Our arrival in Kalispell on the Empire Maker train
Doug demonstrating the roominess of our sleeper car.
Be sure to at least read to the Empire Maker route description.
We reserved a sleeper car for the overnight ride. Our spacious accommodation measured about 3'x7' with a fold down upper bunk. We left Seattle about 4:40pm and were scheduled to arrive at 7:30A in Whitefish on the 29th. It was an interesting ride bouncing around in the sleeping car although I didn't do much sleeping.
When we stopped in Sandpoint, ID is was about 2:30 in the morning. I looked out into the darkenss and saw 12 departing passengers and their luggage standing on the lone platform. It was surreal pulling away from them and watching as they disappeared into the inky night.
At this point I could not go back to sleep. The first bits of morning light began to subtly illuminate the early morning sky. Everything was a monochromatic vision of grays. The tall evergreens and the mountains were gently siloutted against the sky. Perhaps the most startling was how the clouds looked in the eerie light. They appeared to be large 3-dimensional sculptures suspended from the sky.
Shortly the dawn began and the grays gradually transformed to various subtle shades of green. The moisture from the river created some dramatic fog that encapsulated the landscape. I could make out three deer emerging from a fog covered field. It was a beautiful sight.
Tim, Doug's son, met us at the train station. We grabbed breakfast in Whitefish. We were fortunate enough to be able to check in very early at the Hampton Inn. Doug decided to go golfing with the boys. OK, here is the news you've been waiting for...HE SHOT A HOLE IN ONE!!! It will be featured in the weekly Kalispell newspaper. The rest of his round was not so note worthy.
For those of you who are interested in the route we took here is a description. (Source: Empire Builder Route Guide)
SEATTLE: The city was named in honor of Chief Noah Stealth, head of one of the two tribes living in the area since 1851 when Arthur Denny and his settlers landed on Alki POint. Today Seattle is the "Emerald City" for its famed access to pristine mountain wilderness and the Puget Sound. Once a small sawmill town Seattle is now home to Microsoft and the tallest building on the West Coast. A mile-long tunnel under hilly downtown leads us from King Street Station. The Space Needle, symbol of the 1962 Seattle World's Fair, is on the right. At Pier 69, on the left, ships depart daily cruising to Victoria, B.C. Pier 70, the largest restored wooden building in the country, now houses 40 shops and restaurants, and is connected to downtown by a trolley which runs adjacent to the Empire Builder tracks.
Shilshole Bay: The name derives from the Duwamisih Indian word meaning "threasjilshole Bay. ding a needle", no doubt referring to the opening through which Salmon Day empties into Shilshole Bay. At this point, the route crosses the Salmon Bay Inlet. Shilshole Bay, Lake Union, Portage Bay and Union Bay form a waterway to reach Seattle's magnificent Lake Washington. The Chittenden Locks on the right allow access to eastern lake ports. The statue on the left is Leif Ericson, the Norse explorer thought to have "discovered" America before Columbus.
Puget Sound shore is skirted by the train for approximately 30 miles. Its water temperature varies only between 51 and 53 degrees annually, contributing to the region's moist maritime climate. Captain George Vancouver first wrote about these waters in 1792, The name was given by Vancouver to honor Lieutenant Peter Puget, who explored its southern end that year.
EDMONDS: You'll find Edmonds' Old Milltown Shopping Arcade in the turn-of-the-century Ford garage. The train stops next to the dock for ferries to Kingston on the Olympic Peninsula.
Puget Sound The train skirts Puget Sound for the next 15 miles. You can see the islands that dot the sound, including Whidbey Island and Bainbridge Island, which are connected to the mainland by ferries.
EVERETT: Everett has been a popular port since its beginning and is known for its fishing fleet and lumber. Before the railroads linked these forests with the eastern states, Washington sawmills were already shipping boatloads of lumber to China, Australia and South America. The city's other claim to fame is more recent, the Boeing 747/767 assembly plant is located here. You might even see test planes overhead.
Skykomish (1:15 Min./1:45 Min): As the train follows the Skykomish River, you can see Washington's famous pine and fir forests. In this area are the prospector's Money Creek, Indian Falls, chute-shaped Sunset Falls, Table Rock and Index Mountain.
Cacade Mountains: For the 65 miles east of Everett, the tracks have been climbing more than 2,800 feet. The best way to get through this spectacular mountain range is to go under it -- which you can, thanks to the 7.79 mile Cascade Tunnel, bored under Stevens Pass 500 feet overhead and 4,061 feet above sea level. The tunnel, the longest in the Western Hemisphere, was completed in 1929.
Icicle Canyon (1:45 Min./1:10 Min.): Look closely and you might see goats on the hillsides; and elk, beaver and deer in the marshes. The train is now descending more than 100 feet for every mile of forward progress.
Leavenworth (2:30 Min./20 Min.): This quaint Bavarian themed village just outside of Tumwater Canyon has become the first major tourist stop on the eastern side of the mountains. It's annual Oktoberfest celebration is on the the world's most attended outside of Munich, Germany. The terrain changes from dramatic to gentle as the Empire Builder concludes its steep descent from ski country. The train starts to follow the Wenatchee River into rich farmlands.
WENATCHEE: The city takes its name from an Indian word meaning "robe of the rainbow." The "Apple Capital of the World" grows more than 15% of the nation's apple crop. (NOTE: This is the home of Harry & David, the mail order fruit company. When Doug and I came through here on the motorcycle a few years ago you could literally smell the apples, pears, peaches and cherries ripening on the trees.)
Columbia Basin: About 10 million years ago, lava oozed out of the earth's crust here and covered the surrounding ancient mountains. The lava, in some places more than a mile thick, eventually cooled and became the largest lava basin in the country -- and today, rich and fertile farmlands due to modern irrigation. During the night, the train stops at EPHRATA and SPOKANE
SPOKANE: Spokane calls itself "Monarch of the Inland Empire" and lies in the midst of country rich in productive farmlands, lumber and mining. Railroading was responsible for much of the city's early growth. Here the Empire Builder route (the Great Northern route from Seattle) is joined by the Portland route at Spokane. During the night, the train stops at SANDPOINT and LIBBY.
Flathead Tunnel: The 7-mile long Flathead Tunnel, 42 miles west of Whitefish, is the second longest in the Western Hemisphere.
WHITEFISH: Originally nicknamed "Stumptown" from its logger heritage the alpine station matches the beauty of its natural setting. Built in the late 1940's, Whitefish Mountain resort is on the left, one of the nation's finest and best-kept northwest secrets.Located in the valley of Flathead National Forest, with its great recreational activities, the town is bordered by Whitefish Lakes.
No comments:
Post a Comment