WH News & Notes
Summer Hiking

Let Western Hiker be your guide each summer into Eagle Cap Wilderness in Oregon's incredible Wallowa Mountains.

The 1800 square mile Wallowa Mountain range is located in the northeast corner of Oregon and boasts alpine peaks, steep-walled valleys, and five designated wild and scenic rivers. At the heart of the range lies the 540 square mile Eagle Cap Wilderness, Oregon's largest.

From the Grande Rhonde Valley in the west to Hells Canyon country in the east, you'll have plenty of room to roam along hundreds of miles of trails without crossing your own path.

You'll find classic alpine meadows, the highest natural lake in Oregon, four officially designated wild and scenic rivers, snowfields, glaciers, rock faces, warm sun, the bluest of blue sky, and no traffic, television, phones, email, or worry.

For climbers, the range has seventeen summits over 9000 feet in elevation with the tallest named after the Sacajawea, the famed guide for the Lewis and Clark expedition. Sacajawea, Matterhorn, and many other 9000+ summits offer some of the best technical and nontechnical climbing in Oregon.

  -- Barry Greer


   Gear and Clothing
An entire book, such as Colin Fletcher's The Complete Walker, is needed to describe the range of gear and clothing needed for wilderness hiking and camping. Below are a few general guidelines. If you still have questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.
  • Boots first. Dress in rags but wear good boots.

  • Socks second; always bring a spare pair.

  • Watershoes next. You may have to ford streams in Eagle Cap Wilderness.

  • Cotton or a synthetic fiber for shorts/shirt to dry quickly.

  • A good rain/wind shell next for both upper and lower body. It also protects against bugs.

  • Warm sweater to wear under the shell.

  • Hat to keep the sun out of your eyes or the heat in your head

  • Gloves that keep your hands warm wet or dry.

  • Zero-degree mummy bag

  • Survival blanket or bivy sac

  • Sturdy hiking stick (hoe handle or fancy aluminum)

  • Swiss Army knife or Leatherman tool or equivalent

  • Liquid-filled compass adjusted for declination

  • Water pump with filter

  • Spoon and cup

  • Two plastic water bottles one liter each

  • First aid kit (see ten essentials page).

  • Day pack large enough to carry survival gear (see ten essentials page)

  • Specialized energy bars good for day hikes

  • Toilet paper

  • Two bandanas

  • Soap

  • Camera

Of course, you'll need to build your own list for any specialize activity such as photography, etc.



CONTACT INFORMATION
Western Hiker
P.O. Box 568
Union, OR 97883
(541)562-1181
(888)420-7855


Business Opportunities
Printable Brochure
Brochure PDF file
Essential Information
Twelve Essentials
Gear and clothing
Recreational Lands Pass
Adjusting to altitude
No trace wilderness travel
Weather Information
NOAA Weather
ODOT Road Cameras
Wilderness Maps & Literature
Eagle Cap Area Map
Topozone Maps
NW Hiker Map

Backpacker Magazine
Eagle Cap Guidebook
Gordon's Guides
Hells Canyon Guidebook
The Mountaineers Books
UWash Mountaineers Archive
Wilderness.net Eagle Cap
Wilderness.net Hells Canyon
The Backpacker
Hiking Outpost
Southbounders
US Forest Service sites
Northwest Forest Pass
Wallowa-Whitman NF
Eagle Cap Wilderness Area
Hells Canyon Wilderness Area
Hells Canyon NRA
Wilderness Lodges
Cornucopia Lodge
Adventure Web sites
Adventure Years
American Alpine Club
California Alpine Club
Hiking & Backpacking
Hiking Blogs
Idaho Alpine Club
The Mazamas
The Mountaineers
n2 Trial Hiking
Northwest Hiker
The Obsidians
Spadout Magazine
Spokane Hiking Club
Summit Post
Trails Club of Oregon

20% nonrefundable deposit required on all WH services