All Aboard!

 

           

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.