Would anyone be willing to share some beta on the Blue Mountains Trail / Eagle Cap Wilderness?

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KilgoreTroutQQ
KilgoreTroutQQ Member Posts: 8
in ROUTES & TRAILS

Howdy folks, just wondering if any of you intrepid hikers have made it over to the mountains of NE Oregon before, and if so if you'd have any recommendations on where to start? I'll be working all summer near Walla Walla in SE Washington, and was hoping to explore this underreported on part of the PNW a bit more while I'm there. Mostly it would probably be in weekends and sections, but I was just wondering if there are any essential trails in the Wallowas and Eagle Cap that you'd recommend. And furthermore, if it's even possible to do the Blue Mountains Trail in sections? And, if you're familiar with the area, would you recommend the alternative routes on their website? Thanks friends <33 really looking forward to checking it out this summer.

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  • snechemias
    snechemias Member, Moderator Posts: 20
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    A lot of the areas covered in the BMT do lend themselves to extended loops, particularly:

    Hells Canyon

    Wallowas

    Wenaha Tucannon

    Strawberrry Mountains

    Doug Lorraines old backpacking Oregon and Washington will give you classic on trail loops for those areas, you may or may not want to be more aggressive with mileage and adventurous with your wanderings, but those are great base itineraries from which to build out.

    If you are inclined towards cross country travel let me know and I'll throw some other ideas your way! There are a few traverses in the Wallowas that are fire, here's a glimpse of one from last summer: https://www.instagram.com/p/CTmz2TuljhK/

  • KilgoreTroutQQ
    KilgoreTroutQQ Member Posts: 8
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    Incredible info! Yes I'm looking at some of these right now and they look pretty sick. When do you think the snow will be melted enough to do one of the traverses? This is the first time I've ever lived anywhere near mountains, and there's so little reporting on the Umatillas and Wallowas that it's hard for me to know without driving up there and seeing for myself, haha.

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