Momentous Adventures-The Wallowa’s Mighty Minam Loop
This 112 mi. loop explores the west and central parts of this intriguing landscape. We started at Cougar Ridge for our 12 day trip, dropped down to the Minam River and took it upstream to the Little Minam headwaters in a lovely meadowy bowl. We then dropped down to Lackey’s Hole and back down to the Minam which we took to Ivan Carper’s Pass and went down to the Lakes Basin in which we spent two days exploring the area and Glacier Pass. Back over the pass and down the Minam to Copper Creek to Swamp and Steamboat Lakes for a couple of days with a side trip to Long Lake. Next, we dropped down to North Minam Meadows and spent a quiet night off trail in Wilson Basin by John Henry Lake before traversing Washboard, Stanley and Cougar Ridges back to the car. Some things to keep in mind about this loop are the considerable lack of information about the mountains in general, poor signage/conditions on some of the less used trails like Cougar and Washboard Ridges and a general lack of people in any area but the Lakes Basin. On the plus side, the Wallowas offer the traveler with a true wilderness experience away from the crowds, lots of animal life and amazingly diverse geology.
Cougar Ridge
The headwaters of the Little Minam River are alive with fall colors
Lovely rolling hills of the Upper Little Minam
Eagle Cap from Ivan Carper Pass
Matterhorn from the Pass
Cool ribbons of light in the Lakes Basin at dusk
Eagle Cap reflected in Moccasin Lake
Glacier Pass
Glacier Peak
She is strutting her stuff!
Copper Creek waterfall
Swamp Lake from above
Swamp Lake’s intriguing tiny pools and islands
Stemboat Lake
Nice morning light in Steamboat Lake
The Wallowa Mountains
Fall Colors on the way to Wilson Basin
Miner’s Basin along Washboard Ridge
Riding Washboard Ridge
Walk on the edge of Stanley Ridge