This route has some of the best views in the West Kootenays with the same, just progressively higher scenic view of the Kootenay/Columbia confluence extending west to Arrow lakes and south towards Trail. One can easily pick out Red Mountain above Rossland. The south slopes of Sentinel are free of snow early in the hiking season. The wildflowers are often the earliest here of anywhere in the Kootenays. See elk and bear.
Note that this is a “hiker-made” route and may entail some route finding. Watch for ticks in the spring.
Difficulty: B2 to the “lookout”, D2 to the fire tower very challenging fall line route,
Elevation gain: 500 m to the lookout, 1,100 m to the tower.
Key Elevations: Trailhead 500 m, The Overlook 1,000 m, The Sentinel Fire Tower 1,600 m (5400′)
Distance:
Time: 4 hours to the tower, 3 hours to descend.
Season: March-October
Map: 82F/5 Castlegar
Drive: From Castlegar, drive north on Highway 3A. After the Brilliant Bridge over the Kootenay River, turn right and under the bridge on the Robson Access Road. At 1.2 km, turn right onto Terrace Road (Verigin Tomb Road). Park about 300m up the road. To visit Verigin’s Tomb continue 1km.
Route: Start on the gas line/dirt path for about 100m. Go left on a well-defined game trail to the ridge. Follow the flagged route that follows the south ridge of Sentinel (dubbed the Sentinal Slog). A common stopping point is the “Sentinel overlook” a rock outcrop with views of the Kootenay at 1000 m. Columbia and Pass Creek valleys. Glimpses can be had of the Valhallas, Norns, Bonnington and Rossland ranges.
Continue to the fire tower, an old ranger lookout at the “southern summit”, now a communication cabinet (an aluminum antennae structure) and the old tower’s concrete footings.
To continue up the ridge, there is a choice: 1; Continue directly up the precipitous ridge. or 2. take the Forest Service Road, the usual route that goes around on the north side of Sentinel and adds 2 km to the route.
Trailhead 500 m, Sentinel Overlook 1000 m. Fire tower 1,600 m
Time 4 hours to the tower, 3 hours to descend.
Descend by the same route, but be careful as a misstep could have severe consequences.
The actual summit of Sentinel is not a worthy destination and is a long way away.
Access from Pass Creek Park. About a kilometre up Pass Creek road, use game trails, and bushwhack and scramble up to reach the FSR above. This route was used by Steve Miros until he “built” the above trail.
Access from Thrums. Park at the Brilliant Dam. Access the old Mt Sentinel FSR, which is rough and not worth driving up. Take the power line right-of-way, and go up and down until you reach the old ranger lookout above.
VERIGIN’S MEMORIAL PARK
Verigin’s Tomb is located on top of a grassy knoll on Sentinel Mountain. There are 5 people buried here, all descendants of Peter V. Verigin – the leader of the Doukhobors between 1908 and 1936. Verigins Tomb was built in 1924 and is the burial place for the Doukhobor leader, Peter V Verigin, his son Peter P Verigin and their wives Evdokia Grigoryevna and Anna Fyodorovna. Just down the way, a memorial garden is the final resting place of the Doukhobor leader.
From its perch, the tomb enjoys views of the Kootenay River and the Highway #3A Bridge. The tomb grounds are very well maintained. The grass lawns are trimmed, the garden flowers enjoy rainbow colours, the slab rock tomb is dominant and there is a gazebo for sightseeing. A unique feature of Verigin’s Tomb is a large slab of rock engraved with the eulogy of Peter V Verigin. Visit the Doukhobor Discovery Centre, a museum about the Doukhobors.