- Kicking Horse Pass
Infobox Mountain Pass
Name = Kicking Horse Pass
Photo = Kicking Horse Pass.gif
Caption = 1887 painting
Elevation = convert|1627|m|ft|0
Location =Alberta /British Columbia , CAN
Range =Canadian Rockies
Coordinates = coord|51|27|10|N|116|17|00|W|type:pass_region:CA
display=inline,title
Topographic
Transversed by =Trans-Canada Highway &Canadian Pacific Railway Kicking Horse Pass (el. 1627 m, 5339 ft) is a high
mountain pass across theContinental Divide of theCanadian Rockies on theAlberta /British Columbia border, and lying within Yoho andBanff National Park s. The pass is of historical significance because the main line of theCanadian Pacific Railway was constructed betweenLake Louise, Alberta andField, British Columbia using this route in 1880s, in preference to the originally planned route through the more northerlyYellowhead Pass .The pass was first explored in 1858 by the
Palliser Expedition led by CaptainJohn Palliser . The pass and the adjacentKicking Horse River were given their names afterJames Hector , a naturalist,geologist , and surgeon who was a member of the expedition, was kicked by his horse while exploring the region. [Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall, "Canadian Geographic", Jan/Feb 2008, p. 24]The original route of the CPR between the summit of the pass near
Wapta Lake and Field was known as "The Big Hill"; with aruling gradient of 4.5 percent (1 in 23), it was the steepest stretch of main-linerailroad inNorth America .Due to frequent accidents and expensive helper engines associated with railroading in the pass, the CPR opened a pair of
Spiral Tunnels in 1909 that replaced the direct route. Although these tunnels add severalkilometre s to the route, the ruling grade was reduced to a more manageable 2.2 percent (1 in 46).The
Trans-Canada Highway was constructed through the pass in 1962 following essentially the original CPR route. It reaches its highest point at the Kicking Horse Pass with an elevation of convert|1643|m|ft|0. [http://www.transcanadahighway.com/britishcolumbia/index.htm B.C. Trans-Canada Highway] ] The winding, narrow roadbed in this area is currently being upgraded to improve safety and capacity. [http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/nrm_news_releases/2003TRAN0008-000233-Attachment1.htm Kicking Horse Canyon Improvements] ]Divide Creek , a creek that forks onto both sides of the Continental Divide, is located at Kicking Horse Pass.It was made famous by
Dave Broadfoot in theCBC Television series "Royal Canadian Air Farce ". Broadfoot played The Honourable Member for Kicking Horse Pass in the satirical series, and in his personal standup routines.References
External links
* [http://railways-atlas.tapor.ualberta.ca/cocoon/atlas/Chapters-14-1/ Zoomable map of Kicking Horse Pass showing railway]
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