STEEPLE MOUNTAIN 2350m 7710′
West of Sirdar (on Highway 3A), west of the south end of Kootenay Lake. The peak shaped like a steeple is 1.7 km north-northeast of Kootenay Mountain. It is sometimes called Thumbtack Peak. Note that this is in Darkwoods and requires a pass.
This mountain is incorrectly located at 154-560 and is a wedge rather than a steeple. The peak shaped like a steeple is at 134-558 in the drainage of Next Creek.
STEEPLE MT 2379 m 7805’ Sep. 8 by Kim Kratky
(GR 134-558)(maps Creston 82F/2, Boswell 82F/7)
For years I had been eyeing a sharp little spire on the west side of the south end of Kootenay Lake’s main arm. Finally, in the fall of 2001, I got close enough to get a good view from the summit of Hulme Pk. just north of Hwy #3 and east of Jersey Crk. A trip to Kootenay Mtn. earlier this year confirmed that the Steeple Mtn. shown on Boswell 82F/7 was a pedestrian lump and the real Steeple must be the sharp spire a few km. north of Kootenay. On Sept. 8, a KMC party set out from Nelson at 5:30 for an attempt on this fairly remote and possibly unclimbed objective, a re-scheduling of a club trip slated for June.
Armed with our Darkwoods pass (this is private land), we turned north onto Topaz FSR 34 km. east of Kootenay Pass and just west of the Summit Crk. bridge. Road directions follow. At km. 3, continue straight onto Newington Rd. and follow the mainline as it heads up an unnamed creek, through a pass, and down into Shaw Crk. Cross Shaw Crk, and drive to the end of the road in a new landing below the SE ridge of Wood Pk. (2 ó-3 hrs., 135 km. GR 144-521).
Now for the approach and climb. From the landing (8:45) we contoured north through the moderate bush, ascended to the SE ridge of Kootenay Mtn., continued up the ridge, and then crossed a basin to the next ridge north (2 hrs., GR 132-545). From this point, the objective is in sight. We then followed the ridge system right to the south ridge of Steeple Mtn. You can go over the two intervening subpeaks or traverse them on the east. Either way provides strenuous scrambling up to class 4 on solid granite. After reaching the base of our spikey peak’s south ridge in three hours, we sorted out gear, donned rock shoes, and scrambled to the summit in a surprising 15 min. (12:30, 3 hours up). The crux is a short wall that can be turned on the left (class 4, lots of exposure) or tackled head-on via a 5.0 lay-back.
On top, we found an intricately constructed oval rock bivvy site and two stone men on the end. We put in a KMC summit tube, lounged for 30 min., and descended via the route up. Some of us made use of stoppers and slings to down climb the lay-back, but the rope was not used on the trip.
Retracing our approach route, we decided to climb Kootenay Mtn. from our rest stop at GR 132-545. We traversed SW into a basin, ascended scree and boulders to gain the N. ridge, and enjoyed a pleasant, short scramble to the summit by 3:40 pm.
Departing at 4:00, we went down the SE ridge to the point where we had joined it in the morning, descended into the same burn we had traversed, and had an easy bushwhack through timber a bit west of our approach route, coming out right at the road-head. Back at the truck by 5:45 for the usual 9-hour day, all pronounced themselves extremely satisfied. The weather was acceptable, although at times cool and windy.
On the trip: Peter Jordan, Hamish Mutch, Fred Thiessen, Tim Thurston and Kim Kratky, co-ordinator.
Kim Kratky
THUMBTACK PEAK 2360mm 7743′
Just west of Steeple Mountain above Next Creek. Consult Steeple Mountain also. Thumbtack Peak is steep and impressive.
Difficulty:
Elevation gain:
Distance:
Time: 9 hours
Map: 82F/7 Boswell.
1. South Ridge
Drive: Approach by road, Kootenay Mountain Routes 1 and 2. Consult the road distance table for Shaw Creek. From Nelson, start early. It’s a long drive.
Route: From the logging road, contour north through moderate bush, ascend to the southeast ridge of Kootenay Mountain and climb up its southeast ridge until one can cross a basin to the next ridge north (2 hours). Then follow a ridge system to the south ridge of Thumbtack Peak. One can go over two intervening peaks, or traverse them on the east. (Either way, strenuous climbing, Class 4 on good granite.)
The summit then can be gained in 15 minutes. The crux is a short wall that can be turned on the left (Class 4, exposure), or tackled head-on by a Class 5.0 layback.
Two upright stones and a rock bivouac site were found on the summit. (III,4,s).
FRA by the party of Kootenay Mountain, Route 3, Sept. 8, 2002.
Return was over Kootenay Mountain, north and southeast ridges (Routes 3 and 4), and the route of approach. A nine-hour day.
