Photo: Hoodoo Adventures
A railway turned recreation trail, a tunnel and a new beginning. Carved out by humans, tampered with by Mother Nature, and repaired out of passion, the Adra Tunnel along the Kettle Valley Rail Trail (KVR) has recently reopened to the public after being blocked off for far too long.
"The Kettle Valley Railway was a division of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). It officially ran from Hope to Midway BC. Different portions were closed off at different times, the first one being in the 50s due to winter issues and maintenance. However, there was a bypass that could be taken. Our section in Naramata saw the last train pass through in May of 1973. After that time, the tracks stayed in place for a while. It was still owned by the CPR and eventually an arrangement was made to sell the right of way to the province of BC. It was used as a back road, and people would drive through the tunnel back then. However, the tunnel has always been susceptible to trickles of water. We're talking about 1600 feet (490 metres) of solid rock, but water will find its way, especially when the tunnel was built in a quasi drainage area. Well, what happens when you don't maintain something? It falls apart. So, collapses started happening throughout the tunnel and in the early 90s, the province put up some concrete barricades so that driving through was no longer possible. People could still walk through but at their own peril. What we're seeing here now is a reopening of the Adra Tunnel for the first time in 30 years."
Craig Henderson has a longstanding connection with the region and the KVR in particular.
"People often call me a historian. I was a travel writer for a magazine, visiting various parts of the world and putting stories together. My passion for the history of the KVR stemmed from being a kid in high school in Penticton. I really wanted to develop a business around the Kettle Valley Railway in our area, because I saw it as a real gem. At that point, the Trans Canada Trail had been designated, which is now called The Great Trail. The KVR was part of that countrywide designation. What was unique here, though, was our strong core of volunteers, retired gentlemen who would go up and develop this trail for recreational use, cutting brush away and adding visitor amenities. There was no official oversight of this. It was just well-meaning, good-hearted fellas getting out there, doing their thing and enjoying each other's company. So that was sort of the first stage of making the KVR into a recreational asset. I came along with a business in 2000-2001. A primary selling point, aside from the stunning views, was the heritage. There's a great story to tell of the railway being built and the incredible engineering feats that were involved. Another was the gradient. It was the longest 2.2% gradient descent of any Canadian railway I'm told from the history books, meaning that if I shuttled people from Naramata village or Penticton up to Chute Lake where things level off, they could gently roll back down. They still had to pedal, but they had the gradient as an advantage, and for a very long distance. So, we were fortunate to have such a great trail base to begin with. I sometimes call it our own Roman road. You know, if you travel the world Roman roads still exist because they were built right. The KVR is no different. It was built right so it could handle the weight of locomotives. So, the base, the gradient, trail amenities, the heritage and the views are a recipe for something special, which is why so many people enjoy the KVR today."
Photo: RDOS Regional Connections
The spirit of the volunteers who originally developed our local section of the KVR endured and was an integral part of the reopening of the Adra Tunnel.
"From the original formula of those who started building our trail in the mid to late 90s out of the goodness of their hearts emerged a group that dubbed itself Woodwackers 2.0. They are the well-meaning citizens who rallied together to fundraise and call in favours to make this project possible over the last three years. They engaged engineers to prescribe what had to be done and found the workers to do it. There was some government funding involved, but most of it was private, allowing things to happen much more quickly. That's a really cool part of the story. If we, as a community, had to lobby for this to be fully overseen by the government, it would have taken much longer. Such a monumental task could have been hindered by bureaucratic roadblocks. But because of the energy and connections of this small group of dedicated locals, the Adra Tunnel is now open for us all to enjoy."
Just shy of 1600 feet (nearly 490 metres), the Adra Tunnel is the longest of its kind along the KVR. However, travelling through the tunnel is more a choice than a necessity.
"You can bypass it easily through the forest if need be. It was actually the forming of a switchback. The KVR has a serpentine design. There are three levels, with two switchbacks in between, allowing for gradual elevation gain. Keeping in mind the 2.2% gradient I mentioned, if engineer Andrew McCullough had decided back in 1912-13 to go from Chute Lake, at an elevation of almost 4,000 feet (1,219 meters), to Penticton, at an elevation of 1,100 feet (335 meters), that would have meant a gradient of 4.5%. Going directly up the hillside as the crow flies wasn't an option. The trail had to be longer to reduce the grade so that locomotives could break easily going down and climb easier going up. So, this horseshoe-shaped tunnel was built as one of the two switchbacks, which makes it unique. It's part of this section of trail we have from Chute Lake down to Naramata and Penticton, and while there are options to bypass the tunnel, it's hard to see why anyone would do so. In my opinion, that makes the Adra Tunnel a destination in itself."
Craig's knowledge of the local area can only be paralleled by his passion for it.
Photo: Preserved Light Photography
"I love that we have easy access to outdoor recreation. Also, the tranquility of the views and pastoral landscape we enjoy here, the climate, the way of life with its slower pace - it's a wonderful place to be."
There you have it. Yet another gem added to our quiver of incredible things to enjoy here in Naramata. The Adra Tunnel is open, and the KVR awaits. Come and explore this picturesque bit of history while the sun is shining. We'll see you soon!
Photo: Preserved Light Photography
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