Zupjok, LLama and Alpaca Peaks: Coquihalla

The logical thing the day after scrambling up Needle Peak was, of course, to follow a scrappy track up Zupjok Peak and ramble along alpine ridges over Llama Peak and up Alpaca Peak. The little forested peak between Zupjok and the highway is called Ottomite and apparently has reasonable skiing in winter, but unless you are a really obsessed peak bagger - which I am not, any more - it's not really worth the detour to tag the summit.

Looking along the ridge to Llama and Alpaca Peaks

There is an old road that leaves the road side rest area, crosses a creek (new bridge) and approaches Ottomite Mountain, and, if you follow this road, you will find a faint trail that runs up the south ridge of Zupjok Peak. There is sporadic flagging and an equally spotty foot pad, but the trail certainly helps get through low bushy undergrowth to the alpine.

Doug at the base of Alpaca Peak

The first peak encountered is Zupjok Peak and from the summit it is obvious that the route to Alpaca Peak is a very pleasant ridge ramble above forested valleys on a mix of meadow, granite slabs, and early season snow.

The spectacular Steinbok Group

Accordingly, we wandered down the north ridge of Zupjok Peak and up the south ridge of Llama Peak. On Llama Peak there is a great view of the spectacular Steinbok Group. It is less than two kilometres along the ridge to the summit of Alpaca Peak where we stopped for lunch. Lots of big granite boulders around the summit and we found ourselves a spot sheltered from the wind and enjoyed the view of Vicuna and Guanaco Peaks to the east. After lunch we wandered back.

Vicuna Peak from Alpaca Peak