After backing off of the Wallowas, I headed out here, to what I think is the best maintained of the trails in Hells Canyon. Still fairly brushy at times but generally easy to follow and in good shape. I went over Freezeout Saddle to the High Trail and then followed it another 8.5 miles or so to the Hat Creek area, where I stayed for two nights. On the middle day I hiked the trail up to Hat Point in the morning and way out the long grassy ridge later that afternoon.
The weather was warm (70s) and sunny and generally with a nice breeze, so it wasn't so hellish despite most people choosing to do a hike like this a month or two earlier. Almost all the creeks were still running so water was frequently available and pleasantly cool. Sunrise was at 5am and the sun came over the ridge at 5:15 so it got warm quickly each morning.
Hells Canyon is also famous for poison oak - I got none, and for ticks: I pulled many of them off me and out of my clothes, but got no bites. Mostly they were on the Hat Creek trail, not the main High Trail, for some reason, nor around camp. And they were not the small deer tick species that carries lyme disease, they were much larger.
My full 40 picture report is at http://deanmyerson.org/hells-canyon-2019, but here are some highlights
Near the Freezeout trailhead - looking down Freezeout Canyon into the Imnaha River canyon
Hiking along the High Trail
The large grassy meadow near where I was camped
On the hike up to Hat Point, my camp was in the trees where those two grass ridges meet
Part of Hells Canyon from Hat Point
Hiking out the right-hand grass ridge
Looking back towards camp
An amazing evening
Hells Canyon
- Born2BBrad
- Posts: 1086
- Joined: May 1st, 2011, 7:26 pm
- Location: The Dalles
Re: Hells Canyon
That is my favorite area to go. Beautiful and uncrowded.
Thanks for the reminder.
Thanks for the reminder.
Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again.
- Jean Luc Picard
Link to GPX tracks
Link to Trip Reports
- Jean Luc Picard
Link to GPX tracks
Link to Trip Reports
- woodswalker
- Posts: 835
- Joined: November 25th, 2012, 4:51 pm
Re: Hells Canyon
I've been out to Hells Canyon once. it was amazing.
Colette Grace
Colette Grace