Zupjok Peak

Zupjok Peak is one of those Coquihalla hikes that finally lets you stand on the mountains you’ve stared at from the highway your whole life. The trailhead is just off the Coquihalla near Hope, with easy parking by the truck stop and washrooms, so you’re on the trail within minutes of pulling off the road. At 9.7 km return with about 697 m of gain, it’s rated challenging and most hikers clock around four hours, but the payoff in ridge views is huge.

The first stretch of Zupjok Peak is a steady grind in the forest, with a few overgrown spots, mud bogs, and a creek near the start that feels amazing on tired feet after. After roughly 40 minutes the grade kicks up and stays steep through the trees before you break into alpine and things open right up. From the first high point onward, the terrain eases into rolling ridge walking with big 360° views toward Llama, Alpaca, and the Coquihalla summits, plus a bit of light scrambling and minor exposure near the peaks.

Recent hikers report well‑defined tread, but expect mud, slippery rocks, and in shoulder season, hard-packed snow and icy sections where spikes are very helpful. In winter and early spring around Hope, snowshoes can be needed higher up, and wind on the ridge makes it feel much colder than the parking lot. Summer brings wild blueberries, great visibility, and also aggressive mosquitoes above treeline, so bug spray is key. Bears do wander the valleys between Zupjok and the neighbouring peaks, so carry bear spray, make noise, download your map for the lightly flagged forest sections, and give yourself enough daylight for the steep descent.