2. Larry's
3. Techno-grind
4. Kootenay Columbia
7. Cemetery
8. Green Door
13. Coffee Run
16. Drakes
17. Dewdney
25. Milky Way
26. Back of KC
30. Miner’s
Redtop
37. Doukhobor Draw
42. Antenna
Kootenay Columbia Road
Monte Christo Road
Wagon Road
A moderate up and an exciting swoopy down (if ridden from north to south) Larry's makes for a quick loop from Centennial or it can be used to reach Miner's (and Redtop beyond). If doing the loop start from the junction on Moe's at roughly the half way point between the Centennial junctions. Ride up the single track and old road grade, through a gas pipeline opening (where Miner's goes off to the right) and in another 50m drop left onto an exciting and fun intermediate downhill which will drop you onto Moe's just north of its south junction with Centennial.
If you want to go up the downhill portion (some think quicker access to Miners) then start at the junction with Moe's about 50m from where the south end of Moe's connects with Centennial Trail. Watch out for downhill riders.
Elevation change: 100m
Length: 1.5 km (one-way)
Hiking, biking: intermediate (the uphill section is gentle).
Snowshoeing: intermediate (although the downhill could be nasty depending on snow conditions)
Skiing: downhill not recommended.
An intermediate trail around the back (north side) of Monte Christo Mountain to join the Kootenay Columbia Trail for return.
Elevation change: 300m
Length: 3.7km*
*Length is 5.3 km if it includes the 1.6 km return on the Kootenay Columbia Trail.
Hiking, biking, snow shoeing, equestrian: Intermediate
Trailhead:
(A) Centennial Trailhead (1.0 km; +80m) from downtown Rossland: N. up Washington St 6 blk, up L. on Plewman Way 1 blk, L. on Kirkup Ave 150m, R. into parking lot. Kiosk.
Trail:
From (A) Centennial Trailhead, go up two short pitches onto an old railgrade (Km 0.1). Right a few steps toward the big gates, then left up the wide Monte Christo Road – the bottom of which is the main winter toboggan hill for Rossland. Ignore the two stub roads to the left into an open area. Stay right on the Monte Christo Road which curves up and around left. Just beyond, on a roadbed of smooth rock, a signposted road branches right with the Kootenay Columbia Trail (Km 0.35).
When you complete the clockwise Technogrind Trail loop trip as described herein, you will return along this Kootenay Columbia Trail enroute back to (A) Centennial Trailhead.
(Alternatively, if you choose to do the counter-clockwise Technogrind Trail loop, go right at this point along the Kootenay Columbia Trail. Eventually, you will return down Monte Christo Road to this point enroute to (A) Centennial Trailhead.)
Continue ahead up the wide Monte Christo Road for 0.9 km (+160m). A steady climb to a signpost on the left side at Km 1.2. Techno-grind goes left onto a single-track on an old roadbed.
[Note: Side trip to top of Monte Christo Mtn.: 0.25 km (+30m).
Continue up Monte Christo Road. Good views to west (Red and Granite Mtns.) and north (Mt Crowe & Neptune near Nancy Green Summit).]
Having climbed up Monte Christo Road with +160m elevation gain, the Techno-grind Trail now takes you down -60m elevation drop over 0.75km.
Techno-grind goes left off Monte Christo Road at the signpost (Km 1.2), gradually down on old road for about 50m. Then, watch for turnoff left again from old road onto a narrower path - sign-posted, but still easy to miss.
Through a forest, with several openings of smooth moss-covered rock adjacent to the trail – ideal for a sitdown and a contemplative moment. At one point, the trail splits for 100m, easier to the left, or down a much steeper rocky pitch to the right.
At Km 2.0, arrive at a signpost at the bottom of the descent. Trail goes right on a wide, old grassy road in a more open forest. Around to the left and past the signposted junction at the beginning of the biking Advanced Full Monte Trail at Km 2.1. It branches off, and up to the left as a narrow single-track.
Techno-grind Trail continues on the old road to Km 2.3. Here, old road continues straight ahead. Techno-grind turns off right (signposted) onto narrower trail through open forest with much alder and deciduous growth. Cross lower, wetter area (over two bridges) and up onto a wider old road. Along this a short distance, then down over a bridge to a split in the trail at Km 2.6.
Trail divides for approximately 0.65 km. Left is an advanced biking trail up onto, and along a rocky, forested ridge. Suitable for intermediate walking/hiking. Right is a moderate single-track climbing gradually on broad forest floor – large trees, well-spaced. A peaceful area.
Trails unite at Km 3.3. Up left onto an open, rocky ridge then down this ridge into the trees and soon join the Kootenay Columbia Trail at the 4-way junction on the flat saddle on the ridge between Monte Christo and Kootenay Columbia Mountains.
Signpost on saddle at Km 3.7.
The Gentle Kootenay Columbia Trail comes up on a road from the right (south) and turns ninety degrees to the east (directly ahead) onto a single-track and continues up to the summit of KC (500m). The Intermediate Back of KC Trail comes up to this point from the left (north) side of the saddle.
The Techno-grind Trail, having come down from the west, ends at this point.
Return to the (A) Centennial Trailhead on the Kootenay Columbia Trail by going right down the Kootenay Columbia Trail (road at this point) to the signposted junction with the Iron Colt access at Km 4.0. Kootenay Columbia Trail then becomes a single-track trail and rolls along the south face of Monte Christo in open forest to the City Water Tank (Km 4.6). Then on a road to join the Monte Christo Road at Km 4.9, and down to finish at the (A) Centennial Trailhead at Km 5.3.
Trail to the summit of Kootenay Columbia (KC) Mountain. An excellent trail on new and old roads with good single-track sections. A modest climb with reasonable grades and a great viewpoint on top – highly recommended!
From (A) Centennial Trailhead:
Elevation change: 130m Length: 2.1 km
From (B) Iron Colt Trailhead:A
Elevation change: 100m
Length: 1.1km
Walking/Hiking: Summer Gentle/Intermediate
Winter Intermediate
Biking: Intermediate
Trailheads:
(A) Centennial Trailhead
(B) Iron Colt Trailhead
From the west (A) Centennial Trailhead (1.0 km; +80m) from downtown Rossland: N. up Washington St 6 blk, up L. on Plewman Way 1 blk, L. on Kirkup Ave 150m, R. into parking lot. Kiosk.
Or
From “middle” at (B) Iron Colt Trailhead(1.4 km; +90m) from downtown Rossland: N. up Washington St 4 blk, R. on Jubilee St about 3 blk (angle past School & Park) to St. Paul St, L. up short hill, R. on Elmore St 1 blk, L. sharply around up short hill, R. sharply around up McLeod Ave, and along about 300m to Iron Colt Dr. Trailhead up 150m on L. by fire hydrant. Parking at end of Iron Colt Drive.
Trail:
From the (A) Centennial Trailhead kiosk, two short pitches lead up onto an old rail grade at Km 0.1. To the right, and then immediately left up the wide Monte Christo Road.
Up at quite a steep grade (the steepest on this trail) for 200m or so to a signpost at Km 0.35. Turn right off Monte Christo Road (which continues uphill straight ahead) onto a more level road. Follow this easy road along past where the biking Advanced Snake Trail crosses. Reach the Water Tower at Km 0.7. Pass around the fence on the outside and continue on a wide single track trail with a good tread. This has gentle ups and downs through the forest across the lower slopes of Monte Christo Mountain before dropping slightly to a signposted junction at Km 1.3. The trail continues on a pleasant old roadbed directly ahead.
From the right (below) to this junction comes up the short (300m) access trail from the (B) Iron Colt Trailhead. [This 300m access trail is partly good single-track and partly an old roadbed].
The Kootenay Columbia Trail climbs somewhat on the old roadbed, around a switchback and up to a saddle (low-point) on the ridge between Monte Christo and Kootenay Columbia Mountains at Km 1.6.
This is signposted. The Intermediate Techo-grind Trail comes down the ridge to this saddle from the left (west). The Intermediate Back of KC Trail comes up to this point from the other side of the saddle (north).
The Kootenay Columbia Trail turns right (east) onto a very good single-track trail and climbs steadily 0.5km to the summit of Kootenay Columbia Mountain at Km 2.1.
The summit of KC offers great views – of Rossland, the Columbia River valley and the City of Trail.
This trip is highly recommended – especially on a warm summer evening.
The Kootenay Columbia Trail is ride-able in both directions and is part of the Loop Trail around Rossland.
Options – mainly for bikers:
From the top you can return down the way you came – back to the saddle between KC and Monte Christo. Then you can turn right, downhill on the Intermediate Back of KC Trail - a cruisy singletrack to an old grassy logging road. Keeping to the right on this trail will bring you back to Rossland at the
(C) Mining School Trailhead. Turning left at signposted junctions you can choose between descents east to Warfield on either the Intermediate Green Door Trail or the Intermediate Milky Way Trail; or, you can take a more level route back north and west to the Red Resort area on the Intermediate Coffee Run Trail.
From the top, as an expert biker, you can choose the Expert KC Ridge Trail down the east ridge to the (C) Mining School Trailhead.
Details coming soon.
