Most West Kootenay valleys are deep and narrow and views are restricted to rounded, forested slopes. Mt Brennan, the highest mountain in this area, is in the centre of all the significant mountains in the West Kootenay. Mt Brennan offers one of the grandest views of any hiker-accessible mountain.
The trail peters out to an easy route best done after the snow is gone after late July. Grizzly sightings are common.
Difficulty: D2 Difficult
Elevation gain: 1463m (4800′)
Key elevations: Trail Head 1433m (4700′); Lakes basin 2012m (6600′); Summit Brennan 2896m (9514′)
Distance: 7.3km one-way to summit Mt Brennan
Time: 7-10 hours
Season: late July through September
Assess: Moderate
Map: 82K/3 Nakusp
Drive: The old Mount Brennan road branched from the Whitewater Mountain road and reached the west side of Lyle Creek. Now, the approaches to Whitewater Mountain and Mount Brennan (and Lyle Peak) are separate. The road toward Lyle Creek and Mount Brennan (the Rossiter Creek Forest Service Road) is east of the Whitewater Mountain Road and Retallack.
In 1944, Lyle Peak was approached up the Mount Brennan road, crossing a bridge over Lyle Creek, and hiking up switchbacks of an old road on the east side of Lyle Creek. This bridge no longer exists. Another way is to hike the Mount Brennan trail near the lakes and the west side of the mountain. The start of the old Mount Brennan road is now closed (private property).
Rossiter Creek Forest Service Road (23.2 km, 14.4 miles, midway between New Denver and Kaslo). Present road to Mount Brennan and Lyle Peak.
0.0 Turn north onto the Rossiter Ck FSR.
2.4 km Fork left. The road crosses Rossiter Creek and climbs the face between Rossiter and Lyle Creeks.
7.2 km In a clearcut and just past a right switchback, an old mine road enters from the left (west; see above). This is the lower of two old roads entering from the west, 100 meters below a road junction. This road leads 0.8 km down to Lyle Creek. If you have a small four-wheel drive vehicle, it is drivable to the creek; otherwise, park at the switchback and walk.
8.0km Trail Head. 1433m (4700′)
Trail: The old bridge is washed out but a new footbridge exists. Lyle Creek appears to be fordable on foot from about mid-August. The path joins the old access road on the west side of the creek (hanging cable above the old parking space); 300 meters farther to the Mount Brennan trailhead. The tramway cable above serviced the mines above. The old mining road provides access for about 250m until the trail can be plainly seen.
The trail, usually kept brushed out by the BC Forest Service, switchbacks up for approximately 450m (1500′) before cresting a plateau and the upper cirque of the Lyle Creek basin 2012 (6600′). This subalpine area with its three glacial tarns is a perfect spot for a well-deserved rest.
From here the “little maintained” trail climbs steadily up the creek and the east side of Mt Brennan until it fades out on the rock ridge 350m (1148′) above. There are interesting abandoned mining shafts along a mineral seam. Scramble up the ridge to the summit. There is a year-round snow field here so new and old snow or ice along the ridge can be dangerous underfoot.
From the summit of Mt Brennan, the West Kootenay and Purcells to the east stretch out in a panorama of jagged peaks and glaciers and you’ll need a full range of topographic maps to identify the many high points. Binoculars are handy here, particularly for sighting the mountain goats that roam these ridges and cliffs.
Hiking Through History: Lyle Creek to Mount Brennan By A. Terry Turner
I’ve always been fascinated with the history of old mining sites, trails and abandoned cabins. Unfortunately, there seems to be an absence of this sort of information in most of the hiking books I’ve examined. When I brought this to the attention of an author, the abrupt answer was, “History is boring”. During research for a local history book a couple of years ago, I found an interesting reference to one of my favourite hiking areas, the Lyle Creek basin. More recently, this led to an exhaustive research project on the area. Anyway, here is a summary of one of the “boring” trails that I’m sure many members of the KMC have trekked on over the years.
The Ibex crown granted mineral claim is located about 5 kilometres north of the ghost town of Retallack between Kaslo and New Denver. The Lyle Creek basin-Mount Brennan trail passes through this claim. The claim was located on August 8, 1891, by William Brennard and James Pringle. The owners explored a narrow high-grade vein of lead and silver over the next few years.
In 1896 Frederick Steele represented Samuel B. Steele and others in the purchase of the Ibex property. Frederick Steele was a photographer from Winnipeg who took literally hundreds of photographs of people and places in southern Alberta and British Columbia. Samuel Benfield Steele, with the Northwest Mounted Police in MacLeod Alberta, is best known for his involvement in the Klondike Gold Rush and the founding of Fort Steele.
The Ibex Mining and Development Company was incorporated to explore the lead-silver deposits in this area. Sam Steele was the President and Fred Steele was the Treasurer. The company’s Secretary was David King, the publisher of the Kootenaian newspaper. Mr. King was responsible for keeping the public informed about the exciting events while Fred travelled between Kaslo and Winnipeg to promote and sell company stock. Large samples of massive galena (lead-silver ore) were commonly displayed in Whitewater (later Retallack) and Kaslo to attract investors. Before the winter of 1896, a proper access trail and two cabins were constructed. The narrow vein of high-grade lead-silver was mined by open-cut and underground methods.
In January 1897, a massive avalanche swept down the steep slopes of Mount Brennan and killed a miner Jim Gillis while his son worked underground in the mine. Gillis’ body was found in a small lake in the basin the following June.
During the summer, seven packhorses carried 300-pound sacks to the company’s ore storage hose in Whitewater prior to shipment to a smelter in Pueblo, Colorado. Without notice, the financial status of the company deteriorated and by early November the Supreme Court appointed a liquidator to sell the assets and pay off the creditors. Reasons for the company’s collapse include the fluctuating price of silver, high transportation costs and adverse mining conditions.
Very limited work has ever been carried out on this property since but the claim is still held by Art Bennett, a prospector from Kaslo. Today, there is little to remind us of this historical mining venture except the rusting cans, the cabin remains and the three amazing photographs taken by Frederick Steele in 1896.