Ladner Creek Railway Bridge, Hope

Greetings to everyone who still open up my blog. After a long hiatus caused by a distraction called life, I’ll try to start posting more frequently once again.

This abandoned railway trestle is rusting away east from the city of Hope, British Columbia. The bridge was once a part of The Kettle Valley Rail Road – a now abandoned railway that used to serve mining towns in BC.

The railway hugs a side of a steep hill and the bridge is only accessible by following the rail track for a few kilometres.

The metal rails and even the wooden crossbeams are now gone, but the pathway etched on the side of a cliff is still in good condition. The short hike ends in front of a collapsed tunnel, the bridge is right on the other side of it.

The first glimpse of the bridge is breath taking. Such a massive construction, abandoned and forgotten, rusting away in the middle of this wild landscape looks outlandish.

The steel construction still feels sturdy and shows no sign of giving way to the elements.

Although the same can’t be said about the wooden crossbeams that once supported the rails, they are now rotten and unsafe to walk on. The only way to cross the bridge is by walking on the metal parts on both sides of the railway. Alas, that didn’t seem like a good idea at that time, given the slippery conditions and the deadly fall waiting for those who take a miscalculated step while trying to cross.

This is part 1 of the Fraser valley trip, more pictures coming soon!