Mount Denver rises above the opposite side of Slocan Lake from the town of New Denver, in a magnificent mountain and lake setting. The lake level is at 537 meters. Much of the upper Sharp Creek trail was overgrown but has been renovated (see Sharp Creek Trail). The meadows are 310 meters higher than Wee Sandy Lake, at 2250 meters (7400 feet).
The eastern summit is surveyed four meters higher but is not named.
Map: 82F/13 Burton.
Routes:
1. North Glacier, East Ridge. Cross Slocan Lake by boat. It is best to do this climb in two days; a one-day ascent is very strenuous. Above, the trail ascends a series of headwalls, but only the third is obvious. In places, there is high grass in slide alder with some flagging. There are good campsites in the forest by the creek along the way and one can camp also above the tree line. The ascent is interesting because it passes through several ecological zones.
Climb up a moraine and then polished rock to the edge of the ice, and reach the col east of the eastern, higher peak (crampons). Turning the bergschrund presents a little difficulty (rope), then traversing above it and gaining the east ridge (Class 3, lichens slippery when wet) and the east summit on solid rock.
Descend to the glacier (Do not descend south to regain the ridge; a gendarme blocks the way.), and gain the east ridge of Mount Denver (Class 3) and the summit. The cairn has a record, and one was left in 1907.
Ice, Glacier (II,4,s). FA 1907. Prospectors had probably ascended it before 1907.
2. North Ridge. Descend bad rock with gullies (boulders with lichen, slippery) to the south ridge of English Peak.
NEW DENVER GLACIER by Kim Kratky
Assembly point: New Denver Wharf, 6:00 pm Saturday, July 3rd
Approach: Transportation via Kingfisher Water Taxi (Hugh Wilson, 358-2464); $20 per person; depart for Sharp Crk. campground, 6:00 pm Sat.; return from Sharp Crk. 7:00 pm Sunday; two groups travelling by canoe: Thiessen, Patterson, Smith; Forsythe, Cunningham, Helman.
Camping: Sharp Creek BCFS campground is on N. bank of creek; no charge.
Goals: alpine terrain and old cabins below New Denver Glacier via Sharp Crk. trail; climb peaks around glacier
Advisory: this trip will likely separate into at least three groups; it’s in your interest to travel with people who have similar objectives and who go at a pace comfortable for you; also important that you assemble at Sharp Crk. beach at the proper time for return; if you decide to strike out completely on your own, please notify Kim; if you don’t like these restrictions, you shouldn’t be on the trip.
Trail: 8.8 km one-way; elevation gain, 1719 m. (5640′); hiking time, 8+ hrs. one-way; rating, “strenuous and difficult”; John Carter writes in Hiking the West Kootenay, “Only those with the constitution of a mountain goat will enjoy a day hike to New Denver Glacier.”
Peaks: Mt. Denver (9,000′, Climber’s Guide says 8,815′, access via N or S sides); English Pk. (8,700′); Iron Pk. (8,200′)
Gear: tent, etc.; good quality boots (Hi Techs may be ok); rain gear; food for one day plus a supper; for glacier travel, ice axe, one rope, prusiks, may need crampons; those going to the peaks may be able to bypass the glacier.
Maps: 82F/NW, 82F/14, 82F/13, F/14, 82F/13
THE NEW DENVER GLACIER, MT DENVER, ENGLISH PEAK AND IRON PEAK in one day
1/2 KM. E. OF MT. DENVER 2757 GR 638-337 map reference 82F/13 and 82F/14
MOUNT DENVER 2753
ENGLISH PEAK 2682
IRON PEAK 2524
Slocan Lake shore 1757′
We left Thursday night at 5:30 in Subaru; a pizza takeaway in ND; met Bill Bevans, the boat guy at 7:00 at ND docks; on time; proper looking metal boat with “water taxi” on it; 7 min. across to the mouth of Sharp Crk.; campground condemned because of dangerous trees; recommended on beach farther S; we find a nice rocky promontory on N. side ;
Left at 0524 after a fair sleep; very warm overnight; no bugs; the first part of the trail was very good with metal triangles showing km. & alti; 2 hrs. 20 min. to 5420′; trail ascends a series of headwalls but only the 3rd is obvious; high grass in slide alder with some flagging; we go astray; good campsites in the forest by the creek along the way; passed a destroyed cabin; reach meadows +7000′ at 3hrs. 53 min.; a break, then up moraine & then polished boulders to edge of bare ice in very fast time;
Crampons on & easily up to col E. of peak E. of Mt. Denver; a little fun turning shrund then traversing above it; to gain solid lichen rock; nice scramble via E. ridge & reached the top at 11:10; no cairn but this is one Fred & Larry climbed; alti says 8740 but it’s really 9045; we look to W. and go “uh oh:” peak over there looks higher; we explore traverse W. dropping down S. ridge to gain a ledge on S. side but we’re stopped by a gendarme; thought about climbing down to it so we could rap from there; returned via E. ridge
Crampons on again; continued along glacier over a snow hump to gain E. ridge of Mt. Denver; scrambled this peak which is less esthetic than u/n pk.; summit at 12:15; cairn but no record; alti says 8860 but it’s surveyed at 9032′; now our first peak looks just as high (you can see it is); thunderboomers drive us off immediately; we descend grotty N. ridge; licheny boulders get very slippery; then we’re onto a different rock that’s junk; shit gulleys down to the ridge connecting English Pk (long and flat granite); time for a quick lunch; then very fast up easy S. ridge of English Peak; some dirt; on top at 1:23; alti says 8660; really is 8799′; big cairn but no record; white sheet used for survey; again black thunderboomers hit us from W; still, it’s not cold and we continue in shorts and t shirt, me in my good leather boots; we descend E. face individually to wonderful smooth rock flats with pools; creek too, probably Iron Crk. flowing into Wee Sandy Creek;
On to Iron Mtn. via long SW ridge; easy scrambling but annoying with evergreens; summit at 2:45; cairn but no record; white survey sheeting; saw 4-engine water bombers up toward Summit Lake/Wilson Creek area but no smoke; left at 3:00 to descend easy SE face reaching stream and trail at 3;25 just about as predicted;
Again booming thunder and a bit of rain; for wet bush on headwall I wear cycle jacket and Harold’s old blue very light rainpants; perfect; on we roar, reaching Slocan Lake at 5:26; a cool 12 hr. 2 min round trip; we have a swim and a beer; Rangers’ patrol boat comes by to see if we’re all right; Bill arrives a few minutes past 6 pm as planned; $35 for two round trips; very reasonable; home by 7:45, tired but not wrecked; great trip; did not use 7 mm rope or harnesses, but crampons and axes very handy;
Park map and West Kootenay map book show very inaccurate elevations in this area ie. Iron Mtn. at 2393 m.
ENGLISH PEAK 2682
IRON PEAK 2524
Slocan Lake shore 1757′