Eagle Cap Wilderness

A couple weeks ago Loren, Chelsea, Brian, Mike and I piled in the van and headed out to the Wallowa Mountains in the Eagle Cap Wilderness of northeastern Oregon.  Due to unforeseen circumstances our group had to split up after the first night and it was a total bummer.  Brian and I continued on and had an unexpected but awesome adventure.  Lots of thanks to Loren and Mike for driving way too many miles back and forth across the desert to come back for us.

Aneroid Lake

Two brook trout I pulled out of Aneroid.  Brian and I spent a couple hours here fishing and making lunch, when we probably should have been hiking.

After lunch, heading up to Tenderfoot Pass

Tenderfoot Pass

Brian taking a break to call some Elk in before heading up to into Polaris Pass

On our way up to Polaris Pass.  This was one of the first and lower switchbacks where we realized we were going to have to cross a bunch of snowfields and it was going to take us much longer than expected.

More dry terrain and things were looking up

Then we hit a wall of snow and ice, our last obstacle before reaching the top of Polaris Pass

After bouncing around a lot of ideas and psyching each other up, we pulled out our poop shovels.   We dug hand and foot holds in the ice, roped up a backpack, and with fingers crossed climbed our way up to the top of the snow pack.  

The view on the other side of the pass was insanely grand and beautiful.  I have never seen anything like it in person.  We were totally in awe and relieved we had reached the top, but also had six more miles to cover and it was already approaching seven in the evening.

Brian, ready to slide down a talus slope and countless switchbacks for the next three hours

The switchbacks down lasted forever, but the views were incredible.  Waterfalls, streams, and rivers coming from every direction.

Also lots of wildflowers

We would be at the the base of those mountains out ahead three days later

The west fork of the Wallowa river valley that we were trying to get down into.  Mountain goat alley.

More falls and flowers

Losing light

We continued on into the night and ran into more snow and no trail in the upper bend of the river valley.  After consulting the map and talking each other into it, we crossed a snow bridge over a raging river and bushwhacked through the snow and trees until we finally entered the dry and beautiful Frazier Lake basin around eleven that night.

It was all totally worth it when we woke up to this.  The water was so cold I could barely stand the pain when washing out my socks.

After a morning of much needed chill time, we continued up the valley towards Glacier Lake and Glacier Pass

We again ran into tons of snow and no trails to follow.  We made our way up the valley and found ourselves looking over a partially frozen Glacier Lake

Glacier Lake

Looking east from the top of Glacier Pass

The west side of the pass looked promising at first, but then came more snow and more orienteering.  A couple times we were able to just slide down the snowfields on our butts, which ruled.  After lots of slogging we finally reached the lakes basin.  Lakes in every direction.  Mosquitoes in every direction.  

The Eagle Cap

Eagle Cap and Moccasin Lake

Night exposure from our camp at Douglas Lake

Another beautiful meadow near Horseshoe Lake

Horseshoe Lake and our final camp.  

The final night in the wilderness we were treated to a lightning storm that seemed to skirt all around us.  After we went to sleep it rolled in right on us.  Lots of rain and some quality bro tent time, but the next morning was dry and sunny for the hike out.  

Already looking forward to next time I'm able to explore this area.  So unbelievably vast, beautiful, and wild.