The Eagle Cap Wilderness, OR

Much like Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio has a special place in my heart, the Eagle Cap Wilderness in the Northeastern portion of Oregon has its hold on me in a way I find hard to describe. From the majestic peaks, the alpine lakes, and wildlife, there is much to see and do in this section of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Below are a couple of the stories I have of my adventures in this area of the PNW. I hope you grasp the majestic nature of this landscape and why I think of it as a home away from home.

The first experience I had in this wilderness landscape was not a backpacking adventure, but more of a car camping getaway weekend that helped to fuel a return trip to explore into the wilderness deeper than we were able to go. To get to the Eagle Caps you have to drive about 2 hours from Walla Walla, WA. The route is scenic and pretty as you go into, and through the Blue Mountains. The smell of pines and the cooler air help to set a scene I can only describe of a quintessential PNW summer day that makes you release tension in places you did not know were tense as your soul becomes free. The section of the wilderness that we stayed at this time/go around happened to be a route that goes through the small mountain town of Joseph, OR (very quaint town with tons of character, will have to make a stand-alone post about this one sometime). As you pass through the town, you come upon Lake Wallowa, and when I say the view is spectacular, I am not exaggerating! It takes my breath away every time I see it. The campground we were staying at was at the other end of the lake, nestled at the base of the peaks of the Eagle Cap Range. When we got to the campground it was late morning on a Sunday due to available schedules. To not waste the opportunity of seizing the day, we decided to go on a day hike up the East Fork of the Wallowa Trail. I remember it started to look overcast so we prepped for rain, but wanted to see some of the sites. We ended up getting to hike up a decent bit and saw a couple waterfall areas, a scenic view of Lake Wallowa below and a small man-made dam. What made us turn around was the sound of thunder coming from the distance and the starting of rain. We had yet to set up camp and between you and me, setting up camp in the rain is not all it cracks up to be in the realm of “enjoyable experiences”. After some afternoon rain, the weather took a turn for the better and we were able to have a stereotypical summer camping night with a fire, hot dogs, and Smores. I remember staying up longer than usual (For reference I am a natural night owl for context) because the night sky was full of stars that left me speechless. The following morning was also one of those picture perfect camping mornings with coffee, a lake sunrise, and mountain peaks glistening in the morning rays. It was due to this short weekend trip that I would jump at the opportunity to go back when I could.

Ice Lake Attempt 1

Ice Lake Attempt 2