Page 54 - DreamScapes Magazine | Spring/Summer 2023

DREAM TRIP FEATURE
ALL ABOARD!
A Luxury Train Revival from the Rockies to the Red Rocks
BY DEBRA SMITH
As I balance on the swaying platform between two rail cars, an ever- changing vista of geological formations rushes by my open window. Walls of sandstone like massive billboards melt in a blur, and so do buff-coloured canyons, and pillars of rock, that jut out like marooned lighthouses.
The romance of the rails is alive and well on Rocky Mountaineer’s thrilling route between Denver, Colorado and Moab, Utah. I’m on a two-day quest on board a luxury train that crests the Continental Divide along a route aptly named “Rockies to the Red Rocks” for this Wild West adventure. My travelling companions range from honeymoon couples and photo buffs to cruise enthusiasts. But one connection we all share is a love of train travel, especially luxury train travel. It’s the land-based alternative to a cruise.
The night before our departure, at the Cooper Lounge overlooking the Great Hall of the historic Union Station in downtown Denver, we toasted the upcoming luxe rail adventure with top-shelf spirits. The restored station has regained its cachet as a cultural
hub and now boasts excellent restaurants, and a railroad-inspired boutique hotel called The Crawford.
TELL ME EVERYTHING
The following morning, I had my first glance of the Rocky Mountaineer as a team of hosts welcomed all 65 passengers aboard. My Sil- verLeaf Plus car was awash in light that streamed through the wide domed sight- seeing windows. I settled into my cushy caramel-coloured seat and within minutes we were leaving Denver behind.
As we rolled along at a leisurely 56 kph, our hosts provided an elegant breakfast service of regional fare served on white tablecloths with gleaming cutlery. Later, they took turns filling us in on the local flora and fauna, along with stories of famous characters like Butch Cas- sidy and the Sundance Kid. Soon we were climbing through forests of cottonwood, aspen, Douglas fir and lodgepole pine. We plunged into darkness and winked into sun- light through 28 tunnels that led up to the Continental Divide before reaching the grand- daddy of them all, the 10-km-long Moffat
MUST SEE
In the Mile High City of Denver, enjoy an alfresco concert sur- rounded by towering walls of red sandstone at Red Rocks Park. It’s the only naturally formed, acoustically perfect amphitheatre on the planet. This venue has hosted Sting, U2 and The Beatles. redrocksonline.com
PHOTOS: ROCKY MOUNTAINEER
54 DREAMSCAPES SPRING/SUMMER 2023