Kirsten and I did a backpacking loop in the Eagle Cap Wilderness in northeastern Oregon with some scrambling of peaks nearby. As everyone knows, COVID has definitely made the Wilderness....not a Wilderness. Good to see lots of people out though. One thing I found refreshing was that there were more women out on the trail than men--it is great to see the diversity! Pretty lakes with interspersed meadows at higher elevations.
Day 1: Take the Two Pan trailhead to Mirror Lake. I swear there were over 100 cars parked there. Horses along the way. Lots and lots of friendly people! Hike the trail to the top of Eagle Cap peak. Probably the best peak for the overall feel of the area. Swim.
Day 2: Screw around the Lakes Basin and go up a peak 8441 to the west. Good thing because we had a thunderstorm that went directly overhead of us starting around 4:00pm. Lots of rain for several hours. Swim lots.
Day 3: Take trail up to pass towards Minam Lake. Scramble up peak 8910. Camp at Blue Lake. Scramble up peak 8839 to the southwest of Blue Lake. Share whiskey with some college students from Whitman into the dusk. The lightning was intense during the night. Not much rain though. Swim.
Day 4: Take the trail to Swamp Lake. Lotsa meadows along the way! Go up peak 8787T which is called Eagles Nest--a columnar basalt small class 3 scramble. Swim in Swamp Lake. Interesting this lake is rather large but has NO fish. Swim.
Day 5: Walk on trail from Swamp Lake to Steamboat bypassing 5 mountain goats. To North Minam meadows (not impressed) and then up to John Henry Lake. John Henry Lake trail was not signed and you have to find your way to the lake. We were the only ones there. Not much of a swim.
Day 6: Hike to Hobo Lake via Laverty/Chimney Lakes trail. Hike up to Lookout Mountain. Then take a climbers/fisherman's path over the pass from the pond to the north of Hobo Lake over to Bear Lake. The pond north of Hobo Lake was a great place to swim in. In fact most lakes were great, but this pond was the warmest. The lake northwest of Bear Lake is a great lake to swim in. Swim A LOT.
Day 7: Hike out Bowman Creek to the road and walk the road back to car. No swimming!
Looks really cool. I have always wanted to go to the Eagle Cap but haven't been yet. I also, much prefer a disproportionate number of women vs men on the trail
Love the Wallowas, good stuff. I've been in around the Lakes Basin and Eagle Cap a couple times, and once up to Ice Lake and The Matterhorn. I still need to check out some of the southern half of the range. Less visited from what I hear.
Nice, the Wallowas are my favorite part of Oregon. I've gone every year except one for over the past decade, but the Swamp/Chimney/Laverty/Hobo corner is one spot I still haven't been to. I assume the crowds thinned out somewhat once you left the Lakes Basin? That area is a zoo even in non COVID years.
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)
0
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)
Nice trip Stefan; you are definately making good of your wish to explore outside of Washington! I like Kristen`s method for getting water from the lake
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Love the Wallowas, good stuff. I've been in around the Lakes Basin and Eagle Cap a couple times, and once up to Ice Lake and The Matterhorn. I still need to check out some of the southern half of the range. Less visited from what I hear.
I've gone every year except one for over the past decade, but the Swamp/Chimney/Laverty/Hobo corner is one spot I still haven't been to. I assume the crowds thinned out somewhat once you left the Lakes Basin? That area is a zoo even in non COVID years.
