Banff–Windermere Highway

Highway 93 southbound, north of Radium Hot Springs, exit from Kootenay National Park

The Banff-Windermere Highway begins at British Columbia Highway 95 in village of Radium Hot Springs at the north end of the 134 km (83 mi) Highway 93/95 concurrency, approximately 15 km (9 mi) north of Windermere Lake where the highway gains its name. The highway passes through the village, passing numerous tourist services, overlooking Sinclair Creek. Approximately 1.3 km (0.8 mi) northeast of Highway 95, it enters Kootenay National Park, passing through the park gates. It continues through Sinclair Canyon and the Radium Hot Springs pools before passing through a short tunnel. East of the tunnel, the speed limit increases to 90 km/h (56 mph) and begins its climb to Sinclair Pass, reaching an elevation of 1,486 m (4,875 ft). East of the summit, the highway reaches a viewpoint of the Kootenay River valley, where it turns north and descends into the valley. The highway follows the Kootenay River to and area known as Kootenay Crossing, where the highway crosses the river and follows the Vermilion River. The highway follows the valley northeast and climbs up to Vermilion Pass at the Continental Divide, reaching an elevation of 1,680 m (5,510 ft). At the summit, the highway leaves both British Columbia and Kootenay National Park, entering Alberta and Banff National Park. The highway descends into the Bow River valley, with a full view of Castle Mountain, and intersects the Trans-Canada Highway (Alberta Highway 1) at Castle Junction, approximately 31 km (19 mi) west of Banff. From there, Highway 93 follows Highway 1 to Lake Louise, while the roadway (still referred to as part of the Banff-Windermere Highway) continues another 1.1 km (0.7 mi) to the Bow Valley Parkway (Alberta Highway 1A) on the north side of the Bow River.[1][2]

Castle Mountain, in Banff National Park, as seen from Highway 93 near the Alberta border.

The corridor along the Kootenay and Vermilion Rivers had been used as a first nations travel route for thousands of years. In 1858, Sir James Hector travelled through Vermilion Pass and recommended that it would be the best route for a wagon road.[3] In the early 1900s settlers in the Columbia Valley advocated for improved connections with Banff and Calgary and lobbied the BC provincial government to construct a road. With the overall goal of constructing an all-Canadian road between the Canadian Prairies and Pacific Ocean, the Alberta provincial and federal governments were consulted.[4] Construction began in 1911,[3] and by 1914 the road was opened between Calgary and Vermilion Pass as well as a 19 km (12 mi) western section.[4] The outbreak of World War I resulted in a suspension of construction, and following the conclusion of the war the British Columbia provincial government did not have enough funds to complete the project.[3] The Banff-Windermere Road Agreement was reached whereby the federal government would complete the remaining 85 km (53 mi) of road, and in exchange they would receive a 5 mi (8 km) buffer of land on each side of the highway for conservation purposes; approximately 1,600 km² (600 sq mi) in total. This resulted in the creation of Kootenay National Park.[3][4] The road opened in 1922 and was first highway to cross the Central Canadian Rockies,[4] with the Kicking Horse Trail across Kicking Horse Pass (the corridor which eventually became part of the Trans-Canada Highway) opening in 1926, connecting Lake Louise and Golden.[5]

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