28.5 miles of hiking • 4000' elevation gain • 1 night
Eagle Creek is one of the most beautiful trails in Oregon, but everyone who hikes regularly has done it plenty, almost to the point of disgust when proposed. So, it was wonderful to get a new perspective on this hike this weekend by finally getting to the terminus of the trail at Wahtum Lake. What the ordinary Eagle Creek hiker doesn't see are the beautiful woods deeper in, the upper canyon, and the views across to to Chinidere Mountain that lends the trail an even greater diversity than the canyons near the trailhead.
Chris and I left the trailhead around 1:30PM and made it through the hordes of people to the junction past 7.5 mile camp. We stopped for a quick break to eat something before switching back up the hill. At the junction with trail 435, we took another quick break, laying down on the trail for a few minutes before the tough work of snowshoeing began. Roughly 4 miles later, we made it to Wahtum Lake, punched a hole through the snow over the lake for water, and set camp.
If the weather holds, this hike will be perfect in about a month.
Justin Wright
April 12, 2011
Sounds like an awesome hike. We went up and camped at 7.5 mile camp on Saturday night and were curious to know what the snow levels were like up at Wahtum Lake. Looks like a lot of snow yet!