Rocky TOO

Just five more minutes, I think, as I draw another deep breath of crisp mountain air and exhale slowly, watching the tiny cloud of fog swirl away towards the forested slopes in front of me. The lure of the heated railway carriage and reclining seat is tempting, to be sure, but having this open-sided observation car all to myself is just too good to give up.

Passengers had been wandering in and out all morning to take photos or exchange stories of their travels thus far – many of them comparing notes on Alaska cruises or offering tips for those about to embark.

But now, there’s nothing to distract me from the view except the rhythmic trundling of the train on its tracks and a distant buzz of chefs hard at work in the kitchen car.

That is until the tiniest hint of a snowflake drifts across, followed by another and another, carried on the air