Please note when navigating, route finding and standing to look for the trail the aggregate time to go to the summit and come back down is approximately 5 hours at a very easy pace. Total Moving time is just 3 hours over the rocks. GPX File is actual route with all the “mistakes” during route finding. If zoomed in, the route finding becomes a lot easier for Yak Peak.
Total Hiking Time 5 Hours 33 Minutes as per my Garmin Connect.
Moving Time 3 Hours 10 Minutes
Yak Peak is a prominent granite summit situated adjacent to the Coquihalla Highway #5 in British Columbia, just north of Hope. It is part of North Cascades range.
If you prefer a video of this epic hike, feel free to check out my youtube adventure below
Trail Overview: The Yak Peak Trail is a steep, technical route recommended for experienced hikers. The 5.5 km out-and-back trail features an elevation gain of approximately 829 meters, leading adventurers through dense forests, talus slopes, and sections requiring minor scrambling. The summit rewards hikers with panoramic views of the Cascade Mountains, including Needle Peak and Vicuna and Guanaco Peaks.
Key Highlights: Granite Slabs: Yak Peak is renowned for its impressive granite face, attracting both hikers and rock climbers. Climbing routes like “Yak Crack” are popular among climbers. Alpine Meadows: The trail ascends to alpine meadows, offering a serene contrast to the rugged terrain and providing opportunities to observe local flora and fauna.
Summit Views: At the peak, hikers are treated to 360-degree views of the surrounding mountain ranges and valleys, making the challenging ascent worthwhile.
If you prefer a virtual walk check out this video
Preparation and Safety: Given the trail’s steepness and technical nature, proper preparation is essential. Hikers should equip themselves with appropriate gear, including sturdy footwear and navigation tools. Weather conditions in the Coquihalla Summit Recreation Area can change rapidly; therefore, checking forecasts and being prepared for sudden weather changes is crucial. Additionally, due to the trail’s challenging nature, it’s advisable to hike with a companion and inform someone about your hiking plans.
Access: The trailhead is accessible from the Zopkios Rest Area on the Coquihalla Highway. Hikers should be prepared for a short walk along the highway to reach the trail’s starting point. Parking is available at the rest area, and it’s important to note that there are no facilities along the trail, so plan accordingly.
Trending Context: In recent years, there has been a significant increase in hiking and mountaineering activities, with approximately 59 million active hikers in the United States alone. This surge in outdoor recreation has led to a rise in accidents, emphasizing the importance of preparation and safety. Notably, there are about 4 deaths per 100,000 hikers each year, with falls and drownings accounting for 50% of these fatal accidents. Therefore, when undertaking challenging hikes like Yak Peak, it’s imperative to be well-prepared and cautious. Yak Peak offers a rewarding yet demanding adventure for those looking to explore one of Coquihalla’s most stunning trails. Proper preparation and respect for the mountain’s challenges will ensure a memorable and safe hiking experience. #YakPeak #CoquihallaSummit #CoquihallaHiking #SummitSeries #GraniteTrail #EpicHikesBC #AdventureBC #MountainAdventure
The mountain is less than one kilometer from a highway rest area and is easily visible from a long stretch of the highway south of the summit. The hike itself requires some bushwhacking after turning a sharp left from Highway into the forest. As one enters the forest, on the right hand side there is a Memorial Sign. A local hiker had attempted this hike on a day which had rain in the forecast. Quickly this hike can become quite dangerous on descending in wet weather and in the dark. From this sign, the hike is marked up to the boulder field which is very short field before approaching the granite slab.
The hike is renowned for its excellent granite rock climbing routes, particularly Yak Crack. Other peaks in the same group, commonly referred to as the Anderson River Group or the Coquihalla Range, are named after similar animals, such as Thar Peak and Guanaco Peak. We traversed on the granite rock before merging onto the actual unmarked trail. There is one small rope section after this. Other than that there are a few small Couloirs to climb before short hike into the windy Meadows.
IMPORTANT
Pay attention to time of the year and temperature when Hiking/Climbing Yak
The most favourable weather for climbing Yak Peak is from July through September. Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean and move eastward toward the Cascade Range, where they are forced upward, causing precipitation in the form of rain or snow.
Consequently, the Cascade Mountains receive high levels of precipitation, especially during the winter months when snowfall is common. Winter temperatures can drop below −20°C, with wind chill factors making it feel colder than −30°C. We started the hike very late in mid September after 2PM and had very little time to Summit. At the meadows, wind chill was strong and we were tired from a 10km run a day prior to this hike and lack of sleep. At this point, we gave ourselves 45 minutes to Summit and if we did not Summit in 45 minutes, on the north side, we would abort the hike and go back down the mountain.
Very soon, we were at the Saddle between South Face of Yak and North Face. If time permitted, we would have gone to the South Face first then climb the North Face. However, considering time in hand, we quickly moved towards the Summit. Just about 10 meters from the Summit, we met the last Climber coming down. The Climb itself isn’t hard at all provided you have appropriate footwear.
Me at the peak of YAK soaking in the last hour of sun!
After this brief break it started to get dark quickly and the winds picked up, they felt like huge punches to the ears and was roaring like a huge storm! It was a bit daunting to say the least, we were a little bit worried about the sketchy boulder field and wanted to cross that before the sun went down. We found ourselves in pitch black through the forest where we were taking stair-master steps downwards and trying desperately not to lose our footing, again a scarier hike to do the dark, I would not recommend coming down in the dark.
Soon enough we made it out onto the highway and walked with a huge sense of relief back to the car….whew! What a day!
