars. Wyes were at the Selkirk pushing extremities of Beavermouth (east) and Albert Canyon (west). At the summit, a roundhouse and rail yard existed. Some days no freight trains passed, but on the arrival of a steamer in Vancouver, there could be a quick succession eastward for several days.

Double heading In railroad terminology, double heading indicates the use of two locomotives at the front of a train, each operated individually by its own crew. The practice of triple-heading involves the use of three locomotives. The practice of multi-headi ...

replaced rear pushing from 1907. Local traffic was negligible. Usually, passenger trains did not need pushers, and until 1902, the 5– to 9–car service was daily. On rare occasions, trains were as long as 12 cars. The 1886 average mountain speed of had increased to by 1902. By 1913, to maintain this speed, the 9-car trains required a pusher. Scheduled stops for breakfast, lunch, and dinner existed at

Field Field may refer to: Expanses of open ground * Field (agriculture), an area of land used for agricultural purposes * Airfield, an aerodrome that lacks the infrastructure of an airport * Battlefield * Lawn, an area of mowed grass * Meadow, a grass ...

Glacier House A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such as ...

, and North Bend. Albert Canyon was a scenic stop. The twice daily summer service from 1908 continued into the winter, instead of reducing to one train, and increased to three trains the following summer. In 1905, CP installed a water-powered bucket system to fill the coal hopper. The next year, the four-locomotive engine house was enlarged to accommodate six locomotives. In 1907, a track deviation created more yard space to handle increased freight. Housing key staff and extensive equipment, the pass functioned as if it were a

divisional point In Canada, a divisional point (or division point) is a local operational headquarters for a railway. Divisional points are significant in railway maintenance of way operations. Especially historically, they could be the location of facilities and in ...

. Assigning the most powerful locomotives, the Selkirk section had 12 in 1898 and 18 in 1908. Pushers increased from 5 in 1908 to 11 in 1914. Oil storage facilities were built for the 1912 conversion to oil-fired locomotives in the mountains, eliminating firemen and fire patrols. Additionally, the constant steam pressure increased the tonnage capacity. In 1915, seven employees received 25-month sentences for creating ghost employees. One year after the tunnel opening, the right-of-way over the pass was handed over to the Parks Department for a wagon road, and the snow sheds were removed. Some sections of the abandoned railway eventually became walking

rail trail A rail trail is a shared-use path on railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed, but may also share the right of way with active railways, light rail, or streetcar ...

s in Glacier National Park.

Avalanches

Hermit Range from Glacier Hotel, BC, 1887 (5324105412)

The extent and cost of snow sheds had been grossly underestimated. Snow shed construction continued until 1890, but only in places displaying consistent problems, and only where diversions were not a cheaper option. Sheds were patrolled in winter for avalanche damage, and in summer for fires started by

smokestack A chimney is an architectural ventilation structure made of masonry, clay or metal that isolates hot toxic exhaust gases or smoke produced by a boiler, stove, furnace, incinerator, or fireplace from human living areas. Chimneys are typ ...

s. An increased

section Section, Sectioning or Sectioned may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea * Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents ** Section sign ...

gang shovelled out both slides and drifts. Wing plows could not disperse the really deep snow. A

rotary snowplow A rotary snowplow (American English) or rotary snowplough is a piece of railroad snow removal equipment with a large circular set of blades on its front end that rotate to cut through the snow on the track ahead of it. The precursor to the rotary ...

was shared with Eagle Pass until a dedicated one arrived in February 1890. However, rotaries cannot handle avalanches containing rocks or timber. These combined measures ensured that blockages from 1889/90 onward were nearly always cleared within hours. The 31 sheds built had a combined length of . During the first 25 years of the line, 200 people died in avalanches. Single avalanches killed 6 employees in 1887, 7 or 8 in 1899, and about 60 in the 1910 catastrophe. The failure to rebuild snow sheds after the prior track deviation, and the inadequate design strength of an existing shed, proved devastating. On at least four occasions, avalanches struck passenger trains in the pass, seemingly causing no passenger injuries. During summer months, trains ran on separate tracks outside the sheds. Although the tunnel removed the avalanche danger for that section, the problem persisted along neighbouring segments.

Community

In 1886, the features of a transient construction community remained. Drinking and gambling characterized the 15 hotels. A single provincial police officer maintained the peace. Transitioning to respectability, formal dances were held. The hamlet of about 50, included two general stores, two hotels, a butcher, a barber, and CP boarding house. Storekeeper James M. Carroll was postmaster 1890–1892, his store appearing to have barely outlasted his competitor. In 1893, the Queens Hotel, the only one remaining, was renamed the Dewdrop Inn. William Cator, CP agent, was postmaster 1893–1899. In 1899, the population was 25–30, a community newspaper operated, and a school existed. John Taylor, CP agent, was postmaster 1899–1901. When the station relocated, the community buildings followed suit. Public functions were initially held in the CP boarding house. Residents built a new boarding house for the manager, after she was terminated for not housing scabs during a strike. C.D. Morris, who opened a store within a tent in 1901, erected a permanent store, boarding house and hall. Lodge, church, and public gatherings used this hall. In 1904, he added 15 or 16 bedrooms and a bathroom to the boarding house to cater for the big summer demand from workers and tourists. He was postmaster 1901–1903. His store clerk, John O. Forbes, and brother, William B. Morris, later filled the role. A 1910 fire destroyed this hotel/boarding house. The store was saved, but badly scorched. The 1916 fire that destroyed the Morris store and residence preceded the move to the new community of Glacier near the west portal. The school similarly relocated.

Superseding tunnels

Beneath Rogers Pass are the

Connaught Tunnel The Connaught Tunnel is in southeastern British Columbia, on the Revelstoke– Donald segment. The tunnel carries the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) main line under Mount Macdonald in the Selkirk Mountains, replacing the previous routing over R ...

(1916) and the

Mount Macdonald Tunnel The Mount Macdonald Tunnel is in southeastern British Columbia, on the Revelstoke– Donald segment. This single-track tunnel, which carries the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) main line under Mount Macdonald in the Selkirk Mountains, handles mos ...

(1988). The former once held, and the latter still holds, the title of longest railway tunnel in North America. Connaught handles eastbound traffic, and Mount Macdonald westbound.

Trans-Canada Highway

Proposal

In 1908, a new wagon road was built from Laggan. Two decades later, a proper highway linked Lake Louise and

. The selection of a Golden– Revelstoke link via the longer Big Bend, rather than over the Selkirks, was the snowplowing difficulty. This road finally opened in 1940. A proposal to upgrade to

standards a decade later, determined that the Selkirks route would be cheaper, and not conflict with the Columbia River hydro-electric potential.

Construction & opening

Constructed 1956–1962, headquarters of the four camps was from the Glacier station. The former schoolhouse was the dining hall, a former railway house the office, and prefabricated cabins housed the employees. Radio reception was poor. Entertainment, such as movies, or a haircut, required train travel to the nearest towns. Similarly, all supplies came in by train for the workforce of about 500 who built the highway. West of the summit, much of the original route was used. To the east, excavations uncovered the remnants of the roundhouse destroyed by the 1899 slide. The provincial government held an official opening ceremony in July 1962, whereas the federal one was the following September. This scenic route reduced bus travel time by five hours.

Avalanche control

Prior to 1962, snow sheds provided the only control measure. Three concrete sheds exist on the eastern slope. To keep the highway and railway open during the winter, the

Royal Canadian Artillery , colors = The guns of the RCA themselves , colors_label = Colours , march = * Slow march: "Royal Artillery Slow March" * Quick march (dismounted parades): "British Grenadiers/ The ...

has since used howitzers to knock down unstable snow under controlled circumstances to reduce avalanche hazards. Stopping is prohibited in high-risk locations.

Facilities

Camping, cabins, and an information centre make up the Glacier park facilities. The Northlander Motor Hotel, opened in 1964, was renamed Glacier Park Lodge. The teal-roofed lodge, restaurant and gas station were the only services for . After expiring in 2010, the lease continued on a month to month basis. The new owners, who acquired the property in 2008, failed to meet their legal obligations to the previous owners,

Parks Canada Parks Canada (PC; french: Parcs Canada),Parks Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Parks Canada Agency (). is the agency of the Government of Canada which manages the country's 48 National Parks, th ...

, and others. Parks Canada terminated the lease in 2012. The gas station and lodge, closed in 2009 and 2012 respectively, were both demolished in 2018.

Non-avalanche accidents & emergencies

Climate

Rogers Pass has a subarctic climate (

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

''Dfc'') with an average high in January of about and in July of about . With an average snowfall per year, Rogers Pass is among the snowiest places in Canada. Encompassing 134 individual paths in the steep terrain, avalanches are common in winter.

Footnotes

References

* * * * * {{Authority control Selkirk Mountains Columbia Country Mountain passes of British Columbia Heritage sites in British Columbia Canadian Pacific Railway Rail mountain passes of British Columbia National Historic Sites in British Columbia Glacier National Park (Canada)