Iago Peak

Iago Peak is one of those winter routes near Hope, BC that locals keep talking about for a reason. This 12.1 km out-and-back climb to around 1,721 m feels just hard enough to be satisfying, with about 665 m of gain and an average time of 4.5 hours, but not so brutal that it wipes you out for days.

The trail to Iago Peak starts from the rest area by the highway, sneaking up behind the restroom building before heading into the trees and gently working its way up. The first few kilometres are fairly mellow, then the grade kicks up before the summit, where you’re rewarded with wide-open, 360-degree views of the Coquihalla peaks on a clear day and a real “high alpine” feel without a huge approach.

Recent hikers report packed snow, cold temps around -2°C, and a well-travelled winter track, but also lots of random ski lines and offshoots that make a GPS or map pretty important, especially in the middle section and on the way down. Snowshoes are strongly recommended once past the first 4 km, and many people are wearing them most of the way, with microspikes handy for icier stretches. Expect a busy trail on nice weekends, quieter mornings if you start early, and be ready for true winter conditions from roughly November through March, when Iago Peak near Hope really shines as a “winter wonderland” objective.