The Experience
Greetings! Welcome to Oregon’s “Little Switzerland,” the Wallowa Mountains. We invite you to join us for a unique backcountry skiing experience in the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area. The Wallowa’s intercontinental snowpack, in excess of 400 inches a winter, provides wide-open bowls, old-growth glades, and classic couloirs. Ringed by peaks just shy of 10,000 feet, our ski terrain boasts abundant north-facing powder slopes ensuring fresh tracks well after a storm plus non-technical summits. We offer four-day long-weekender trips or five-day mid-weeker trips. You will have large cozy yurts, delicious food, a sauna, and dry Wallowa powder all to yourself. Our McCully Basin camp at 7500ft elevation sits 1.5 miles inside the northeastern Eagle Cap Wilderness Area. Wing Ridge sits at 7300 ft, which is an easy climb from our highest trailhead, Salt Creek Summit 6400ft. Big Sheep is behind Wing Ridge. Access via Halfway Oregon our Norway camp sits at 7000 ft on the southwestern edge of the Wilderness Area. Cornucopia camp at Summit Point trailhead 6500ft and Schnieder Camp 5500ft in private 160ac inholding surrounded by National Forest.
Wallowa Alpine Huts operates under a special use permit from the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest and is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.
The Camps & Zones
McCully Camp
McCully basin is where it all began for WAH in 1980. We've come a long way since skinny skis and sagging wall tents. As the ski gear evolved into sophisticated downhill touring equipment, the camp has grown into a little yurt village. With 41 seasons of operation, McCully boasts a rich and colorful history of ski visitors. The seasoned veterans say the food has gone gourmet and the new gear is cheating. But, everyone agrees what makes McCully truly special is it's unique location situated inside the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area. Solitude, fresh tracks, and glistening slopes abound.
Wing Ridge Camp
Wing Ridge Camp sits at 7200 ft and is approached from Salt Creek Summit SnoPark 6100ft. The journey is 1.8 miles and is a 1100 ft elevation gain to camp. There is a 20ft diameter kitchen yurts outfitted with all necessary accoutrements, but no oven. There are also two sleep wall tents that accommodate 6-beds, two latrines, and a shared sauna yurt inside a yurt! Camp can be reserved by small group of up to 6 for no-share sleep wall tent. Or exclusive us of camp includes both sleep tents for up to 12 total beds.
Big Sheep Camp
Big Sheep camp is located behind Wing Ridge accessed via the Wallowas highest SnoPark, Salt Creek Summit at 6100ft. Traveling 3 miles with light day packs up and over 7500ft saddle of Wing Ridge Trail #1828, eliminates the first-day slog to camp and allows for turns on the way to and from camp located at 6400ft in BigSheep drainage; or u can circumnavigate Wing Ridge via the Wagon Trail of 4miles flat-tracking. Snomo porter service follows lower FS39rd(6-miles) then right onto the FS100rd(3-miles) following up Big Sheep Canyon. Road grooming service provided by Wallowa County Gamblers Snowmobile Club, become a member and help the cause!
Norway Camp
NORWAY trips meet in Halfway OR, 97834. You know you're at the end of the road when you see snowmobile trailers and no pavement. If the road becomes snowgroomed, you've gone too far!! From the end of the paved road it is a six mile drag in behind snowmobile, then skin in (at summer trailhead) is 3-miles gaining 2000 ft.
Cornucopia Camp
Cornucopia Cabins are located at 6200ft at Summit Point trailhead 2miles from the foot of Cornucopia peak, 9000ft.
Camp includes two 10x20 cabins serving as kitchen that sleeps 4 and dedicated sleep cabin that accommodates 6 beds. Camp is accessed by a 3-mile 1500k gain skin-in from McBride Campground, 4800ft. The approach begins with an 5-mile snomo tow-in up Carson Grade 3400ft.
Schneider Camp
This is the Wallowa’s deepest snowpack consistently verified by the adjacent SnoTel site. Accessed via either Cornucopia Hwy 413 or Clear Creek SnoPark 3720ft. Easy peasy 6-mile snomo ride in on a groomed road by local Panhandlers’ Snowmobile Club. Or Forest Service road 6610 in summer. The camp sits at 6000ft on a private 160-acre inholding surrounded by National Forest. Norway camp is 3 miles north. Cornucopia Yurt is viewed across Pine Canyon. SchiMeadow is perfect for the hybrid skier/rider throttle jockey. Hotlaps from 400ft to 1k vert. into Pine drainage.
The Stoke is Real!
Welcome to Pow-Town! Steep and deep, feel the vibe, earn your turns in the Eagle Cap Wilderness in the Wallowa Mountains.
Visit the photo gallery for more views.
Fully Hosted & Catered Options Available
Reach out to us by texting at 541.398.1980 or at yurtmiester@gmail.com to find out more informaiton about our fully hosted and catered backcountry skiing opportunities.
