Tunnel vision

Mount MacDonald Tunnel on a stop while travelling through the Rogers Pass in British Columbia on October 28, 2017. The Rogers Pass was named after Major Albert Bowman Rogers who discovered the pass in 1882 through the Rocky Mountains which was crucial for the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway. It is definitely a pass through the mountains however the railway builders likely wished there was a easier route. The Rogers Pass is subject to heavy snow and avalanches with steep grades. If I remember my history the Yellowhead Pass much further north was a much easier route. The Rogers Pass was chosen as it was closer to the American border and the completion of the railway would further cement our claim to this territory. There were fears of American annexation during periods of Canadian history.

The tunnel can be seen just off the highway down a bank. I thought this tunnel was much older. It dates to 1988. The tunnel is just over nine miles long. The tunnel was built to reduce the grade for trains through the Rogers Pass. The Connaught Tunnel is nearby which is just over five miles long and was completed in 1916. The Mount MacDonald Tunnel supplements the Connaught Tunnel with trains usually going east through the Connaught and west through the Mount MacDonald. In the background on the mountain you can see that snow has started to make and appearance in the Rogers Pass.