Canada’s best hidden train journey
– Words and Photos by Yrene Dee, a Lumby (British Columbia, Canada), based writer and adventurer.
By Yrene Dee - The train adventure starts in the small town of Lillooet, a special place surrounded by towering mountains, deep canyons, roaring rivers and crystal clear lakes. This unique piece of heaven situated along the mighty Fraser River captured my heart the first time I was in town. Lillooet is accessible via the famous Sea-to-Sky Highway from Vancouver.
The rich history of Lillooet began with the people of the St’àtäimc Nation that continue to live in the area today. Much later during the British Columbia gold rush of 1860, Lillooet was Mile “0” on the Cariboo Pavilion Road, the first wagon road to be surveyed in BC and the route to the Cariboo gold fields.
When you travel through Lillooet in July and August you will notice the rock shelf in the Fraser River near the town dotted with orange and blue tarpaulins.
The site belongs to the Aboriginal people who still come every summer to gather their salmon for the winter as the fish make their way upriver to spawn. You will notice old drying racks scattered around the banks of the river canyon.
The train journey on the Kaoham Shuttle is something you won’t experience anywhere else. For the local people, it remains a vital service in an area where backcountry roads are often impassable.
If you’re fortunate enough to get on the ride you will be amazed.
The train runs along the edge of Seaton Lake next to impressive rock faces and cliffs and connects passengers between Lillooet and Seton Portage, every day of the week.
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Globerovers Magazine July 2019
Yrene Dee is the founder of BackcountryCanadaTravel.com. She was born in Switzerland, lived and worked on different continents and travelled the world before she settled in Canada. She is an entrepreneur, wilderness nut, and animal lover who prefers off-the-beaten-track places. Follow Yrene on Twitter @backcountrycana, Facebook @ backcountrycanada, and Instagram @backcountrycanadatravel.
All photos by Yrene Dee.
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Globerovers Magazine July 2019