Difficulty: B2 – moderate scramble
Elevation Gain: 242m
Key Elevations: Parking area “the pass”: 6450′, Sphinx 8550′
Distance: 4.0kms round trip
Time: 2 hours each side
Season: July to October
Access: Good gravel road, low clearance.
Map:
Drive: From Creston: Drive 72 km from junction of Highways 3 and 3A along the Kootenay Lake road to the Gray Creek community. Cross bridge over Gray creek, 150 meters after bridge turn right on Oliver Road/(Gray Creek Pass Road)
0.0km. Gray Creek Pass Road. Head up the main road ignoring all spur roads.
7km 7, bear right through snow gate.
18km. At the Pass, small parking area for several vehicles just before ‘Steep Grade’ sign on road heading down toward Kimberley. The road through to Kimberly is much rougher than the Gray Creek side.
Route/Trail:
North Summit – Sphinx. There are more than one well-worn trails starting at the parking area on the north side of the road. Either will lead you in the right direction. 35 minutes hiking through thinning trees to the open. Continue straight up the slope toward the Norhteast summit in 20 minutes. The northwest summit is slightly lower. Views are of Kootenay Lake, the ferry, Crawford Bay and countless peaks.
South Summit(s). Following sparse flagging heading southwest from the parking area. Head up the road cut-bank, turn left, pass an old A-frame cabin/shelter, cross two gullies and head to the left of a white rock talus slope in forest. Climb the second rock slide to the ridge above and the first summit. The second summit is a 90 meter (290 ft) decent then up the alpine ridge
