| Oregon's largest Wilderness, Eagle Cap, encompasses the heart of the Wallowa Mountains, once home to the Nez Perce Indians. It also qualifies as the state's largest continuous alpine area and encompasses Legore Lake, at 8,880 feet the highest lake above sea level in the state. This vast region has almost 60 high alpine lakes, which are surrounded by open meadows, bare granite peaks and ridges, and classical U-shaped glacial valleys thickly forested in their lower sections and rising to scattered stands of alpine timber. Elevations start at about 5,000 feet and top out at 9,845 feet on Matterhorn Peak near the center of the area. Thirty-one summits exceed 8,000 feet.Trout fishing can be fair to excellent in the 37-plus miles of streams. The upper four miles of the Wild and Scenic Eagle Creek flow here. Backpacking and horse packing are very popular pursuits in this area. Hunters come for elk, deer, mountain goats, and bighorn sheep. Black bears, bobcats, and mountain lions prowl these parts, too. High summer temperatures guarantee swarms of mosquitoes and horseflies in wet areas. The waters flowing down the ridges join together to form the Wild and Scenic Imnaha River, the Wild and Scenic Lostine River, the entire designated length of the Wild and Scenic Minam River, and the Wallowa River. An estimated nine out of 10 visitors enter from Wallowa Lake State Park, Hurricane Creek Campground, or Two Pan Campground. |
|
