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Eagle
Cap as seen from Mirror Lake.
Photo by William Sullivan
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Hike
to Eagle Cap
This
climb to the central peak of the Alp-like Wallowa Mountains
is not for the timid.
About
the Hike: Eight valleys radiate from 9,572-foot Eagle Cap, the
rock hub of the Wallowa Mountains. Although Eagle Cap is not quite
the tallest peak in this range, its 360-degree view is unmatched,
and a surprisingly well-graded trail climbs to the summit from the
East Lostine River's meadows.
If
your goal is the summit, plan on a two-day trip. If you're out for
a day hike, settle for a view of the cliff-edged peak from the Lostine
meadows or Mirror Lake.
Note
that group size is limited to 12 on trails and six in camps. Tents
must be at least 100 feet from lake shores, grazing horses must
be at least 200 feet from lakes, and campfires are banned within
a quarter mile of Mirror Lake.
Difficulty:
The
14.8-mile round-trip to Mirror Lake gains 2,020 feet of elevation,
so it's a difficult day hike. Plan on a two-day backpack trip if
you're headed for Eagle Camp itself - a 19.8-mile route that gains
4,000 feet of elevation.
Season:
Open late July through October
Getting
There: Drive Interstate 84 to La Grande exit 261 and follow
Wallowa Lake signs 55 miles on Highway 82 to Lostine. In the center
of town, where the highway turns left, go straight on Lostine River
Road, following a pointer for "Lostine River Campgrounds."
This
route is a two-lane paved road for the first 12.2 miles to the Lostine
Guard Station. Then continue on a rougher, one-lane gravel road
another 6.1 miles to road's end at the Two Pan Trailhead.
Fees:
A Recreation Fee Pass (Northwest Forest Pass) is required to park
here. The pass costs $5 per day or $30 per season.
Hiking
Tips: Start at the Two Pan Trailhead. When the trail forks after
a few hundred yards, veer left on the East Fork Lostine River Trail.
This path climbs steeply for 2.8 miles.
Finally
the path levels off beside several ponds at the start of a long,
beautiful meadow. Here at last is a grand view ahead to Eagle Cap.
The
trail along the meadow is nearly level for 2.3 miles to a stream
crossing at the far end-a possible turnaround point. If you're continuing,
hop across the stream at a collapsed bridge. Beyond, the trail climbs
2 miles to a rock cairn at a junction within sight of Mirror Lake.
Detour
left to see the lake's reflection of Eagle Cap's snowy cliffs. If
you're camping, don't pitch your tent near the fragile lake or the
trail, but rather bushwhack up the ridge to the left, where you'll
find secluded campsites with great views.
To
continue up Eagle Cap from Mirror Lake, return on the main trail
to the rock cairn and keep left at all trail junctions. After a
mile the trail forks at a signless post. Horton Pass is to the right,
but the left-hand path is a shorter, if snowier, route. The two
trails rejoin on a ridgecrest and climb left 1.3 miles to Eagle
Cap's windswept summit.
A
green ammunition can holds the summit climbers' register. Below
you, the Eagle Cap Wilderness spreads out like a colorful map, dotted
with blue lakes and striped with green valleys.
History:
The Eagle Cap Wilderness was one of the first in the nation, set
aside in 1964 when the Wilderness Act was passed.
Geology:
During the Ice Age, a glacier from Eagle Cap filled the entire
East Lostine Valley, sculpting it into a long U-shaped trough. Look
for bedrock that has been rounded and smoothed by the weight of
the grinding ice.
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