Eagle Cap Wilderness Oregon - East Eagle to Mirror Lake

Check out our route on AllTrails.com: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/east-eagle-mirror-lake

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Started this trip by flying into Boise ID 7.02.2017, and started our trip 7.03.2017 after spending the night in at the Eldorado Inn in Baker City OR. (BI-Mart in Baker city has many supplies available to the Backpacker who forgets to grab items like fuel at the Boise REI).

We had a backup trip planned for the Elkhorn Crest Trail in case the East Eagle - Imnaha Loop wasn't feasible. However, despite the warnings we opted to attempt the loop in Eagle Cap.

On our drive from Baker City we took the shortest route via GPS, this took us on a very steep and sketchy route I would not recommend. I would recommend taking the directions listed in the various guidebooks for the area (ex: Backpacking Oregon Douglas Lorain) as it it much less steep and bumpy.

Taking off from East Eagle Trailhead, we ran into the beginning of East Eagle Trail 1910 about a mile up the road. In the first ~9.5 miles to our camp at the Horton Pass/Frasier Pass junction the trail climbs from ~4500ft to ~6500ft. This means its a slow but steady 2000ft accent the entire way.

The trail was almost entirely snow free with the exceptions of a few creeks running off the mountains still covered in packed snow. Reports from the ranger station in Joseph claimed significant snow 4-6 miles into most trails. However, east eagle was almost completely snow free until about 11 miles in.

The video shows our attempt to ford east eagle creek to reach Hidden Lake but we became uncomfortable & almost instantly numb by the thigh high water.

On day 2 we traveled up Horton Pass and spent the night near Mirror lake. The 2,000ft climb up Horton Pass was make difficult about the 12 mile mark with slopey snow covered trails not visible without GPS. We were fine with spikes and trekking poles until the last pitch of the pass. At this last portion we broke out the ice axes due to the possibility of a dangerous fall.

Once at the top of Horton Pass, we ignorantly glissaded and butt-saded down the other side toward the lakes basin about 1000ft despite the entire basin being covered in snow. This turned out to be our biggest mistake.

When arriving in the Lakes Basin Area, we realized that the hiking was extremely difficult due to several feet of very pitted snow. We made the call to turnaround at Mocassin Lake. The reason being that we were unsure of conditions ahead at Glacier Pass and we didn't want to be stuck in a worse situation if we had to turn around further into the hike. So we searched and found what seemed like the only melted out campsite at Mirror Lake.

The 3rd day was a nervewracking journey back up to Horton Pas (scariest part for me) with axes and spikes. We ended up making the entire journey back to the trailhead the same day with hopes of having time to hike a bit of the Elkhorn Crest Trail.

All in all, this was only 27 miles but is was a brutal 27. The heavy snowpack this year indeed lived up to the hype. I would not recommend the unprepared hiker to make the journey all the way up to Horton Pass (I would stop at first significant snow on the pass). And for the prepared hikers who can make it up the pass, I would not recommend the Lakes Basin unless you are experienced and confident on heavy snow. The snow was packed like concrete with only the occasional posthole.

Regards,

Видео Eagle Cap Wilderness Oregon - East Eagle to Mirror Lake канала Trail Perspective