Clearing snow in Coquihalla Pass 1934 Notice the firemen clearing ahead of the locomotive.
(photo from Barry Sanford collection, Tales of the KVR)
The Coquihalla Pass has an elevation of 3658 ft above sea level. It is one of the highest elevation sections of the entire Kettle Valley Railway. Winters can see snow of more than 25 feet high in some locations.
During the construction of the KVR, the Coquihalla Pass had a nasty reputation with the railway workers. The section was only about about 58 KM long, but the perilous conditions were responsible for the death of several railway workers. The work had begun on this section in 1913 and Andrew McCulloch expected that it would be complete by 1915. Unfortunately, 1915-16 winter snows were record breaking and work had to be halted in December 1915. By the time the spring thaw arrived in 1916, 67 feet of snow had fallen in the Coquihalla pass, which was the highest amount on record at that time. There were numerous bridges and snowsheds needed to complete the rail line through Coquihalla canyon.
section through Coquihalla Pass did eventually open, but continued to be dangerous due to frequent snow and rock slides with record snow falls and avalanches occurring every few years.
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