<I>Photo submitted by Gina Barstad</I><BR>Ice Lake, nine miles up the west fork of the Lostine Trail.

The Wallowa Mountains, with alpine peaks reaching nearly 10,000 feet in elevation and over 50 clear cold mountain lakes, is the premier hiking and backpacking area of Eastern Oregon. Below readers will find three samples of the hundreds of possible hikes that can be made into this fantastic landscape. Free wilderness permits that are required for all of these hikes may be filled out at each of the trailheads. A Northwest Forest Pass is required for parking at the Maxwell Lake and Hurricane Creek Trailheads. For those who don’t already have an annual Northwest Forest Pass, day passes may be purchased at the trailheads.

The Maxwell Lake Trail is a moderately strenuous four-mile hike to a sparkling lake set in a glacial cirque high above the Lostine River. To reach the trailhead, drive 17 miles south of Lostine along the Lostine River Road.

From the trailhead at 5,440 feet elevation, the Maxwell Lake Trail quickly crosses a bridge over the Lostine River and begins its climb.

In one-fifth mile the route fords the outlet stream from Maxwell Lake. The higher you climb the better the views get, including a fantastic view of Eagle Cap Mountain.

The first three miles of the route were reconstructed some years ago, but the last mile was left in its original rougher condition. In the last mile hikers cross a pass at 7,790 feet elevation, then descend about 60 feet to Maxwell Lake. The lake offers excellent fishing for small brook trout.

Aneroid Lake, which sits at 7,500 feet elevation in a spectacular sub-alpine basin at the head of the East Fork Wallowa River, is one of the easiest of the Wallowa Mountain high lakes to reach. The distance to the lake is six miles, but the grade is moderate. The Wallowa Lake Trailhead, where the hike to Aneroid Lake begins, is located at the end of Powerhouse Road one mile south of Wallowa Lake, at 4,650 feet elevation.

A few yards from the trailhead is a trail junction. Bear left (nearly straight ahead) at the junction and hike a short distance to another junction. Bear right here, the trail to the left is a much steeper access route used to get equipment to the small dam, which hikers will pass two miles ahead.

The route climbs moderately but steadily to the dam, then soon enters Eagle Cap Wilderness.

The trail crosses a bridge over the East Fork Wallowa River three and four-fifths miles from the trailhead. After climbing a bit farther the route flattens to enter a beautiful meadow at 7,100 feet elevation. Here the pools in the East Fork abound with small brook trout, which can be a joy to fly fishermen. Five and one half miles into the hike, small Roger Lake will be found and a half mile farther along the route skirts the eastern shore of Aneroid Lake, where fishing for larger brook trout is often good. Above the lake rise the alpine summits of 9,702 foot Aneroid Mountain and 9,675 foot Pete’s Point. There are several cabins at the south end of the lake.

A hike up Hurricane Creek Trail traverses one of the deepest canyons in the Wallowa Mountains. To reach the Hurricane Creek Trailhead drive five miles south from Enterprise on Hurricane Creek Road to the Hurricane Creek Grange Hall. At the Grange bear right staying on Hurricane Creek Road, which ends in three miles at Hurricane Creek Trailhead, elevation 5,025 feet.

Leaving the trailhead the trail heads south and quickly fords Falls Creek. About one and one half miles from the trailhead the route enters a sloping meadow and crosses sometimes dry Deadman Creek. Above the limestone cliffs to the right is Deadman Basin, a glacial cirque gorged out of the mountainside. Use binoculars to check the open slopes high above the basin, as mountain goats and bighorn sheep frequently graze there.

Three miles from the trailhead Hurricane Creek Canyon becomes very narrow and the trail crosses the rushing waters of Slick Rock Creek. For day hikers this is a good spot to turnaround. Bighorn sheep often cross Hurricane Creek here on their annual migration from wintering grounds on Translator Ridge above the Lostine River to Hurwall Divide. Above Slick Rock Creek, Hurricane Creek Trail continues for another nine very scenic miles, to the Lakes Basin.