So on April 10th, we decided to drive an hour and half out to the Coquihalla Canyon Park where five tunnels, mostly rough rock faces, make up the Othello Tunnels. These five tunnels used to be part of the Kettle Valley Railway, cut through the rock back a hundred years ago or so. Parts of the movie First Blood were filmed down in this Canyon.
You start with the first tunnel - they suggest you bring a flashlight as it is dim within the two longer tunnels. Naturally we didn't. But we survived. Did hit a couple of puddles though. It's a relatively straight line through the rock. For the first three tunnels at least. It was easy to see all the way down through the first three.
The dripping water in the tunnel is more than a little disconcerting. It all feels so solid. So permanent. And yet you know there are a host of tiny cracks and fissures for the water to make its way through. And it's long. And dark. A flashlight really would have helped. Oh well.
You come out of the first tunnel and look up. Way up. At a sheer face of rock that the tunnel is cut through.
Then, off to the right there's a low stone wall - and yes, we had a very good grip on our monster man - and you look way down, to the river at the bottom of the canyon.
It's loud. Incredibly loud. The water thunders over the rocks and rapids of the tight canyon and the sound echoes up to you and beyond you, amplified by the rock walls that surround you.
The second tunnel is short and rough, leading to a bridge beyond that carries you over the river as it winds its way through the canyon on on to the third tunnel.
I have no idea what the 49.5 on the far side of the second tunnel means. I just liked how it looked on the rock.
The view before you enter the third tunnel is as breathtaking as any other part of the canyon.
Most of the five tunnels are rough hewn. Worn from the passage of time but otherwise one can believe they look much as they must have looked the day they finished cleaning up the rubble. The two exceptions to this are the third and the fifth tunnel. Each of these tunnels has one end that's 'finished'.
There's another bridge as you come out of the third tunnel, crossing over into the fourth tunnel, which is half hidden in the greenery.
The view down from that bridge is just awesome.
Dave had me laughing as we entered this one. He just had to say "The way is shut. It was made by those who are Dead. And the Dead keep it." Ah yes, Lord of the Rings quotes. You know you're a geek when...
And finally, my favourite picture of the day. A wonderful day out as a family. I can't wait for the next one. And I'll be sure to post the pictures from whatever outing we choose a little quicker next time.
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