Page Type:
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Mountain/Rock |
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Lat/Lon:
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45.20330°N / 117.1736°W |
Elevation:
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9702 ft / 2957 m |
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Overview
North side of Aneroid from Hidden Peak. Photo by RoncoAt 9702 feet, Aneroid Peak is the ninth (*) highest summit in Oregon (ahead of its neighboring Petes Point and behind Steens Mountain). See: 100_Highest_Peaks_Of_Oregon_List for the fascinating list of 100 highest peaks in Oregon. Located within the Eagle Cap wilderness of northeast Oregon's Wallowa Mountains, it is one of many 9000-footers in the area. Viewed from the East Fork of the Wallowa River Valley, Aneroid looks like a giant cone sitting on top of the valley 'walls'.
When hiking in from Wallowa Lake (East Fork of Wallowa River trail), Aneroid comes into view approximately 1.5 miles into the hike. Routes to the summit are simple hikes in the summer time. However, an ice ax could prove useful when the mountain is snow-covered. There's significant traffic on the approach trail in the summertime, though few of those hikers seem to make the summit attempt. Wintertime generally offers perfect solitude.
The most straightforward approach (in terms of navigation, though a bit steep in places) is to hike in along the East Fork of the Wallowa trail to the meadows directly below Aneroid Lake (about 5.5 miles from TH). From there, you will clearly see a gully directly below the peak - probably a nice steep route with ice ax, crampons, and well-consolidated snow conditions - a dangerous avalanche chute otherwise. The suggested ascent route is to the left of this gully (and to the left of the summit itself).
This interesting page shows Panoramic shots of the Wallowas including a shot of Aneroid from the summit of Pete's Point.
(*) Note that Aneroid's height ranking is based on the indicated list (100_Highest_Peaks_Of_Oregon_List) which, due to its relatively conservative inclusion rules, does not for example contain Matterhorn and possibly many others (considered by most to be distinct mountains). An alternative list places Aneroid in the tenth place (this one includes Matterhorn). Lastly, the third list provides listings for not only Oregon but Washington mountains as well. The latter two lists were provided by Klenke .
Also note that this mountain sometimes goes by the name of Aneroid Peak as opposed to Aneroid Mountain.
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Getting There
From I-84 take the exit for OR 82 in LaGrande, OR. Follow OR 82 eastbound toward Elgin, Enterprise, and Joseph. Continue through the town of Joseph toward Wallowa Lake State Park. You will pass Wallowa Lake on your right - keep going straight past the community of summer cabins to the end of the road (about 3/4 of mile past the lake). Watch out for the numerous deer along this portion of the road and pay attention to the parking regulations at the turn around. The trail starts at the information board on the left hand side and splits into the East (straight, follow the sign for Aneroid Lk.) and West Forks (to the right towards Ice Lk.) of the Wallowa River trails almost immediately thereafter.
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Red Tape
The Northwest Forest Pass is required to park at the trailhead ($5/day or $30/year).
In addition, a self-issue, free backcountry permit can be picked up at the trailhead
Dogs are allowed within the Eagle Cap Wilderness - keeping them leashed is required; packing out their waste is strongly encouraged.
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When To Climb
A major appeal of this mountain is that it can be climbed year-round without being much harder out of season (i.e. late fall, winter, early spring). 'Best time' to climb, however, is the June-early October time frame. The length of the hike in to the 'base' is the same year-round since the trailhead access road is plowed in winter - snowshoes or skis are highly recommended when the trail is snow-covered. Usual avalanche dangers exist when heavy snowpack is present.
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Camping
Aneroid and the head of the East Fork Wallowa River. Infected Mushroom photo
Camping at large is allowed within the Eagle Cap Wilderness but is prohibited within 200 feet of streams/lakes. There are several privately owned cabins at Aneroid Lake near the base of the mountain - please keep a 'respectful' distance from those when camping. As always, please apply the leave-no-trace rules.
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Mountain Conditions
Wallowa Mountains Visitor Center
(541) 426-5546 TDD (541) 426-5609 and
FS_Information
Miscellaneous Info
The Stubborn Mule restaurant in Joseph has excellent 1/2lb burgers - something to look forward to after your conquest of the Wallowas. It's on the main drag through town and on your right hand side when heading BACK towards LaGrande.
Books
Fred Barstad's Hiking Oregon's Eagle Cap Wilderness is an excellent resource. In addition to the standard Falcon hiking route descriptions, the book has a climbing section at the end where the author gives some details for quite a few of the 'big ones' in the Wallowa Mountains, including Aneroid Peak.
Shea Andersen's snowshoeing book - although it mentions Aneroid only in passing (as 'another worthwhile climb' besides Petes Point) - does provide wintertime trail description to Aneroid Lake. Nice book to have for winters in Oregon.
Aneroid and Dollar Lake. Southraker photo
1 Routes
rpc - Sep 30, 2002 10:06 am - Hasn't voted
Untitled Commentyou're right - I've made the correction. thanks.
ps
still need to add that volcanic origin bit of information to the page.
rpc
rpc - Jan 24, 2003 3:34 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled Comment...I agree - Matterhorn certainly felt like a mountain in its own right when we climbed it. I think that the "stiff" rules when compiling the list are OK in a place where peaks have not been named (tons of those in Idaho for instance, a couple in OR) however one should look more carefully at an area that has a set of popular and named peaks and possibly relax the rules accordingly.
Thanks for the other links - I will incorporate them on the main page (I think many find these lists interesting).
Klenke - Sep 15, 2002 11:05 am - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentThe mountain is actually volcanic in origin.
Klenke - Sep 26, 2002 7:50 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentActually, RPC has stated it backwards...
In actuality, it is:
Steens Mountain is ~9,733 ft
Aneroid Mountain is 9,702 ft
Pete's Point is 9,675 ft
So, RPC meant to say Aneroid is 'ahead' of Pete's Point but 'behind' Steens Mountain.
Yadda yadda yadda.
rpc - Sep 30, 2002 10:06 am - Hasn't voted
Untitled Commentyou're right - I've made the correction. thanks.
ps
still need to add that volcanic origin bit of information to the page.
rpc
Klenke - Jan 24, 2003 3:07 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentI agree with you about the Oregon Top 100 list shortchanging The Matterhorn (9,845 ft +/-), which is considered by many (including my biased self, since I've climbed it and not Sacajewa Peak) to be the highest peak in the Wallowa Mountains. How can a list leave off the highest peak in such a wide region?
Here's another site which contains an Oregon Top 100 list (may be the same list): http://howbert.netherweb.com/mountains/
And here's another list:
http://www.americasroof.com/highest/or.shtml
On this one, I complained about 10 months ago that Steens Mountain (~9,730 ft) is not on this list. They said they would incorporate it. Well, it looks like all they've done is put it as an note at the top above the list!
rpc - Jan 24, 2003 3:34 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled Comment...I agree - Matterhorn certainly felt like a mountain in its own right when we climbed it. I think that the "stiff" rules when compiling the list are OK in a place where peaks have not been named (tons of those in Idaho for instance, a couple in OR) however one should look more carefully at an area that has a set of popular and named peaks and possibly relax the rules accordingly.
Thanks for the other links - I will incorporate them on the main page (I think many find these lists interesting).