Othello Tunnels Geomorphology Field Trip Project EarthCache

The Fraser Valley Region is a region that is full of an incredible array of different geomorphologic processes. These different processes, both natural and human made, have resulted in a dynamic area that showcase just how beautiful but challenging this region is. In this earthcache you will learn about the human process and how it impacts the geomorphology of this beautiful and historic region on the edges of the Fraser Valley.

Why the Othello Tunnels for this Location?

In the early 1900s, the Canadian Pacific Railway(CPR) finally decided that a route was a quintessential link that was missing to connect to the Kootenay region to the Southwestern Region in British Columbia by a “ribbon of steel.”  Andrew McCulloch was hired by CPR in 1884 but in May 1910 he was no longer an axe man was now a full fledged civil engineer for the incredibly challenging project, the Kettle Valley Railway.

McCulloch took on the challenging task of building the railway which would include building a railway line over THREE major mountain ranges. The Coquihalla subdivision included 61.1kms from the Coquihalla Summit to the junction with the CPR mainline across the Fraser River from Hope. This section of the line would become the most expensive kilometre of railway track in the world which has been estimated at to be around $300,000 in 1914. The construction was completely virtually all by hand with the assistance of some horse drawn scrapers and black powder. His assistant engineers would eventually  nick-name this section of the railway as “McCulloch’s Wonder” because of the incredible difficulty of the regions topography and its remoteness.

The greatest challenge of this route was the Coquihalla gorge, just east of Hope, where the river had cut a 100-meter-deep channel in solid granite. Other engineers had suggested a 3km-long tunnel by-passing the gorge, but McCulloch chose to build directly through the gorge instead. McCulloch surveyed the canyon for a straight line of tunnels that could be dug out simultaneously (at the same time). While the construction was ongoing the workers would use various wooden cliff ladders, temporarily suspension bridges and ropes which allowed workers to complete what is, to this day, regarded as an engineering masterpiece.

The Kettle Valley Railway was officially opened on July 31, 1916. The operation of  line was used for both freight and passenger service between Vancouver and Nelson, however the operation was plagued with countless amounts of snow and rock slides closures. In fact in just a two year period, in the 1930s, the line operated for only a few weeks before it was closed again because of more snow and rock slides.

On November 23, 1959, a yet another washout was reported just north of the tunnels. This was a 122 meter washout was too large to be filled in one day, and numerous other washouts added to the troubles of the maintenance crews. Eventually the line was closed and never reopened and it was officially abandoned in July of 1961.

The tunnels and surrounding area became a provincial park in 1998.    

For this earthcache you will setting out on a potential 14.7km hike with an elevation gain of 290 meters around the Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park. You can either park at the end of Kettle Valley Road (FREE) and hike in or you can park at the Provincial Park Parking Lot. No matter what destination you choose to park your car you will want to give yourself about 5 hours to complete this “Othello Tunnels Geomorphology Field Trip Project.”

What is Geomorphology?

Geomorphology is a scientific study of landforms and the various processes that shape them all over the Earth. Scientists become geomorphologists because they seek to understand why landforms look the way they do and how it affects human civilization development. In Metro Vancouver as well as in the Fraser Valley many scientists become a geomorphologists because this in an incredibly diverse region for the types of land formations that can be found here. At this location (aka Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park) has an excellent vantage point that will give you a great overview look at the Human Process of Geomorphology. You will additionally as well as learn and observe the incredible history of what in what had to be accomplished in this engineering “miracle” to complete this final portion of the famous Kettle Valley Railway System.

A landform, or land formation, is any natural feature, which can be found on the earth's surface such as a delta, mountain or river. The shape of the Earth’s surface, and how Human’s live on Earth, is defined by the various different types of land formations and the processes that go into the creation of those formations. The incredible variety of land formations that are found throughout the Fraser Valley region have most certainly shaped how the 280,000 +(c. 2011) people live. It is also one, though not the only reason, as to why the cost of living is becoming more and more expensive.

The surface of Earth is constantly being altered, changed and even destroyed by a combination of surface processes that sculpt landscapes such as water, wind, and fire. Geological processes include the uplifting of mountain chains and the growth of volcanoes as the result of Plate Tectonics. The Earth surface and its topography therefore are an intersection of atmospheric, biological, climatic, geological hydraulic (water movement) action with geologic processes that shape the topography of the land.

Another factor that cannot be ignored when it comes to the geomorphic process and it is the human alteration of the landscape. Humans change the landscape to make it “fit better” with their needs. As a result of this many of these factors are strongly connected to the on going debate with climate change.

There are the Seven Different Processes with Geomorphology but at this location you will be looking at the Human Process and its direct impact with Geomorphology.

Human Process: Humans interact with the landforms, can be found in many different forms, and is probably of profound importance for the on going climate change. Some of the biggest impacts that civilization has had on Geomorphology is the development of a modern city and also urban sprawl. An example of this would be the construction and growth of the city Chilliwack or the Vedder Canal in Abbotsford.

At this location you will be looking at Human Process with a focus on engineering.

To Get Credit for this Earthcache

Please email me the answers for questions that are listed at the various stages that are listed down below.. Please don’t include your answers on your log. Entries that have been logged, but have not emailed me (click on my name at the top of the page) will be deleted after a reasonable period of time. To complete this Earthcache you will need to go and visit each one of these stages, that is why this Earthcache is called a "field trip project."

Stage #1 Slide Area

1. In the human process of building this old route why are the rocks here sharp and jagged and not rounded?

2. Why do you think the engineers decided to build a “edge” along this section rather than making more additional tunnels and or bridges?

Stage #2 Railway Funnel

1. If you are thinking about railway construction, why did the engineers construct the Old Kettle Valley Railway segment to be in a shape of a “funnel?”

2. From the railway construction what signs of erosion do you see happening at this site? Please name at least two that you can visually see.

3. In your own opinion do you think the topography of this location has had any “meaningful” change since it was constructed in 1914?

Stage #3 Avalanche & Landslide Maintenance

1. What human related process can you happening here that could cause further avalanches and or landslides?

2. At ground zero what avalanche and landslide maintenance on going work do you see happening here? Please name the THREE main ongoing activities that you visually see.

Stage #4 Gorge

1. What is the elevation difference between the railway trail and the water?

2. What human related geomorphology process impact do you see between the river and the railway tunnel?

3. OPTIONAL: You can take a picture of your GPS and your group and post it in your log after the email with the answers have been sent.

Stage #5 What is with the Height?

1. While you are at ground zero look up. How high is that rock face?

2. In the human related process with geomorphology why does this rock face appear to be flat?

3. Why are there various cracks along the rock face?

Stage #6 Dripping Water

1. On average how tall and wide are each of the main Othello Tunnels are?

2. What tunnel maintenance and stability work do you see?

3. In your opinion why is there a lot of water dripping down from the ceiling?

Stage #7 What About the River?

1. What is the name of the river?

2. How could have the direction, flow, of the river be impact by the human process and the construction of these tunnels?

OPTIONAL: Stage #8 Plaque

1. Thinking about the human process in geomorphology please hypothosize what this area would have looked like if this Engineers Mule Road was chosen to be the route for the Kettle Valley Railway System and not the present day Othello Tunnels.

2. What could have been some of the potential challenges that would have been present in building the railway through this Engineers Mule Route? Would these challenges been the same or different than the challenges that Andrew McCulloch had to overcome at the Othello Tunnels?

OPTIONAL: Stage #9 Rounded Rocks

1. Why are these rocks rounded but everywhere else that you have been looking in thie trip the rocks are jagged?

Credits & References:

Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/coquihalla_cyn/

Historic Places: http://lieuxpatrimoniaux.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=18065

Official Website for the Town of Hope: http://www.hopebc.ca

Fraser Valley Regional District: http://www.fvrd.bc.ca/ABOUTUS/Pages/DistrictStatistics.aspx