After waiting out the blustery post-Whistler weather at home (and doing some additional research), we headed east for a backpack in the Eagle Cap Wilderness near the Oregon/Idaho border.
We'd heard great things about his area, and, since it's about 4 hours from any significant population center (even more from Seattle), we were hopeful that the crowds would be thin after Labor Day. The weather was pretty nasty as we drove from Seattle to Wallowa, but by morning when we hit the trail, the storm had cleared ... just as the weatherman had predicted.
On many backpacks, much of the hike in (and out) is the work you have to put in for the prize ... not necessarily very interesting in its own right. The hike up the East Fork Lostine River trail started that way, but, after a couple of miles dramatically shifted gears. For several miles, we were hiking up a meadowed valley with a broad river meandering through it. Sharp granite ridges towered above on each side. And in the distance, the inspiring summit of Eagle Cap Peak! The higher we got, the more granite was strewn about. Absolutely beautiful. Spent the night at Mirror Lake, which is the upper-most lake in the popular Lakes Basin area. Hiked to the summit of Eagle Cap the next morning ... stunning 360 degree views. Then back down to move camp up and over the ridge to Minam Lake. A quick morning jaunt up to beautiful Blue Lake, then back to the car via the West Fork Lostine River Trail. Not quite as beautiful as the East Fork trail, but it certainly had the "river runs through it" feel for portions of it. Back at the trailhead, we were glad to see our bikes still on the car and all the windows intact!
This is definitely a beautiful area, with good opportunities for multi-day backpacking loops. Several trails converge at Mirror Lake, contributing to some crowds. The area has lots of nooks and crannies for camping parties, so it didn't feel overly crowded for us. But in the summer I suspect it might get to be a bit too much. The terrain is reminiscent of the east side of the Cascades, with a little denser trees, and lots of granite. We'll certainly consider going back for more!
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| Eagle Cap Peak above meadows on East Fork Lostine River Trail |
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| Another ho-hum campsite! |
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| Matterhorn from Mirror Lake |
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| Mirror Lake and Eagle Cap Peak |
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| Glacier Lake and from Eagle Cap Peak |
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| Glacier Peak from Eagle Cap Peak |
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| Descending from Eagle Cap Peak |
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| Blue Lake Shoreline |
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| And the quotation marks mean what exactly? |
Activities
- Day 1: Backpack Two Pans Trailhead to Mirror Lake via E Fork Lostine River Trail
- Day 2: Dayhike to summit of Eagle Cap Peak, Backpack Mirror Lake to Minam Lake via the Ivan Carper Pass trail
- Day 3: Dayhike Minar Lake to Blue Lake, Backpack Minar Lake to Two Pans Trailhead via W Fork Lostine River Trail
5-Star Moments
- Hiking up the East Fork Lostine River trail by meadows and meandering river.
- Commanding views from the summit of Eagle Cap Peak.
Random Questions
- How do hundreds of flies end up on a horse dung within 10 minutes of it being deposited? Are they just lucky to live nearby? (If so, it would seem that there a billions of unlucky ones!) Are they alerted to come from far and wide via some signaling method? Are they following the horses, waiting for them to unload? Is the answer the same for mosquitoes swarming people when they rest?
- What do the quote marks mean on the "Fires Prohibited Beyond This Point" signs? Is it a nudge-nudge-wink-wink that you don't need to follow it? Is it trying to convey that the statement is included in the laws? Or did it end up that way 'cuz the boss left a note for the signmaker that told him the sign should say "Fires Prohibited Beyond This Point"?
Tom's Daily Stress Points
- Will the bikes and car be intact when we get back to the trailhead? (stress level = medium-low)
Sleeps
- Willowa: Mingo Motel (totally fine)
- Mirror Lake: a bit crowded on SW end, but excellent sites up high there, and on either side of the outlet
- Minam Lake: mediocre ... wooded, and lake was drawn down for irrigation in the valley
Eats
- Willowa: Main St. Grill (ok burgers), Strawberry Blonde Cafe (very good breakfast)
- Standard easy-fix backpacking fare
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