March 10-14, 2006, Eagle Cap Wilderness
3/10/06
3337
5
Went up to the Wallowa Alpine Yurts in McCulley Basin outside of Joseph, OR for five days of the pow. This was my first trip out here. It's a 4 mile and 1,800 ft elevation gain into camp. Two sleep yurts that fit five apiece, 1 yurt sauna, and the central cook yurt, where the guides sleep. Cots, -10 deg sleeping bags, woodstove provided. The guide/host does all the cooking and cleaning. Man was the food great! They know the basin like the back of their hands and man can they rip it up too!
They had a huge dump the week before that was a bit of a problem because it was extremely hard breaking trail in powder up to your chest. Things had settled by the time we arrived and we had bluebird skies for 3 days with knee to waist deep dry powder. I recommend the place for some great extended backcounty. I'm an intermediate tele skier so it took me a day or so to get used to the deep powder, but I had a blast.
It was consistenly cold, down to -5 a couple of evenings and around 15 during the day. Some weather came in on Tuesday that kept us lower and we made it a day of skiing the trees, which great.
They had a huge dump the week before that was a bit of a problem because it was extremely hard breaking trail in powder up to your chest. Things had settled by the time we arrived and we had bluebird skies for 3 days with knee to waist deep dry powder. I recommend the place for some great extended backcounty. I'm an intermediate tele skier so it took me a day or so to get used to the deep powder, but I had a blast.
It was consistenly cold, down to -5 a couple of evenings and around 15 during the day. Some weather came in on Tuesday that kept us lower and we made it a day of skiing the trees, which great.
They had a huge dump the week before that was a bit of a problem because it was extremely hard breaking trail in powder up to your chest.
I was at the Wing Ridge Huts the week when they had that big dump. It was the first time for me in the Wallowas. The terrain is huge and the snow was perfect.
Aaron
Wasn't too bad when we were their either.
Nice post and photos Klister :) I've been meaning to make it to the Eagle Caps for a winter trip at the yurts. I've had numerous weeks of solitude in the Caps in the summer while archery hunting, and am making it a point to go there for a winter tour (just gotta get that split board next year!). The terrain is endless and there's lots of tours available in different drainages if one wants to spend the time. How was the avy danger with all the recent snow? Thanks,
Matt
Matt
The week we were there the avy scene was pretty good; a couple of yellow flag slopes but great otherwise. The last afternoon we were there a storm came in and the snow and wind picked up, so we stayed lower to play on the moraine features. Still got lots of vertical. I was impressed with the snow quality, quantity, and the varied terrain.
the wallowas rule. been going out there for a while now
CB, morgan and bill def. know how to serve it up on snow and @ the yurts!
CB, morgan and bill def. know how to serve it up on snow and @ the yurts!
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