Historical Landmark Destroyed By The Coquihalla Flood

We as humans build things and think they are forever. But when Mother Earth decides to reclaim them there's really nothing we can do about it. People are always saying that we are killing the Earth. The truth is we are killing humanity. When we are gone and forgotten Mother Earth will still be here and over time will erase all that we have done. Things like this really are a reminder of just how insignificant man is in the grand scheme of things.

Thank you for taking the time to thoroughly document the impact of this historical event in such a beloved place. Thank you to your daughter for helping those in need. I have friends who live in town with their kids. I'm so sad about al of this, as are many. God bless you

We've explored the tunnels several years ago, they are a remarkable engineering feat. It was shocking to see the first tunnel's corner gone into the river (on the Hope side). We had wondered how severe the damage may have been from the recent flooding of the Coquihalla River. It's so sad to see the debris everywhere. We appreciate your efforts to take us along to experience a slice of history and devastation. Great work on your video Adam, thank you!

Just wanted to say I'm proud of our community in Hope. That was quite the experience to endure

WOW!!! This just shows the magnitude of this incident in the Fraser Valley. Othello Tunnels is such a cool place for a walk, and to think the Coquihalla River would rise at least 150ft to the tunnels. A big thanks to all the local You Tubers in the Fraser Valley showing the real story of the damage. Why can't the news stations show this instead of the politicians flapping their jaws. Thanks again everyone 👍

Sad to see the damage but appreciate this video and all of the interesting facts you shared about the history of the tunnels and great quality footage as well. I look forward to seeing more of your videos in the future :) hopefully one day you will do another one about the tunnels when it’s fixed.

What a beautiful but incredibly sad share. My heart is aching for you all and the loss and mourning you must be feeling. I wish the news would show the rest of Canada how the devastation is so widespread, engulfing smaller towns and cities because these people, like yourselves, have also sustained insane loss and sadly, because you aren’t in a major city, funding and help will not be a priority. I don’t even know what to say, so gut wrenching. Love from Alberta .

Cool walk through even with the damage. Good to hear you guys are ok ,best of luck rebuilding the roads and cleaning up . Thanks for sharing 👍.

Hello, thank you for sharing the history and news of your special places. One can only imagine the feelings of loss you are going through. In seeing the vast stunning beauty in your videos, I can see why you and so many others love this area. You are in my thoughts; your family, and community are an inspiration. Sending much love and positive thoughts your way.

I was there a few years ago ... this is heart-wrenching. Thanks for documenting this disaster.

It is definitely heartbreaking to see. When I was a kid in the 1970's we used to live up here and we would come and see the tunnels. At that time there wasn't a bridge to cross the tunnels. I was here about 5 years ago with my family. I hope in years to come we will be able to visit again.

Thank you for sharing this video. My Grandfather, Father and Uncles worked on this railroad and maintained it. I recall Dad talking about chopping ice accumulations off of the ceilings of the tunnels in the winter. As children our parents, who lived along this railroad early in their marriage, took us on camping trips and day trips from Langley, BC to see and explore the area before it was designated a park. Sometimes we would pull the car up close to the tunnel entrance, (where all the debris is now) and light a small fire to roast wieners and marshmallows. It holds great memories for me.

A million thanks for creating this video. I’m 73 now but I grew up in Chilliwack. As kids we’d bike to Hope and enjoy these tunnels. I’ve taken countless of visitors there to share the natural beauty. You’re video and the knowledge you shared is a gift to everyone , thank you 😊

Thanks for that. The video brings back good memories of the times we've visited the tunnels. It's especially of interest to me since my great grandfather was an engineer or train driver on the KVRW. Greetings from Oregon.

wow. i couldn’t tell you how many times i’ve driven through this valley. i never knew this place existed until now. thank you.

Heart breaking and incredible force of water power. Unimaginable that water rose so high in such a micro short time! Thank you for your video and information.

As someone that has taken my family to Othello Tunnels several times over the past decade, this is heartbreaking to see the scale of damage that the flooding has caused. It could be years before that opens to the public again. Thank you for risking your safety and sharing these images. Hopefully, it inspires people to help out those in need that have been affected by these floods.

I so-o-o enjoyed the "walk." I grew up in the forest and appreciated the views that your domain in nature provides. It is amazing that water can be quite peaceful, soothing and yet become a raging, destructive, torrent, when the right conditions allow it to swell and and reshape. I am sure that you all will have the will and determination to pick up the pieces, rebuild and move on. Cheers.

Thank you for the video, really amazing scenes. I know the area very well and have been to the tunnels many many times. The destruction we have seen throughout our beautiful province this year has been beyond belief. While I have been only slightly impacted I have close friends that have been notably affected and some heavily impacted by the flooding. As a person who has always loved the outdoors and BCs history these scenes hit me hard. I have always marveled at the construction of the Othello tunnels and feared the worst. But, once again I am amazed by the work of engineer Andrew McCulloch. If you haven't yet read "McCulloch's Wonder, The Story of the Kettle Valley Railway" I highly recommend it. It truly is an amazing story. Thanks again for you and your family's efforts and let's hope the worst is behind us. Let's also hope there is enough foresight in our government to realize how special Othello is to our history and so many people and will do the right thing to restore and preserve our history for generations to come.

Seeing this damage was heart wrenching, especially as I last walked through here just before they closed for the season on the last weekend in October. It will take a massive cleanup to clear the debris and stabilize it, but the only things you showed that appear (almost) insurmountable were the collapse of the cliff at the first tunnel and the access roads at the other end. I remain hopeful though. Keep in mind that the Myra trestles were destroyed in the wild fire of 2003, but were rebuilt thanks to the efforts of many volunteers and donors. The entire KVR is a tribute to the engineering feat of Andrew McCulloch and the thousands of people who constructed it, and along with Myra, the Othello Tunnels are a crown jewel of this historic accomplishment that opened up the southern B.C. Interior and arguably kept it from falling into American hands. Truly a major Canadian historic site.