Rocky Mountaineer's Rainforest to Gold Rush Route.
The
romance of train travel was threatening to become a thing of the past,
relegated to black-and-white movies from the ‘40s, when Rocky Mountaineer
decided to do something about it. Vancouver businessman Peter R.B. Armstrong
founded the company in 1990, and it quickly became the busiest privately-owned
rail service in North America. Over a million passengers have ridden the
Mountaineer, marveling in the incredible vistas of the Canadian Rockies along
its routes through British Columbia and Alberta, and the impeccable service
provided by the line itself.
The
Rocky Mountaineer has been running three routes in western Canada virtually
since its inception, and now its deluxe trains are coming south of the border.
Next month, travelers can begin to experience the American West in a way that’s
not possible from the air, or even on the road. The majestic Rockies of
Colorado and the ancient Red Rocks of Utah will glide past the deluxe observation
domes of Mountaineer trains on a two-day route that includes an overnight stop
in the small frontier town of Glenwood Springs.
If
the new “Rockies to the Red Rocks” route is as great as the Vancouver to Banff
“First Passage to the West” that my husband Dave and I rode in 2015, travelers
are in for a wonderful experience. We boarded in the modern coastal city of Vancouver
and headed east, very quickly entering the mountains, where we experienced
natural beauty that was virtually unchanged since the first surveyors plotted
the route in the mid-1800s. Often there was not even a nearby road for company,
which was fine by us. The scenery was breathtaking and the Gold Leaf service
was exemplary. We overnighted in Kamloops and then crossed into Alberta, finally
disembarking—reluctantly—in the picturesque mountain town of Banff. You can read about our trip, and enjoy the photos and videos, here.
The
new American route promises to be even more spectacular, with the landscape
changing as it does from the Colorado mountains to the deserts of Utah.
Passengers will board in either Moab or Denver, with options to extend their
visit to Las Vegas or Salt Lake City. Ruby Canyon, Mount Logan, the Continental
Divide…sights familiar to you from classic western movies will now be
surrounding the train as you enjoy Rocky Mountaineer’s Silver Leaf service,
which provides meals at your seats twice daily, as well as personal drink
service.
After
shutting down its Canadian lines in mid-2020 due to the pandemic, Rocky
Mountaineer is up and running again as of next month, when American visitors
will once again be welcomed into Canada. But if you’re like us, the lure of the
Old West is strong indeed. Our ancestors may have struggled through the
mountains and the deserts, but we’re going to see them in style and comfort.
Demand is already high; Rocky Mountaineer’s website is advising customers to
expect long delays in response to phone calls and emails. But we’re ready to
help you a lot quicker than that! Give us a call today, and get ready to
experience the romance of the railroad and the Old West, all in one deluxe
package.
