March 26Mar 26 The Trans-Canada Highway – Part 3: (TCH-03) For Wed. April 1st, 2026 Background The Trans-Canada Highway is a 7,821 km (4,860-mile) federal-provincial highway system—the fourth longest highway in the world stretching from Victoria, B.C., to St. John's, NL. Officially dedicated in 1962, it spans all ten provinces, crossing the Rocky Mountains and the Canadian Shield to connect major cities. • Route Structure: It is not a single road, but a network of routes (mostly Highway 1 or 17) connected by ferries, including a "Yellowhead" (Highway 16) route through Western Canada. • Key Features: It passes through major cities like Vancouver, Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Fredericton. • Signage: The route is famously marked by a white maple leaf on a green shield. • History: Authorized in 1949 and completed in 1962 (with further upgrades until 1971), it cost over $1 billion to build, equivalent to over $10 billion today. • Usage: It is essential for commerce, with sections (such as through Rogers Pass) requiring active, year-round avalanche control. • Cultural Significance: The highway is associated with Terry Fox, who attempted to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research in 1980. • The network continues to receive upgrades from Transport Canada to support increasing traffic volumes. The Trans-Canada Highway traverses diverse terrain across 7,800+ km, spanning from Atlantic coastal areas through the rocky Canadian Shield in Ontario, vast prairie grasslands in the west, and high-altitude Mountain passes in the Rockies: Key features include rugged boreal forests, lakeshores, rolling hills, and intense mountainous terrain in British Columbia. Regional Terrain Breakdown: • Western (BC/Alberta): Features high-altitude mountain passes (notably Kicking Horse Pass at 1,627m), steep slopes, coniferous forests, and rocky, winding roads. (*We are travelling in this section) • Prairies (Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba): Expansive, flat-to-rolling grasslands and open landscapes. • Central (Ontario): Rugged terrain of the Canadian Shield, characterized by dense forests, dense rock formations, and thousands of lakes, particularly along the north shore of Lake Superior. • Eastern (Quebec/Atlantic Provinces): Mix of coastal landscapes, lush green areas, and rolling terrain. The highway also encounters significant elevation changes, ranging from sea level on the coasts to high alpine passes. Our Trip We have previously travelled a portion of the Trans-Canada highway from Victoria eastward to Lytton BC. In this trip we will continue following the route of the highway eastward and by the days end we will have reached Golden BC. Golden is only 56 miles away from the provincial border between British Columbia and Alberta. You will notice elevations increasing as we travel eastward through the Rockies. In this segment will highlight the following important locations or points of interest: The Last Spike monument: The Last Spike monument is located in Craigellachie, British Columbia and commemorates the driving of the final spike into the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) on November 7, 1885. Located on the Trans-Canada Highway 45 km west of Revelstoke, it marks the completion of the first transcontinental railway, connecting Canada coast-to-coast. A slight DETOUR: to see Revelstoke Dam: The Revelstoke Dam, also known as Revelstoke Canyon Dam, is a hydroelectric dam spanning the Columbia River, 5 km north of Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada. Columbia River: The main stem of the Columbia rises in Columbia Lake in British Columbia, Canada. After flowing a path for 1,270 miles, the Columbia River joins the Pacific Ocean near Astoria, Oregon. The major tributaries of the Columbia are the Kootenai, Flathead/Pend Oreille/Clark's Fork, Snake, and Willamette. The Revelstoke Highline Suspension Bridge: is a 75.5-meter (248-foot) suspension bridge and cantilevered viewing deck located at Revelstoke Mountain Resort in British Columbia, Canada. Situated 1,690 meters above sea level, it features panoramic views of the Monashee Mountains and Columbia Valley. The stroller-friendly, 600-meter round-trip walk is accessible via the Revelation Gondola. This bridge spans Columbia River in the city of Revelstoke, BC. The Big Eddy Bridge is less than a mile from the Revelstoke Suspension Bridge is old, narrow and spans the mighty Columbia River. There are lights at each end for one-way alternating traffic and for decades, long ago, it was the only way get to the other side (autos or foot traffic). Revelstoke Mountain/Ski area: Revelstoke Mountain Resort is a ski resort on Mount Mackenzie, just outside Revelstoke, British Columbia in Canada. Albert Canyon/Canyon Hot Springs and Resort: https://www.canyonhotsprings.com/resort/ Glacier National Park: is part of a system of 43 parks and park reserves across Canada, and one of seven national parks in British Columbia. Connaught Tunnel: The Connaught Tunnel is a 5.02-mile (8.08 km) railway tunnel in British Columbia, Canada, opened by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) on December 16, 1916. It runs under Mount Macdonald in the Selkirk Mountains to bypass the dangerous Rogers Pass summit. Today, it primarily handles eastbound freight traffic, complementing the newer Mount Macdonald Tunnel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97R9zoi-eDE Aircraft Airports/Route: CYLY-CAZ5-CYKA-CZAM-CYRV-CYGE (271 nm)- Recommend utilizing a fixed wing (or helicopter) to be able to travel at @ 150+kts. It might be nice to again utilize the latest Bksq Caravan in this trip. It is not too fast or too slow and has an unobstructed cockpit view to see the sites but as always please fly your aircraft of choice. FP, itinerary, etc can be found HERE. Add-on Scenery: (All airports are in the default sim but there are a few scenery adds that provide some eye candy if you wish!!) (Payware is NOT required but if you have it, please feel free to use it!) CYKA-Kamloops*: https://flightsim.to/addon/38101/kamloops-airport-cyka (by ArfusBarkus) (*Payware available-Simaddons) CZAM-Salmon Arm: https://flightsim.to/addon/48483/okanagan-valley-airfields-6 (by TISBS) (*NOTAM: Several Dependices for this add-on scenery) CYRV-Revelstoke*: https://flightsim.to/addon/58711/cyrv-revelstoke-airport (by T0ken Design) (*Payware available-Simaddons) CYGE-Golden: https://flightsim.to/addon/43796/golden-airport-cyge (by 55tom55) (*NOTAM Three Dependices for this add-on scenery) Time and Weather Prefer to fly real weather if possible but if not, the few clouds, high clouds OR Jeff-Partly Cloudy-Jeff-1.wpr preset (included) would make a nice choice. For takeoff: set the simulator time to @1630 (ish) local. (This time simulates early dusk and sun will be behind us yet we should have enough daylight to make it to our destination at Golden under VFR conditions). Kamloops at Night Multiplayer Particulars Date and time: Wednesday, April 1st, 2026 – 1900 UTC. AVSIM Discord Server: https://discord.gg/K5Vy6UxWNm Microsoft Flight Simulator Multiplayer: SOUTH-EAST-ASIA Server If you want to help others enjoy the multiplayer experience, don't forget to enter your aircraft details on the multiplayer spreadsheet (linked here). Your courtesy will save others a lot of time and effort. Thanks! Edited March 26Mar 26 by nbrich1
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