CANCELLED – Wallowa Mountains

Trip rating:  Advanced Intermediate to Advanced
Basecamp:  Joseph, OR

Spend 4 days skiing eastern Oregon’s Wallowa Mountains where the mountains are steep and the snow is dry!  There are opportunities for different levels of skiing on this trip but there are no groomed trails in the Wallowas. Bring your Telemark or AT gear and challenge yourself climbing up Wing Ridge and skiing the backcountry powder. Depending on group desires, we can hire a guide for a day or two of backcountry adventure.

The group will split up and intermediate skiers will find lots of fun (without the climb) on easier x-country trails at Salt Creek Summit, the beautiful Wagon Rd trail, McCully Creek Trail, or the Canal road to explore. There’s also Ferguson Ridge Ski Area where lift tickets are $20/day at this small community built & operated ski area. Since there’s no groomed trails, very skinny skis are not appropriate for this trip and skins may be needed, depending on snow conditions. Spring ski conditions can often involve hard crust or ice so skins are important to have, even if not always needed.

We stay in one large house in Joseph and we will share potluck dinners. There are also lots of restaurants in Joseph and nearby Enterprise. We generally enjoy the last night sharing beers & dinner at Terminal Gravity Brew Pub. Carpools will leave Portland on Thursday, arriving in Joseph early that evening. Skiing can be enjoyed on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and return to Portland Monday. Joseph is walking distance from the house so it can easily be explored in the evenings along with the scenic Wallowa Lake.

The house has 5 bedrooms with queen beds and a bunk room with 10 bunks. It has 2 kitchens & living rooms and 5 bathrooms. Pricing is based on your choice of a private room or a bunk in the bunkroom. For the bunk room, you will have to furnish your own sleeping bag, pillow, & towel. Please note: Bunk Room will be a mixed gender room. 

Anyone who plans to ski steeper slopes and possibly use a guide is required to bring their own avalanche gear, (beacon, probe, shovel). No exceptions for this. Guide services are optional and additional to the cost of the trip. 

Trip Limit:  12 participants including the leader
Cost:  Includes four nights lodging. Private room single person: $225.   Private room, 2 people sharing bed: $450. Bunkroom (mixed gender) single: $190.  Excludes cost of travel and meals.  Note: If you are a couple trying to sign up and do not see an opening for a double, please contact the leader as all of the beds can accommodate 2 people. 
Carpool miles:  From Portland, 660 miles roundtrip, plus mileage to ski areas from Joseph
Trip leader:  Susan Watt, at susniam@gmail.com