GlassMountains Trip Reports

Exploring the backcountry and wilderness of the Western USA.

Trip Reports

Wallowa Peaks, October 2014

by 1 Comment

I spent three days in early October hiking and scrambling in the southern Wallowas of Oregon. After some unsettled weather the first day the skies were clear the next two days. The scenery was beautiful – it seems we have a piece of the Colorado Rockies in NE Oregon. I saw no other person on the trails or peaks, and I had time to pause and absorb the feeling of the mountain wilderness during my long hikes.

I began my trip September 30 by driving the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Road #77 to the West Eagle Trailhead and Campground. I would be camping there the next three nights, having the entire campground to myself each evening and night. The last time I had been at this trailhead was in September of 1972 with a friend from high school and a college friend of his. That night some light rain fell.

[Read more…] about Wallowa Peaks, October 2014

Wallowa Peaks, August 2013

by Leave a Comment

My Oregon’s Highest Peaks explorations has brought me back to the Wallowas of Northeast Oregon, where I last hiked and climbed 24 years ago. Linda was riding the Oregon Bicycle Ride, which passed to the north of the Wallowas, so I spent the week hiking and camping in the mountains and visited her camp in Joseph for a couple of nights.

My trip began by driving out of Union up Catherine Creek and camping at the Buck Creek Trailhead. The next morning I hiked over Burger and Sand Passes and reached the summit of Granite Butte. This was my first visit to the Southern Wallowas in 41 years and the view from Granite Butte of the Wallowas was very impressive with many deep and long valleys and sharp ridgelines decorated with rocky peaks.

China Cap from Granite Butte
China Cap from Granite Butte

I retraced my route to Burger Pass, admired the fields of lupine, then gained the west ridge of China Cap, my next destination. After traversing the south face and climbing a breach in summit cliffs I gained the summit and enjoyed another view of the Southern Wallowas and met a family from La Grande out for a hike. I finished the day by returning to my car and driving through Enterprise to the Hurricane Creek Campground for the evening.

[Read more…] about Wallowa Peaks, August 2013