Backpacking the Eagle Cap Wilderness: The West Lostine River Loop, Oregon

The Trip

Join us as we backpack in one of Oregon’s best-kept hiking secrets, the Eagle Cap Wilderness, an area located in the Wallowa Mountains of northeastern Oregon in the heart of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Our trip takes place on the northern side of the Wallowa Mountains on the West Lostine River Loop. It includes a 30-mile route, one layover day, various side trips, granite peaks, high alpine passes, mountain lakes, National Wild and Scenic Rivers, clear streams, wildflower-filled meadows, blue-ribbon trout fishing waters, and beauty beyond words. As Douglas Lorain, author of 100 Classic Hikes in Oregon says: “In fact, there is so much outstanding scenery here that a lifetime would be inadequate to see all of its glories.” 

Dust off your hiking footwear and get ready for an adventure into the Eagle Cap Wilderness!

The Eagle Cap Wilderness was established in 1940 and was included in the National Wilderness Preservation System by the Wilderness Act of 1964. The area is comprised of 361,446 acres of wilderness, including almost 600 miles of trails. It is the largest wilderness area in Oregon and is considered by many people to be one of the finest backpacking areas in the state.

The area is characterized by high alpine lakes and meadows, bare granite peaks and ridges, and U-shaped glacial valleys. Elevations in the Eagle Cap Wilderness range from approximately 3,000 feet in lower valleys to 9,845 feet at the summit of Sacajawea Peak, with 30 other summits exceeding 8,000 feet. The wilderness holds almost 60 alpine lakes and more than 37 miles of streams.

Additionally, it is home to an abundance of wildlife, including black bears, cougars, deer, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, pika, pine martens, badgers, red diggers (ground squirrels), and marmots. Birds include the peregrine falcon, golden eagle, bald eagle, Ferruginous hawk, Swainson's hawk, and the gray-crowned rosy finch. Many trout inhabit the lakes and streams of this area making it a fisherman’s dream! 

The plants in the area vary from grasslands and ponderosa pine forest to alpine meadows. Engelmann spruce, larch, mountain hemlock, sub-alpine fir, and whitebark pine are present at higher elevations. The meadows hold varieties of Indian paintbrush, sego lilies, elephanthead, larkspur, shooting star, and bluebells. Tracts of old-growth forest can still be found in the area, too.

The Wallowa Mountains are the ancestral lands of the Nez Perce. The area was used as summer hunting grounds and for gathering huckleberries.

Most of our trip will be on maintained trails within the national forest, with one layover day and some occasional explorations (both on and off-trail). Our itinerary is tentative and subject to change based on weather and trail conditions and the ability, health, and fitness levels of participants in the group.

Day 1: Our group will meet in the afternoon at the Two Pan Campground (15 miles south of Lostine, OR) in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. After dinner, we will gather for a trip orientation, then socialize around the campfire before turning in for the night. 

Day 2: After breakfast, we will distribute our group gear and food among the group, then shuttle a few of our vehicles to the Bowman trailhead (3.8 miles north of the campground). When everyone arrives back at Two Pan, we will begin hiking on the West Fork of the Lostine River Trail (5,600 feet). We follow the river as we climb up the valley until we reach the Cooper Creek Trail. Farther along, we'll reach some meadows with beautiful views of Elkhorn Peak to our right (9,233 feet). In the meadows, there should be plenty of wildflowers, along with ample campsites -- we'll make camp here for the night. The total mileage for the day will be around four miles with a 1,811-foot elevation gain.

Day 3: We continue our hike, crossing Elkhorn Creek, passing Sky Lake, and climbing switchbacks up to a high plateau at 8,600 feet. From this high point, we will have views of Eagle Cap Peak, the Matterhorn, and other prominent peaks of the Wallowa Range. From there, we will be able to see our destination below us and to the right: the Swamp Lake basin. We will turn right along the North Minam River Trail and descend along switchbacks to the basin. We will continue past the lake and descend more switchbacks to Steamboat Lake. The lake’s name comes from a rock island that resembles a steamboat, according to early explorers. We will make our campsite along the eastern shore of the lake. We will hike seven miles with an elevation gain of 1,996 feet and loss of 1,836 feet.

Day 4: From Steamboat Lake, we will make a brief climb before descending switchbacks into North Minam River’s canyon and on to North Minam Meadows. We will hike about five miles and will camp at or near the meadows. We will lose 2,562 feet of elevation.

Day 5: At the north end of the meadow, we turn right on the Bowman Trail and climb to a junction, where we turn left and hike half a mile on a spur trail to camp at John Henry Lake. We will have gained 2,069 feet of elevation while hiking about four and half miles.

Day 6: From John Henry Lake, we backtrack on the spur trail to reach the Bowman Trail. Heading east, we climb switchbacks to Wilson Pass (7,820 feet). From the pass, the trail heads down to a junction with the Chimney Lakes Trail, where we turn left. Next, we climb past Laverty Lake and make our camp near Chimney Lake. Our mileage today is about four and half miles, with an elevation gain of 706 feet and loss of 648 feet. 

Day 7: Today is our layover day. Our options include staying at Chimney Lake or exploring nearby Hobo Lake. For the more ambitious participants, we can scramble up to the top of Lookout Mountain (8,770 feet) for some wonderful views of the Wallowa Mountains, and even on to Wood Lake. As before, there are ample opportunities for fishing and swimming in the lakes.

Day 8: On our final day, we return to the trail junction with the Bowman Trail. We head east, passing scenic Brownie Basin and descend switchbacks toward the Lostine River. We cross a bridge over the river where we find the Bowman/Francis Lake Trailhead. We will have hiked around five miles, with an elevation loss of 2,692 feet. We will shuttle back to the Two Pan Trailhead where the trip officially ends after we collect all the group gear. If any participants are interested, we will carpool to a local restaurant in Enterprise for optional drinks and a farewell dinner (at your own expense).

Getting There

We meet at the Two Pan Campground in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest just outside of Lostine, Oregon. 

Due to the possibility of unknown circumstances (such as flight delays or lost baggage), please plan to arrive in the area at least a day before the first day of the trip. Our trip begins and ends at the trailhead near the Two Pan Campground in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. The leader will send specific directions to the campground several months prior to trip departure.

The nearest airports to the area are Boise, ID (130 miles, 2.5 hours), Portland, OR (305 miles, 5 hours), or Spokane, WA (425 miles, 7 hours). Each participant must make his or her own travel arrangements and is responsible for getting to the trailhead. Individuals interested in ride-sharing should contact other trip members once the final roster is put together. 

Accommodations and Food

Many lodging options are available in Baker City, La Grande, Enterprise, and Joseph, Oregon for pre- and post-trip accommodations.

The first trip meal is dinner on our first day. The last meal will be lunch on the final day. The Sierra Club will provide all meals and snacks. Vegetarians are welcome, provided the leader knows in advance. Cooking and clean-up duties will be shared by all members of the group on a rotating basis. All our food will be carried in Sierra Club-provided bear-proof canisters. Please do not bring any extra food as it will not fit in the stuffed-to-capacity canisters.

Trip Difficulty

This is a 3-rated trip on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is the easiest and 5 is the most difficult. Our trip covers 30 trail miles (excluding side trips on the layover day) with a range between four to seven miles per day. Keep in mind that the trail will follow creeks, rivers, lake basins, meadows, forests, and high ridges, including two passes. Because we will be hiking in mountainous terrain, there will be sections of the trail that will have steep drop offs. The route includes some significant elevation gains & losses, stream and snowfield crossings, and the possibility of unpredictable weather. 

Temperatures can reach the 90s during the day and dip to the 40s at night. Participants should be prepared for sudden changes in the weather and potential afternoon thunderstorms. Layered clothing, rain gear, and shelters are necessary to safely navigate the changing weather.

This outing is suitable for experienced backpackers or advanced beginners who are fit and have recent backpacking experience. A physical fitness regimen, especially cardiovascular training (beginning at least three months prior to the trip), is highly recommended. Your enjoyment of this trip will depend on your preparedness, physical conditioning, flexibility, and most importantly, your enthusiasm.

Equipment and Clothing

The Sierra Club will provide food and group equipment, including stoves, pots, bear-proof canisters, cooking utensils, fuel, etc. Keep your personal gear under 25 pounds so that, with the addition of 14-16 pounds of group equipment and food, your total pack weight will be 40 pounds or less at the start of the trip. You are responsible to provide and carry your own camping gear, clothing, toilet paper, etc.

Your pack must have room for group equipment, as well as your personal gear. Minimum backpack size is 60L. Each participant's group load will be one food canister (8.7” x 12.7”), plus additional non-food items such as a stove, fuel bottle, rope, pot set, or tarp. This is roughly equal to the size of a full paper grocery sack. Tent sharing, to save weight, is encouraged and will be facilitated by the leader ahead of time for those interested. Packs will be weighed at the trailhead.

References

Maps:

• Wallowa Mountains – Eagle Cap Wilderness, Oregon, Imus Geo-Graphics
• USGS 7.5 minute quad topographic maps – Eagle Cap, Jim White Ridge, North Minam Meadows, and Steamboat Lake

Books:

• Lorain, Douglas, Backpacking Oregon. Wilderness Press.
• Lorain, Douglas, 100 Classic Hikes in Oregon: Oregon Coast, Columbia Gorge, Cascades, Eastern Oregon, Wallowas. Mountaineers Books.
• Barstad, Fred, Hiking Oregon’s Eagle Cap Wilderness. Falcon Guides.
• Landers, Rich and Ida Rowe Dolphin, 100 Hikes in the Inland Northwest. The Mountaineers.
• Pohs, Keith, Wallowa Mountains, A Natural History Guide. Far West Book Service.
• Johnson Jr, Charles Grier, Alpine and Subalpine Vegetation of the Wallowa, Seven Devils and Blue Mountains. USDA-Forest Service.
• Williams, Mark, The Backpacking Flyfisher. Menasha Ridge Press.
• Nerburn, Kent, Chief Joseph & the Flight of the Nez Perce: The Untold Story of an American Tragedy. HarperOne.

Websites:

• U.S. Forest Service website for the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest: http://www.fs.usda.gov/wallowa-whitman/

Conservation

The Sierra Club is an environmentally focused entity. We are concerned about conservation and sustainability of resources, both locally and globally. Our work is accomplished by volunteers and aided by a salaried staff and encourages grassroots involvement. Our outings seek to empower participants toward greater understanding, advocacy, and participation in the goals of the Club. During the trip, we will discuss issues impacting the areas in and around the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Further, we will follow Leave No Trace practices on this outing.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and will operate under a permit from Wallowa-Whitman National Forest.