Wallowa Mountains - Eagle Cap Wilderness - East Eagle Creek
I visited the Eagle Cap Wilderness from the south, hiking up the length of the East Eagle Creek to the summit of Eagle Cap itself on a basecamp trip. I camped about 7 miles up for two nights. This trip was during a heat wave, and my plans adjusted for those conditions.
I camped next to the trailhead the night before to get a cool start in the morning. This huge rock wall is visible at the start.
The initial hike was a road walk for a quarter mile (you could drive it). There was no sign where the trail took off, but this is it.
The trail doesn't stay in trees for long. Much of the hike is in these meadows.
More meadows, and the view that go with them.
Looking back on the valley I came up.
After setting up camp and relaxing a bit, I took off in the afternoon heat to hike up and check out Moon and Hidden Lakes, a couple miles up a side trail. This was the East Eagle Creek crossing on rocks.
This is Moon Lake, with a nice breeze while sitting on a log in the shade. Hidden Lake is over that ridge in the center of the photo, up a steep and eroded trail.
Hidden Lake, so called because of the ridge it is hidden behind.
Looking back at the main canyon - notice that white spire in the upper right.
I zoom in on it here - I don't know if it has a name.
The next morning was my big hike up to Eagle Cap - 5 miles away and a little over 3000 feet up. The initial meadows are kind of overgrown.
The way to Eagle Cap first requires ascending to Horton Pass, which is on the right side of the low point ahead.
The trail returns to East Eagle Creek, refreshingly.
White mariposa lily.
A nice alpine basin below the pass, which is in the upper right.
The trail loops up around the basin wall.
Looking north from Horton Pass
From the pass, you turn right on a connector to get to Eagle Cap. Then you go behind a ridge, and there it is. The trail switchbacks up that slope.
Looking west - that's Needle Point in the Main Eagle drainage. It was pretty hazy.
The trail up Eagle Cap.
The broad summit of Eagle Cap.
Looking north: East Fork Lostine on the left, Hurricane Creek on the right, with the white summit of The Matterhorn. Mirror and Moccasin Lakes below.
Looking east at Glacier Lake and Glacier Peak.
On the way back, I stopped and hung out in that beautiful alpine basin for an hour.
More meadows on the return.
