Old Slocan Highway

Here’s a Then & Now that had us travelling the West Kootenay region of BC and on the day of this visit, it was hot as Hades. Coming away feeling like a slow-roasted brisket, the amazing scenery and the experience overall made it all worth while. We were allowed use of an old photo for inspiration, thanks to the BC Archives, and it was captured along the old Slocan Highway. Check it out and enjoy!

The Then picture shows the route while still in use (or soon after decommissioning) about half a century ago and we’ve returned to see how it looks today. Watch for falling boulders! The road hasn’t seen a car in eons but remains overall in reasonable shape, save for some rockfall in places like this. The worst of it is what you see in the photos below, at the tunnel, but there’s others that have come down elsewhere along its many kilometre length.

This narrow winding alignment, on a shelf just above lake level, was punched through in the late 1920s and in use into the 1970s. Prior to its closing a new section was put in, higher up slope, and while it’s still is a mountain road in every sense, it’s rather tame in comparison. The work and effort that went into both was considerable. The hills around are all rock and the area quite rugged.

Imagine driving the section seen here come winter. Imagine driving this section as all! If it’s slippery, you’re dead. A blown tire and you’re in the lake…and dead. Bad brakes will have you missing the curve, you’ll plunge into the lake and guess what…you’re dead. A moment of inattention and you’re stone cold get ready to meet your maker dead. There’s is no forgiveness*.

Meeting opposing traffic along a single lane section meant one driver had to back up to where the road was wider. Heads or tails? Rocks, trees, plus on colder months, snow and ice, could all come raining down at any time. Head’s up!

This crazy highway must have struck fear into hearts of those who travelled it, even folks used to the oftentimes crazy BC backroads. There’s something about deep water right beside the road that creeps out your author and there must be others who feel the same. Slocan Lake is anything but shallow, plus cold and foreboding. Fear the dark depths.

This road was a wild ride at the best of times and sheer horror at the worst. No bloody way!

The highway builders never intended to place a tunnel here, but when during construction a blast blew away a section of slope intended for the alignment, plans had to be changed. It’s carved our of sheer rock, quite solid and stable for the most part, and therefor did not need concrete lining. It’s short, and only a few car lengths in length, but it was the only way through.

The road was gravel to begin with and paved at some point, we think, in the 1950s or thereabouts. Old records found were not fully clear on the matter. There’s still remnants of blacktop left behind here and there, and on some sections old line markings can be seen. We’ll be posting more about the Old Slocan Highway in the future.

Looking at old photos showing it in the early days, we note that barricades were not always present on the lake side. Yikes!

The original photo comes thanks to the BC Archives but not much info accompanied it. From the look of things, it appears the aliment was still in use at the time (nice fall day), or if not, captured soon after rerouting had taken place. Either way, it must have around that time.

This kind contributor has allowed us use of other photos in their collection and you’ll be seeing their name again on this website from time to time. We shot a whole bunch of T&Ns the last couple years that use their photos as fodder.

The boulders seen came down about ten years ago and just in front of the tunnel. What a din it must have made and it’s possible some tumbled into the deep water. Here and there, other rocks have fallen along the alignment, but none are even close to this big.

Notice how much the trees have grown up in back since the older photo was captured. Nature, if given time, will always win out and now the old road is nice and shaded, which was welcome on this scorching hot day. The temps were so high, we planned this visit for early morning, and even then, we nearly died from it.

If you know of an old image we should use as inspiration for a BIGDoer Then & Now, drop us a line. Old family photos are good or vintage postcards too (both generally don’t have complicated copyright issues), showing street scenes, landscapes or things like that. If unsure, we’re always here to answer any questions and fill you in on what style works best and what doesn’t.

Thank for watching and drop by often to enjoy new content posted regularly.

*If anyone perished along this section of the Old Slocan Highway or ended up in the lake, we found no reports confirming such info. No doubt there were many close calls, however, or the worst happened and didn’t get widely reported.

They’re saying…

”Then and now photos are awesome!!” Jenn Tanaka.

BC T&N time!…
Rosebery BC Then & Now.
Sandon BC Then & Now.
Canadian Pacific Railway Then and Now – Greg McDonnell Edition.

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Date of Adventure: July, 2021.
Location: West Kootenay region, BC.
Article references and thanks: BC Dept of Highways and BC Archives @ Royal BC Museum.

Along the old Slocan Highway (original: BC Archives).

The alignment dates back to the 1920s.

Marking the entrance to the short tunnel.

This narrow road was bypassed about fifty years ago.