Vicuna Peak

Vicuna Peak (2126 metres) is spectacular granite spire in the Coquihalla Recreation area. The easiest route way to the summit ascends via the NE Ridge from the col between Vicuna and Guanaco Peaks. Vicuna Peak is an enjoyable Class 3 scramble with a few class 4 moves. There is a fixed chain to help with the class 4 section. Of course, it's use is optional.

The Hike

To reach Vicuna Peak, I drove the Coldwater Forest Service Road to the Zum Peak Recreation Site. Coldwater FSR is rough and somewhat overgrown; however, it was passable with an SUV. For most people, it may be best to park at the Zum Peak Recreation site. Then, I continued down the very overgrown road. Some people will ride a mountain bike but it's really not that far to the start of the trail leading to Vicuna Peak (see picture below).

From the sign above, the trail ascends through forest. Shortly thereafter, I arrived in the sub-alpine.

From there, I continued following the trail, side stepping through some muddy areas, toward Vicuna Peak. I emerged near the base of the peak. There are some fun granite slabs to play around on.

Continuing to hike around the granite slabs, I reached the col between Vicuna and Guanaco Peaks. Many people will choose to scramble Vicuna and Guanaco. I chose not to hike/scramble Guanaco. The scrambling route follows the ridge on the right side of the picture below.

The Scramble

Once I reached the base of the peak, I started with some straightforward foot jams that provided a very secure feeling. There were plenty of handholds too. Since it is granite, the rock felt very solid. Above this point, I arrived at a ledge where I took a quick break.

As I arrived at the class 4 crux, the footholds were solid; however, there were very few handholds. There is a fixed line for assistance (just outside view in the picture below).

After the crux, I arrived at another ledge (picture below). I choose to traverse to the right following a fairly thin crack in the rock. The crack was wide enough to fit the toe of my running shoes; however, there weren't any hand holds. I balanced on your toes while leaning gently on my hands.

Once at the summit, there are spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. I could see Guanaco Peak in the picture below.

I could see more peaks in the Anderson River group (e.g., Alpaca, Ibex, Steinbok and so forth).

Final Thoughts

Vicuna Peak is an enjoyable class 3/4 scramble with spectacular views of the nearby peaks. Unlike the choss of the Monashee mountains, the granite provides a secure feeling throughout the scramble.