Yak Peak

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Yak Peak

One day after climbing Needle Peak, I was back at British Columbia's Coquihalla Summit Recreation Area to tag Yak Peak on 24 August 2014. Although Needle Peak is higher and more popular with hikers, Yak Peak is the mountain that everybody sees as they drive past the Zopkios Rest Area along Highway 5. The spectacular south face likely attracts a lot of attention from technical rock climbers, and consequently, their descent route doubles as an easy, non-technical ascent route for scramblers like myself. Following the description in Matt Gunn's Scrambles in Southwest British Columbia, I hiked eastward from the rest area along the north side of the highway for nearly a kilometre before turning left onto the slightly overgrown access trail. The trail drops down initially to cross a marshy area before climbing in earnest up the forested slope. Emerging at the bottom of a large boulder field, I followed cairns and flagging to reach the base of Yak Peak's immense south face. I then contoured eastward along the base for about 150 metres before resuming my upward progress. The route here is relentlessly steep; one section even has a fixed rope to aid both in ascent and descent. The angle eases somewhat at the sub-alpine meadows immediately below a sub-peak of Yak Peak. Fairly straightforward hiking led me over a permanent snow patch to a saddle separating the sub-peak from Yak Peak's summit block. I quickly dashed over to tag the sub-peak before returning to the saddle and proceeding up to the main summit. The final 70-metre thrash is not as straightforward as it would appear, but thankfully the bushes along the route make good handholds! After relaxing on the summit for about an hour, I carefully retraced my steps and descended the mountain without any problems. I would spend the night again in the nearby town of Hope before heading home the next day to conclude a generally satisfying two-week road trip.

	Yak Peak's two distinct summits are readily seen from the Zopkios Rest Area.
	This is looking up the south face of the sub-peak from the approach up a boulder field.
	Sonny skirts along the base of the south face.
	The sub-peak looms above as water drips down the south face.
	Sonny reaches the sub-alpine meadows below the sub-peak (left). The bump on the right is the summit.
	Here is a different perspective of the sub-peak.
	Sonny stands on top of the sub-peak (1979 metres).
	Here is the summit as seen from the sub-peak.
	Needle Peak stands out to the south.
	Here is a closer look at Needle Peak.
	This is looking back at the sub-peak from the summit.
	A technical climber tops out on the sub-peak.
	Sonny stands on the 2028-metre summit of Yak Peak.
	The peaks of the Anderson River Group are visible to the northwest and include Alpaca Peak (centre), Vicuna Peak (right) and Guanaco Peak (far right).
	To the east is Nak Peak.
	Jim Kelly Peak (left) and Coquihalla Mountain are visible to the southeast.