By Ginger Dingus

What do an iron horse, a horse whisperer, a popular ski resort, spectacular national parks and dinner in the diner have in common? They’re all part of Western Canada’s newest train adventures. Climb aboard the Whistler Northwind for a three-day journey into scenic river gorges and rolling ranchlands. Travel back to the golden age of elegant trains on a four-day Royal Canadian Pacific odyssey.

Whistler Northwind
On the Whistler Northwind, Canada’s newest train, there’s much more to see than bears, bald eagles and bighorn sheep. The trip, inaugurated in May 2001, carries passengers into the stunning interior of British Columbia, passing snow-draped Coastal Mountain peaks, steep canyons cut by the Fraser River, and Cariboo Country cattle ranches.

Each Sunday from May to October, the train leaves the city lights of Vancouver, heading 462 miles north to Prince George. During the day, passengers enjoy ever-changing panoramas from three brand-new, glass-roofed dome cars. Depending on the class of service selected, freshly prepared meals are served in a beautifully refurbished 1950s dining car (Summit Service) or at your seat (Panorama Service). Both offer a choice of delectable entrees presented with proper linens, china and silver.

At night, everyone leaves the train for the comfort of a hotel room, first in the ski resort of Whistler, then in the ranching community of 100 Mile House. A two-day southbound ride begins in Prince George and ends in Whistler, with one night in 100 Mile House.

Our journey began with an early morning bus transfer from the Hotel Vancouver to BC Rail’s train station in North Vancouver. There, we checked our bags and eagerly climbed aboard a dome car painted in warm desert hues. We tumbled into comfy, pre-assigned reclining seats, as did 76 fellow Summit Service travelers. Two identical Panorama dome cars carried passengers from Canada, England and the United States.

The train edged along the shoreline of Howe Sound, a picturesque fjord flanked by fir-covered cliffs and splashed by tumbling waterfalls. As the tracks wound past waterfront homes and marinas, hostess Sharon Winter pointed out interesting sights. “If anyone sees any wildlife, shout,” she urged.

During brunch in the 1950s dining carriage, the waterfront gave way to mountain streams glimmering beneath snow-dusted peaks. The Whistler Northwind began a smooth, steady climb toward Whistler, a European-style ski resort nestled beneath the peaks, and the first day’s destination.

In Whistler, train passengers have the afternoon free to shop, hike or ride the ski lift up the slopes to take in the view at 7,000 feet. There’s plenty of time for a soothing massage at the Westin Resort’s Avello Spa. For dinner, the only meal not included in the rail ticket, we dined on Mediterranean fare at Araxi on the village square.

Early the next morning, we were back aboard the train, sipping coffee and coasting past a buffalo farm. The rails skirted Anderson Lake, where the calm waters reflected jagged peaks and stately pines.

Lunch proved eventful, not only for the naked prawns dressed with Thai chili sauce. The Fraser River zigzagged at the bottom of a deep canyon. A bald eagle soared overhead, and three magnificent bighorn sheep eyed us from their perch on a steep incline.

By late afternoon, grassy meadows, cattle and log homes signaled Cariboo Country, land of Canada’s cowboy. The crew handed out cowboy hats as the train pulled into 100 Mile House, named for a gold rush era roadhouse located 100 miles from the start of the Cariboo Wagon Road. The Hills Health Ranch, our home for the night, operates as an 800-acre working cattle ranch, as well as a homey health farm.

The last morning included a choice of tempting activities—a hayride, nature walk or horse whispering demonstration. About 20 of us watched Shelia White deftly put a filly through her paces, using body language alone. To “talk” to a feisty two year-old horse, she added her voice and the sharp crack of a whip.

Reluctantly, we left Shelia to her horses. Time to climb on our iron horse for a day of easy riding. Shortly before the Whistler Northwind arrived in Prince George, a gala farewell dinner took place. We feasted on crab cakes, maple salmon and chocolate mousse, then raised our glasses to toast a delightful journey.

Royal Canadian Pacific
In the 1880s, the Canadian Pacific Railway blazed a trail through the Rocky Mountains to the therapeutic hot springs in Banff, and the era of pleasure-seeking rail travel began. Today, the Royal Canadian Pacific transports 23 pampered passengers back to that gilded age aboard a set of handsomely refurbished, wood-paneled railcars dating from the 1920s.

The top-of-the-line adventure starts (and ends) with dinner and a night at Calgary’s historic railroad hotel, The Fairmont Palliser. Here passengers board the train for a four-day, 635-mile journey into Canada’s western wilderness. The train begins to climb into the Rockies, heading toward scenic Banff National Park. The route loops through the Spiral Tunnels (still considered an engineering marvel), rolls into the Columbia River Valley and returns to Calgary via the lakeside ridge of Crowsnest Pass.

During the trip, guests step off the train to hike along the pristine shores of Emerald Lake. They return to the Wild West in the re-created gold rush town of Fort Steele. At Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump World Heritage Site, a Blackfoot Indian guide spins fascinating yarns handed down through generations. But the train itself is the real destination. It’s the life of a railroad baron aboard the Royal Canadian Pacific. You dress up for dinner, relax over cocktails in a plush parlor and let the world roll by.

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