Zupjok Summit

January 16, 2021 -- Stats: 11.1 km / 755m gain / 1864m high / 3:50 hours MT

The first hour of this snowshoe trail is one and the same for both Zupjok & Iago Peaks. Zupjok is 100m higher than Iago with almost the same elevation gain but 1.5 km less distance. This means its steeper. Both are popular winter routes.

We parked at exit #217 by the restrooms north of the Coquihalla Hwy.

Unlike the previous week, there was no fresh snow and the trail had been broken already.

A concrete bunker.

Yak & Nak Peaks - northeast.

I'm thinking of a pipe organ.

View from the junction to Ottomite Mt, which is at about the halfway point.

We had now gained only 215m. That meant we had 540m to go. Most of that gain was in the last few km.

We stayed right (or straight) at the junction and soon crossed the meadows.

The slope going up Zupjok was very steep indeed. The Needle and Flat Iron - south.

Yak - east. At this point we were starting to think, "Aren't we there yet???" A quick check at my GPS indicated that of the 6 km we had less than 1 to go. OK. Low low gear and a few more frequent "count-to-10" stops to catch our breath and then -- voila! We got an extra boost when we broke out of the evergreens and saw the bare rounded slopes right below the summit.

Just a few more steps....

Gemse, Serna & Reh Peaks.

Rather chilly at the top. Yet we still stayed up there for half an hour. The frigid wind made my eyes water. Then my lashes started to freeze.

This friendly man stopped to chat. He was on his way back from Lama -- west.

south

Looking down on Iago & beside it, Great Bear.

Group shot minus Allana who just got too cold.

Lama, Alpaca, Vicuna & Guanaco. I summited the last one -- northwest.

Here comes Case.

A final group shot: Lori, me & Case, Terry, Anne, Bote, Don, Brigette & Ingrid.

Bye bye beauties -- southwest.

Ice chiseled out by the wind.

Hoar frost on pine trees.

Ours is the tourquoise track. The peak to the centre left is Ottomite & the peak to the centre right is Zupkios.

---