Peak Finder

Mount Sabine

  • 1600 m (5,250ft)
50.1756N -115.792W
Located immediately north of the point at which the Kootenay River enters the main valley south of Columbia Lake

Province: BC
Headwater: Kootenay/Columbia
Major Valley: Kootenay
Visible from Highway: 95

According to the Palliser Expedition's 1865 map and George Dawson's 1886 map, the peak named Mount Sabine was originally located across the Kootenay River and to the northeast of the highpoint that now carries the name. This is likely the peak now known as Mount Grainger or perhaps Mount Glenn. In 1858, Thomas Blakiston referred to what is now "The Steeples" as "The Steeples" but also as "Mount Sabine" at one point. It seems likely that Capt. Palliser chose to place the name of Mount Sabine on some point to the northeast of where the Kootenay River enters the major valley south of Columbia Lake. At the time of the Palliser expedition, scientists throughout the British Empire were involved in studies regarding the earth's magnetic field and there were efforts to measure its strength in all parts of the world. Noted physicist and astronomer General Sir Edward Sabine had been interested in terrestrial mangnetism since 1831 when he served as magnetic observer under James Clarke Ross, the first explorer to reach the magnetic north pole. He was in the process of gathering readings from around the world and requested that the Palliser Expedition obtain records from this new part of the world. On the recommendation of Major John Henry Lefroy (see Mount Lefroy), General Sabine appointed Thomas Blakiston to undertake the expedition?s meteorological and magnetic observations. The necessary instruments were prepared at Kew Observatory near London and Blakiston trained there for three months, learning how to care for them and use them in the field.