Forum Index > Trip Reports > Wallowa Circuit 9/13-14/19
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Jake Robinson
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Jake Robinson
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PostSun Sep 15, 2019 11:27 am 
Selena and Alden invited me on their trip to go weather chasing in the Wallowa Mountains of Oregon. On day 1 we hiked from the Hurricane Creek TH to Eagle Cap, then descended into the Lakes Basin and camped at Horseshoe Lake. On day 2 we hiked up to Ice Lake, up Matterhorn, then ran the fun scramble ridge to Sacajawea before descending Thorp Creek back to the car. Overall it was a fun trip with great people, well worth all the driving. Thanks to Alden and Selena for doing the planning and having me along! Day 1: Hurricane Creek to Eagle Cap to Horseshoe Lake
Waterfall on the way in
Waterfall on the way in
Limestone (?) cliffs of Matterhorn
Limestone (?) cliffs of Matterhorn
Hurricane Cr
Hurricane Cr
Eagle Cap first view
Eagle Cap first view
Mirror Lk
Mirror Lk
On the way to Eagle Cap
On the way to Eagle Cap
Eagle Cap view N. Hurricane Cr left of center, Matterhorn right of Hurricane Cr, Hurwal Divide right of Matterhorn
Eagle Cap view N. Hurricane Cr left of center, Matterhorn right of Hurricane Cr, Hurwal Divide right of Matterhorn
Glacier Lk
Glacier Lk
Eagle Cap summit
Eagle Cap summit
Heading down Eagle Cap
Heading down Eagle Cap
Nice
Nice
Moccasin Lk, maybe?
Moccasin Lk, maybe?
Eagle Cap above Moccasin Lk
Eagle Cap above Moccasin Lk
Day 2: Matterhorn and Sacajawea
Horseshoe Lk morning
Horseshoe Lk morning
Morning creek crossing
Morning creek crossing
Adam Cr
Adam Cr
Ice Lk
Ice Lk
Ice Lk on the way up Matterhorn
Ice Lk on the way up Matterhorn
Matterhorn and glacial remnant
Matterhorn and glacial remnant
Matterhorn summit ridge
Matterhorn summit ridge
Eagle Cap way out there
Eagle Cap way out there
Matterhorn summit
Matterhorn summit
Ridge to Sacajawea
Ridge to Sacajawea
Deep cave on the way to Sacajawea
Deep cave on the way to Sacajawea
Looking back at Matterhorn
Looking back at Matterhorn
Ridge run
Ridge run
Thorp Cr
Thorp Cr
Nearing Sacajawea, looking back to Matterhorn
Nearing Sacajawea, looking back to Matterhorn
Sacajawea summit
Sacajawea summit
Crazy geology going on here
Crazy geology going on here
Sacajawea knee-buster
Sacajawea knee-buster
Thorp Cr
Thorp Cr
Really nice Thorp Cr trail
Really nice Thorp Cr trail
Sacajawea last look
Sacajawea last look
42 mi, 10k gain
42 mi, 10k gain

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joker
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joker
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PostSun Sep 15, 2019 11:51 am 
Oooh, nice trip! Thanks for sharing. I've thought of doing something similar, though with some more days. I've heard (from some locals we talked with on the way out from one of our Wallowa backpacks) that Hurricane Creek is a super nice walk - they described as their favorite access trail to get into the Wallowas. And looking over toward Matterhorn and Sacajawea from Iron Cap or nearby, it's hard not to want to go wander up there!

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Gimpilator
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Joined: 12 Oct 2006
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Location: Edmonds, WA
Gimpilator
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PostSun Sep 15, 2019 11:54 am 
Love that area. Nice way to link up those peaks.

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Michael Lewis
Taking a nap



Joined: 27 Apr 2009
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Location: Lynnwood, WA (for now)
Michael Lewis
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PostSun Sep 15, 2019 12:39 pm 
You found the cave! Working on the Oregon T100 now? Most of them are in the Wallowas

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raising3hikers
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raising3hikers
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PostSun Sep 15, 2019 1:49 pm 
Looks like a really great area. Thanks for the trip report!

Eric Eames
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olderthanIusedtobe
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olderthanIusedtobe
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PostSun Sep 15, 2019 2:49 pm 
up.gif Beautiful pictures.
Jake Robinson wrote:
Mirror Lk
Mirror Lk
I don't think that's Mirror Lake. Looks way too small and I seem to recall Mirror having some trees nearby. edit--I'm nearly positive that's Upper Lake, near Mirror.

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Bosterson
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PostSun Sep 15, 2019 3:32 pm 
Jake Robinson wrote:
Sacajawea summit
Sacajawea summit
Wow, is there a summit sign up there now? I've been up there many times, most recently last summer, and there's never been a sign. (The summit register disappeared somewhere between my trips in 2013 and 2017.) Way to pack all that into 2 days! The Matterhorn > Sacajawea ridge is a blast, one of my favorite routes in the Wallowas. Your final picture looking back on Sacajawea shows the north ridge (paralleling Thorp Creek), which I did last summer as a day trip from Hurricane Creek - also a blast, and a huge undertaking. (I recall my GPS track showing it's like 2.5 mi long...) The Wallowas are the best part of Oregon!
olderthanIusedtobe wrote:
up.gif Beautiful pictures.
Jake Robinson wrote:
Mirror Lk
Mirror Lk
edit--I'm nearly positive that's Upper Lake, near Mirror.
Yep. smile.gif

Go! Take a gun! And a dog! Without a leash! Chop down a tree! Start a fire! Piss wherever you want! Build a cairn! A HUGE ONE! BE A REBEL! YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE! (-bootpathguy)
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Jake Robinson
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Jake Robinson
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PostSun Sep 15, 2019 3:47 pm 
olderthanIusedtobe wrote:
edit--I'm nearly positive that's Upper Lake, near Mirror.
Looking at the map now...yep, definitely Upper. Figured I'd get at least one of these labels wrong. So much to learn out there!
Bosterson wrote:
Wow, is there a summit sign up there now? I've been up there many times, most recently last summer, and there's never been a sign. (The summit register disappeared somewhere between my trips in 2013 and 2017.)
It's a cross, there's a label on it that says it was placed in 2017.

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Brushbuffalo
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Brushbuffalo
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PostSun Sep 15, 2019 6:25 pm 
Splendid trip to an area quite unique for the PNW.
Jake Robinson wrote:
Limestone (?) cliffs of Matterhorn
Limestone (?) cliffs of Matterhorn
Yes, limestone.

Passing rocks and trees like they were standing still
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awilsondc
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awilsondc
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PostSun Sep 15, 2019 6:27 pm 
Jake Robinson wrote:
Horseshoe Lk morning
Horseshoe Lk morning
Really nice Thorp Cr trail
Really nice Thorp Cr trail
up.gif up.gif up.gif I took my brother up there (Sacajawea and Matterhorn) back around 2003, staying a night (or was it two?) at Ice Lakes. It was the only major overnight trip I've done with my bro. Thanks for bringing back those memories! Nice loop you came up with. Looks like fun!

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ozzy
The hard way



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ozzy
The hard way
PostTue Sep 17, 2019 6:21 pm 
Damn! What a sweet trip, didn't really know Oregon was like that lol! If I ever get down there this is the first place I'm headin! Thanks for the TR and cheers dood!

“I don’t know what’s gonna happen, but I wanna have my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames”-Mr Mojo Risin
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cascadetraverser
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cascadetraverser
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PostSat Sep 21, 2019 11:48 am 
Nice trip Jake. Pretty cool corner of Oregon over there!

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Bluebird
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Joined: 22 Jan 2014
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Bluebird
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PostSun Sep 22, 2019 4:00 pm 
I loved this trip! So novel and fun to be somewhere that neither of us can name/have been to most of the peaks visible from a summit! Thank you for coming along!

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Chief Joseph
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Chief Joseph
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PostSun May 21, 2023 10:03 pm 
Planning a trip to the Wallowas in mid-July and came across this amazing trip report and photos. Was a bit skeptical about doing this particular area since it is typically high traffic, but after seeing these amazing pics, am second guessing that thought.

Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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Waterman
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Waterman
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PostMon May 22, 2023 9:30 am 
Are u going in July? Great dispersed car camping on the Lostine river road. Wallowas is where I plan on going to escape the smoke from forest fires this summer.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference. Robert Frost
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