Wallowa-Whitman maintains Winter Recreation Opportunities
By Garrett Christensen on Thursday, December 19th, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
BAKER CITY – (Release from the Wallowa Whitman National Forest) Just because our campgrounds and hiking trails are snowed in or not maintained for the winter, doesn’t mean there is nothing you can do in the Forest. Recognized as a spectacular area with high mountain vistas, hundreds of miles of groomed routes, and deep powder, the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest offers visitors a memorable recreation experience. Here are some winter adventure ideas to consider:
Skiing/Snowboarding— Our partner, Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort provides an amazing experience for skiing and snowboarding for all experience levels. The resort has the highest base elevation in Oregon at 7,100 feet and an average annual snowfall of 250 inches. They have groomed and track-set trails, but also 21 runs for those looking to experience their alpine terrain.
Snowmobiling— The snowmobile areas on the Forest are generally maintained by local clubs. These snowmobile areas provide recreational opportunities on interconnecting trails in and around the local communities. A few areas to highlight are Salt Creek Summit Sno-Park, Blue Springs Summit Sno-Park, and Grande Ronde Sno-Park. Don’t forget to get a Sno-Park permit to use any of the facilities during the winter season.
Cross Country Skiing/Snowshoeing— Our Forest has a lot of areas available for cross country skiing and snowshoeing. Some areas to highlight are the Sno-Parks listed above, Phillips Lake, Hurricane Creek XC Ski Trail, and many more! There are designated trails with varying levels of difficulty, depending on where you decide to visit.
Safety— Road conditions can be dangerous in the winter. To ensure visitor safety, we recommend a safety checklist with the following:
- Check road conditions for the area you plan on driving to. In OR, many use ‘TripCheck’, for WA there’s ‘WSDOT’, and ID has ‘Idaho 511’. Other mapping applications may not be as frequently updated or accurate. Sometimes GPS may take you to roads that are not maintained in the winter, so if the road looks bad, don’t drive it.
- Make sure you have enough fuel to get to your destination. If there are delays due to bad weather, be prepared to travel on an alternative route. Every winter, people navigate around a closed freeway and get stuck or run out of fuel. If you drive an electric vehicle, range can decrease significantly in extremely cold weather. Calculate your range accordingly.
- Bring extra supplies. If you do get stuck or break down, it’s a good idea to have warm clothing, food, tire chains, boots, flashlights, and a charged phone. There have already been rescues!
For more information, visit the winter sports page at https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/wallowa-whitman/recreation/wintersports.
