28.07.2019
2 of 3 Peaks.
Jim Kelly, Coquihalla and Illal on a perfect day to be in the mountains.
All three mountains are accessible from the idyllic Illal Meadows after a beautiful forest trail. The road in is definitely high clearance 4x4 if you want to get all the way to the final parking area. It's also just as easy park around the 2km mark if you have a 4x4 with normal clearance... I added a marker to the map.. but spots are limited and turnaround is also limited... you decide if it's worth the risk... otherwise park just along Tulameen immediately after you cross the Illal Creek Bridge.
Coquihalla peak is accessible from various directions, all with varying difficulties. My approach as I mention in the title of this post was from the southern flank... there is a ridge/rib/ramp whatever you want to call it that leads straight up to the peak. It can be as easy as 2.5 scrambling up to class 3.5 with exposure depending on the line you decide to take. Woot! I like options. In order to gain the rib you need to hike through the col between Jim Kelly and eastern end of the Coquihalla ridgeline. Then you traverse across boulder/scree fields and keep trending up looking for holes in the tree lines running down the slope. I only saw one cairn the whole time I was traversing... take a gpx track with you ... easier that way.
Warning ... I am getting up on my soapbox ... I almost did not post these peaks here or anywhere actually... the reason is this... this meadow is amazing... but sensitive... so this message is geared at meetups and other potentially large social collections of hikers... please don't. Please just keep your groups to 4 to 8? ... please... a herd of people up here all walking/camping up here on this sensitive flora will quickly destroy large swaths of meadows. Thanks for listening to my plea.
Be safe, have fun and maybe I will see you out there.
Regards,
Rex
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