Capturing the Art of Nature
Yak Peak Hike
We first decided on hiking the Yak last summer while hiking Zoa Peak to the north. It was a challenge but well worth the exertion. The clouds cleared soon after we reached the ridge below the peak and we had great views from the top
Category
Serendipitous Discoveries
2012
Click on image to view gallery
Our day began at 6am with the alarm clock reminding me of the grueling event soon to be started. After a quick routine we were on the road by 6:30 and heading for the first all crucial stop – Starbucks. Once we had loaded up on the essential drugs for the morning we were off for the trailhead near the summit of the Coquihalla highway. Being early the traffic was light and we were soon zipping through Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Bridal Falls – well another quick stop at the small grocery there to gather some additional food items for munching along the trail. Then we passed through Hope and soon were approaching the Zopkios range and the rest stop named after the mountains looming over the highway.
Of course when we arrived we were socked in with cloud and couldn’t even see the mountain we were soon to subdue. Having parked the truck we got out to get our gear in order for the hike and immediately started to get chilled. It was quite cold out and with the blowing clouds it was also very damp. We felt that at least the hike would be cool and we wouldn’t over heat on the way up, but we were apprehensive of getting to the top and not being able to see anything. Finally we had ourselves in order and we started out along the side of the highway to the start of the trail. Though uphill the excitement of the hike made it easy going and fast.
As we reached the cairn marking the start of the trail we met up with a group of three guys who were also doing the hike – chatting with them later near the top we learned that this was the third time that one of them had hiked Yak Peak. They gave us encouragement along the way as we crossed over some steep sections – mind you most of the trail was steep sections! Passing the cairn it took a few tries to locate the path through the overgrown brush but we soon were on the trail and crossing over a swampy patch on some narrow water soaked logs. Then it was into the forest and almost immediately up the steep slope that would continue for most of the hike.
The initial trail through the trees was pleasant as the switchbacks helped reduce the steepness and the cool air made for pleasant hiking conditions. After some time and several rest stops we came up the start of the talus field where we had to scramble over huge rocks to reach the base of the steep smooth cliff face that the climbers come to enjoy. There were in fact two groups climbing the mountain today and one of the groups was already on the slope a ways above us. The next section of our hike had us travel along the base of the cliff wall to the east side where we started once again to gain elevation. The next segment of the hike climbed along the edge of the cliff face where we were able to get reasonable footholds amongst the trees and boulders. It was hard going but quite scenic, the far edge of the cliff face sports a stream cascading down from the heights it was noisy but quite pretty to behold.
After some distance, the trail leads over a steep rock where a rope has been secured to help hikers get on top of it. It was nice having the rope as it made this section go quite quickly. After the rope the trail heads away from the side of the cliff and moves into a broader ravine which continues up to the ridge connecting Yak and Nak Peaks. This section was mostly grasses and exposed rock and made a nice spot for scenery but heading up we missed it all due to the clouds we were continually cloaked in. The return trip gave us grand vistas to enjoy as we made our way down this section, but for now it was grey cool and damp. Before much further we reached a protected dip just below the ridge line where the other group had stopped to eat lunch and wait out the clouds hoping they would clear. We hiked past them and up another 40m elevation to the base of a snow field where we stopped to eat lunch.
The snow field looked quite intimidating in the fog and we didn’t feel comfortable crossing it without clearer conditions so we had to hope the clouds would clear in time for us to continue. By the time we had finished lunch the clouds had started to clear and we had good patches of visibility and we felt it would continue to improve. Two from the other group also decided to make a go of it and they set off up the snow field. This was our first chance to use our new crampons and so we put them one and started up the snow. They helped quite a bit but it was soft and slippery enough that they still weren’t 100% effective. The snow was only a couple hundred meters across and so we were soon at its top which was at the ridge connecting Yak Peak to its sub peak. We decided to climb the main peak and do the sub-peak later if we felt up to it.
This final scramble over rocks was fairly short and we were soon resting on the summit of Yak Peak. It was a glorious spot and the clouds were rapidly dissipating and we were getting fuller and better views of the mountains around us every few minutes. By the time we left the clouds were gone and the views were spectacular. Looking down along the ridge to the sub peak made us realize that the sub-peak would be an easy hike and so we decided to hike it as well. The hike off the summit to the ridge and sub-peak went easily but the steepness made it go much slower than I was expecting. This was to be our situation for our entire descent. The views from the sub-peak were mainly of the highway below us but it was well worth the time to do it.
We now were done with the peaks and looking over at Nak Peak we decided it would not be our goal for today so we started down the trail for the truck. On crossing back over the snow field I lost my footing about 25 meters from the bottom and went for a slide to the rocks at its base. I did get a few scratches on the rocks but mostly just a bit refreshed in the cool snow. Once wiped down and the snow brushed off my camera gear we took a few photos and then started down the wide ravine which we had ascended earlier. It looked vastly different now with the cloud cover gone. I could see the smooth wall of the peak during most of this section and if I had seen it on the way up it may have been a bit discouraging as it looked so ominous from this location.
The slope was steep and fairly slippery which made it slow going and with the sun out in full it was now getting much hotter. I was glad we were heading down but I was still getting quite tired as we reached the base of the cliff face. There we stopped to locate the climbers – they were still way up the face – I don’t know how long they were on the mountain today but we got back to the truck having spent 8 hours on the trail. The final two sections of the trail – Talus field and forest were very tiring to me and it was feeling a bit tedious, but one couldn’t just stop here we had to continue on down to the truck. Geoff was feeling the exhaustion as well as he slipped a couple time on the trail but nothing like my slide in the snow.
It sure felt good to be off the trail and making our way along the highway to the truck. Next time should we return we will park along the side of the highway just a bit up from the trailhead like the other group. It would save about 700 meters each way! But we didn’t know about it this time and so we still had 700 meters to go. Arriving at the truck was sure a relief and after a brief rest we packed away our gear, turned on the A/C and made for home! It was grueling and we were exhausted but we felt great as we made the summit and it was our most challenging hike to date. Our third peak of the season will be longer but not nearly as steep.