Petersen

Inspiration sometimes comes like a lightning bolt out of the clear blue sky.

In this case, the inspirer is a 76-year-old woman who calls and asks about the East Moraine hike.

“It’s an Oregon treasure,” I say to the woman 10 years my elder, “but there’s some serious uphill hiking involved.”

“That won’t be a problem,” she says. “I’ve been walking five miles a day for the last 10 years.”

Recently retired, I decide to follow my new role model’s example. Now, thanks to an obsessive-compulsive personality, I have followed my own five-mile daily routine for more than a year so I will be prepared for most hiking challenges.

Track miles, though, are not like East Moraine miles. While the hike is not an ankle twister, has no cliffs to fall off of and no treacherous river crossings, it does require some serious uphill slogging to reach spectacular views.

The hike is close to civilization yet seemingly far away. Reach the trailhead several miles south of Joseph. The inconspicuous pullout is near the southeast end of Wallowa Lake.

I hop out of the car and grab my day pack. According to a trailhead sign, the parcel was conveyed to Wallowa County in January 2020 by the Wallowa Lake Moraines Partnership for public access to this one-of-a-kind resource.

Having educated myself, I climb south through ponderosa pine in what’s called the East Community Forest. The trail follows an old gravel road. The hike is about 4 miles roundtrip with a 774-foot elevation gain.

Tall grass hangs over the lower section, tickling ankles, and traffic noise bubbles up from the highway. Exuberant birds flit in the morning sunlight, find perches and sing with reckless abandon.

After a mile or so, the trail switches back to the north. Traffic noise recedes. The steady uphill climb begins to offer views through gaps in the curtain of forest of the lake and Chief Joseph Mountain.

Nearing the top of the East Moraine, I think of the original inhabitants, the Nez Perce. The tribe considered Wallowa Lake and the moraines sacred ground. I vow to tread respectfully.

Once on top of the East Moraine, I take a foot-wide path north. Expansive views unfold of the lake and mountains. Grasshoppers and crickets leap out of the way as I pass. A red-tailed hawk cries from its perch atop a lonely pine.

In late spring and early summer, the area is a wildflower lover’s paradise. Arrowleaf balsamroot and Spalding’s catchfly bloom in abundance.

Looking north, across the expanse of cobalt-blue Wallowa Lake, I see Old Chief Joseph’s gravesite and the Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site, where other, less vertical trails beckon. Beyond is the bustling tourist town of Joseph.

Looking south, I see Mount Howard and Bonneville Mountain basking in alpine glory, backed by jagged peaks of the Eagle Cap Wilderness, “Oregon’s Alps.”

Far below, boaters ply the waters of Wallowa Lake, enjoying ample elbow room, and campers greet the day at the popular south-end state park. I am alone with the wind and my thoughts, under the big sky.

As always, leave only footprints and take only pictures. Whether in town or on the trail, try to leave your surroundings better than you found them.