Wallowas

In August we trekked out to Eastern Oregon to rekindle our love of backpacking - it had been tooooo long. Our destination:  The Wallowas - a mountain range that the Oregon travel bureau has named one of the 7 Wonders of Oregon. We chose a route that some trail guides called "a classic loop", but thankfully we enjoyed a mostly solitary journey. The 33.5-mile hike took us 4 days, with 3 nights of backcountry camping, and a couple nights of car camping on either end. We were fueled, as usual, by dehydrated beans, whiskey, M&Ms and almond butter. It was rejuvenating.

Photographs henceforth:

heading into the Blue Mountains for our first night

leaving town

Lostine River

Upper Lostine Rd, en route to Two Pan Camp and trailhead

let's do this.

clear blue stream

frigid stream crossing

easy route

climbing, granite

time to be horizontal for a lil bit

View of Eagle Cap, 9572 ft (on the right)

At approx 8400ft - Swamp Lake in the distance. Snow fields ahead.

Swamp Lake - 9.1 miles in - campsite #1

C took a swim..bbrrrr

Western bog laurel

the latest in swamp fashion

tres chic, no?

Cusick's Speedwell

Steamboat Lake

slender / giant red paintbrush

descending into North Minam Canyon

Red Willowherb

disease?

North Minam Meadows - 15.9 miles in - campsite #2

she survived the thunderstorm

zen and the art of water filtering

...aaand we're climbing again

Wilson Pass, 7900ft

Chimney Lake - about 23.9 miles in - campsite #3

heading out - 5.8 miles to the road

so many blueberries

back at Upper Lostine Rd - now only 3.8 miles to the car

final night, out of the woods