Tuesday, May 22, 2018

May 22 – Othello Tunnels, To Chilliwack

We finally got to the Othello Tunnels on our fourth attempt and it was worth the effort.

Make sure you check out the photospheres today. They are much better at capturing the canyon walls.

Our timing was almost perfect as well. We arrived at 8 am and were the first ones there. We had the tunnels to ourselves on our outbound trip. Coming back there were a few more people but not too bad. Just as we got back to the parking lot 3 bus loads of young public school kids arrived. Really dodged a bullet there.

The tunnels were built around 1915 through what was once thought to be an impossible place to build a railroad. I can see why. There are 5 tunnels and 2 bridges. Four of the tunnels are in a straight line and you can see end to end. The last has a curve.

Back to the now unblocked entrance to the first tunnel.

IMG_1045490

IMG_1045493-Pano

IMG_5302

IMG_1045495

All the signs said to take flashlights but ours were not bright enough and it was easy to feel your way along.

IMG_1045497

The gap between the first and second tunnels had the most dramatic steep cliffs.

IMG_1045501

This rock face was so flat that it seemed unnatural. It is the start of the second tunnel.

IMG_1045509-Pano

Looking back at the end of the first tunnel, with a huge net to catch any falling rocks.

IMG_5309

Here is a picture taken on the way back. It’s about an hour later and the sun is much higher now.

IMG_1045666

The river was raging down below us.

IMG_1045518-Pano-2

Do check out the photosphere.

Coming out of the second tunnel. On the park map the next tunnel is marked as Tunnel 3 and 4.

IMG_5314

The river does a sharp turn underneath the bridge. One side of the bridge looking toward tunnel 3.

IMG_5315

IMG_1045647-Pano

The other side of the bridge looking towards tunnel 3.

IMG_5316

Looking upstream back at tunnel 2.

IMG_5322

IMG_1045536-Pano

This was taken on the way back when someone dared to invade our private trail.

IMG_1045614-Pano

Another must see photosphere.

Looking back from the start of the third/fourth tunnel. The light from the left side is a gap where you can see down to the river.This must be the break between 3 and 4.

IMG_5327

Always with the locks.

IMG_5380

IMG_5324

Coming out of the fourth tunnel looking at the entrance of the fifth tunnel.

IMG_5331

The river does another sharp turn the other way under this bridge.

Looking back at the fourth tunnel.

IMG_1045561-Pano

IMG_1045558-Pano

The final photosphere.

Jennie liked the spider web on the bridge.

IMG_5377

Looking towards tunnel 5. The lower part of this bridge is the original railroad trestle.

IMG_1045564-Pano

The somewhat less impressive exit to the fifth and final tunnel.

IMG_1045579

We continued along the trail for a while just to get some exercise.

IMG_1045571-Pano

Lots of mossy trees.

IMG_5345

We didn’t go far before turning around when the trail started a long, uninteresting straightaway.

IMG_1045576

A few more people on the way back.

IMG_5352

IMG_1045601

And the horde descends on the parking lot. This is the first school day the tunnels have been open.

IMG_1045681

We went back to the campground to collect the RV and proceeded with our very short 1/2 hour move to the Cottonwood Meadows RV Park in Chilliwack.


The sites are a bit tighter here and there is no mountain view, mainly because Chilliwack is on a large flat plain. There are a lot of farms around here.

IMG_1045683-Pano

The campground is right next to the Trans Canada Highway but we are in site 42 (the answer to everything according to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy).

Screenshot (10)

As per usual, after lunch we hit the visitor’s center and then did some grocery shopping.

IMG_20180522_133040

We are here for a week.

1 comment: