In 1970, when this spur line became unprofitable, the Canadian Pacific Railroad (CPR) abandoned the line and in 1971 took up the tracks. At some point the rail bed and right of way were purchased by or donated to the regional district for use as a year round, multi use trail.
To the side of the trailhead is a large sign board imparting some information on aspects of railroading, tie cutting and gold mining in the Cranbrook area. Text from the sign follows.
Rails In The Isadore Canyon
The Last Spike
"A site for a railway station, round house and tank has been selected, and we have positive information that Cranbrook will be the division headquarters for East Kootenay".
Fort Steele, The Prospector June 5, 1898
Hugh Brock was locomotive engineer on engine No. 466 when the steel was laid into Cranbrook on the morning of July 27, 1898
Seventy-two years later the rail line was officially closed and in October, 1971 the ties and rails were removed. Rerouting of the railway was due to the flooding of the Libby reservoir -Lake Koocanusa.
Archaeological sites have been discovered and documented in this area. Archaeological features are protected under the Heritage Conservation Act. Please do not disturb or remove any artifacts you might encounter. You can help by reporting any finds to the Cranbrook Forest District 250-426-1700.
The King of Tie - Hackers
As you walk along the Isadore Trail you will see railway ties that were put there a hundred years ago. When the railroads were built on the Prairies to haul grain one source for the vast quantities of ties needed was the forests of the East Kootenays. The men who made these ties were called "tie - hackers".
In the logging camps where they worked a good tie - hack would put in long days and produce as many as a thousand ties a month. In the winter of 1930, Albert McVeigh cut 1031 ties and was paid $123.72. That works out to be about 12 cents per tie. After paying for his food and board, he was left with $73.42 for a months work.
One tie hack who stood out among all the others was a big man by the name of Harry Moorehouse. Harry could cut 100 ties a day and became the champion hand - tie - hewer of the Kootenays. Much of the forest in the Cranbrook Community Forest was first logged for railway ties in the 1920's.
Wild Horse Gold
In the spring of 1865, hundreds of nuggets were being taken from the mouth of Wild Horse Creek. Gold seekers from south of the border dominated the claims. Fisherville and Mt. Fisher were named after one such prospector by the name of Jack Fisher.
It was an exciting time here in the Kootenays and history was in the making. Soon word of the gold rush reached Governor Seymour in Victoria. Reports described how hordes of Americans were swarming to the Wild Horse diggings, settling themselves there, and ignoring the fact that they were in a foreign country.
With no direct route established to Eastern British Columbia the governor hired Edgar Dewdney to build a pack trail from the Fraser Valley to Wild Horse Creek. The Dewdney Trail was completed in the fall of 1865. It was 466 km in length and 1 m wide.
Colonel Sam Steele of the North West Mounted Police was sent to keep law and order. He arrived on August 1, 1887, setting up camp near the present site of Fort Steele.
As you walk this historic trail you will be treated with an incredible view of Mt. Fisher.