4 day Wallowa hike 9/5-8/20

[backcracker]

Drove from Tri Cities with my old football coach/ English teacher from high school on Sat arriving at Tenderfoot trailhead at 3PM and hiked in past Bonny Lakes, Dollar Lake, Dollar pass and over to Jewett Lake for camp. Up and over Polaris pass the next morning then up the W Fork Wallowa to Frazier lake, Little Frazier lake and up over Hawkins Pass. Descended down and camped at the head waters of the South Fork Imnaha below Cusick Mountain. Beautiful valley and campsite but the wind pounded me that night despite a calm day. The next day descended down the S Fork Imnaha past Marble Mountain intersecting the N Fork Imnaha. Headed up the N Fork Imnaha and camped just below the pass on the South side of Imnaha Divide. This was on Monday Labor Day and the wind was roaring, temperature dropping, snags snapping and crashing on the ground. Found a sheltered camp and had a restful night despite waking up To 27 degrees. Easy peasy 7 miles out the next morning back to the Tenderfoot Trailhead. Encountered very few hikers and a few bow hunters. The Southern or Southeastern side of the Wallowas are

a great option on Labor Day as opposed to the REI parking lot sale Lakes Basin.

[bobcat]

That's a great loop - especially this time of year. I know it's popular with bow hunters - there aren't any people on that side!

[wsquared1]

I was planning a somewhat reverse loop in early August 2021. Wallowa Lake over Tenderfoot Pass to Boner Flats along the North Fork and then on to the South Fork and around Cusik Moutain and up Hawkins pass from the south to the Lakes Basin. Was hoping if I started on Sunday I might hit fewer people in the parking lot. What brought me to your post however was Jewett Lake. I'm thinking of shaving days off the trip and skipping the Imnaha days and making Frazier lake my second night. For me to do that, better to put a few more miles in on day one and Jewett lake from Wallowa Lake TH looks pretty convenient. Do you have any insights on camping at Jewett lake?

[leiavoia]

I walked right past Jewett on my last trip coming down from Anaroid Lake and never knew it was there. And I was looking for it too! It must be exceedingly small or very well hidden.

[Aimless]

Jewett Lake is not visible from the trail. It's not too hard to find if you consult your map and veer off-trail in its general direction. The terrain is very open and treeless and easily walk-able. This also means that a well-defined use-trail hasn't been created, since any one of thousands of small variations on the route will get you there.

[drm]

I did a basecamp at Jewett Lake a couple years ago, spending three nights while exploring the area. Following a ravine behind my camp led to a viewpoint looking down at Aneroid Lake.

I think loops are greatly overrated.