East Eagle - Imnaha Loop Attempted - July 3rd - 5th 2017 -
Posted: July 15th, 2017, 12:38 pm
For more details on our specific gps route see: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recor ... irror-lake
or to see our trip video, check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O4jPRtO5y0
After flying into Boise from Detroit, we spent the night in Baker City and headed off to East Eagle Trailhead on the quickest route per google maps. This also turned out to be the steepest, sketchiest, and most narrow route as well (we took the route suggested in Lorain's book on the way back out).
After arriving at the trailhead, we filled out the free permit with a list of our expected camp sites and headed off on East Eagle Trail 1910 with an expected destination of Hidden Lake for night 1.
Our hopes of getting across East Eagle Creek on the Hidden Lake Trail were dashed by freezing, rapid, thigh high water. We decided to defer camp to Horton Pass/Frasier Lake Junction.
When we reached the Junction just below Horton Pass (~9.8mi due to trail scrambling) we set up camp just off the trail near the junction. The site had a fire ring, several small creeks for water, and open mountain views galore.
We attacked Horton Pass early in the morning, enjoying the last few green spots of our route.
Not too long up the pass we ran into pure snow. We threw on our K-10 spikes and pushed through. The snow was concrete with very few postholing. The accent + snow x sun = tired hikers.
We made it to the top of the pass with smiles on our faces (~12.5mi), thinking the worst was over. We ignorantly glissaded down the 1000 ft to the lakes basin. This was a mistake, given the snow I wish we would've headed back after summiting the pass and switched to the Elkhorn Crest Trail for the rest of our trip.
After reaching the Lakes Basin, reality kicked in and by the time we got to Moccasin Lake we decided we should turn around. Our reasons for ending here were mainly due to not knowing the conditions of the rest of the loop. There was so much snow and we were unsure if Glacier Pass would be even sketchier than Horton. We decided we would rather deal with the snow covered pass we knew we could at least get down and vowed to return on a much more enjoyable snow free time of year.
We backtracked toward Mirror Lake and found seemingly the only melted out site in the basin. We would tackle Horton Pass again in the morning.
We ended up tackling Horton Pass in the morning and pushing all the way back to the trailhead the same day. Our intentions were to get back as soon a possible to take on the more melted out Elkhorn Crest Trial.
All in all, this was a crazy place to see with all the snow. I don't think many people attempt to see Eagle Cap in these conditions, and for that reason I think it was very cool. There were a few times where I thought we bit off more than we could chew and I might've been right.
I would not recommend inexperienced backpackers do this route with this much snow cover. At least not all the way up the pass. And even if you are experienced, I wouldn't recommend going on further past the top of Horton Pass. I personally thought the basin was still very beautiful covered in snow, but its sort of sad not seeing the water as this would've boosted our spirits and rewarded us after getting over the pass.
Anyway, hope this helps those contemplating this area in the next month or so.
We will be back Eagle Cap. Your clever snow tricks can't keep us out forever.
Regards,
Brad W.