Eagle Cap

PDXHiker- Thanks for the report!  I read it at 5 AM, right before I left for Eagle Cap.  The trip was great, as expected.  I climbed Eagle Cap and it looks like the entire wilderness is accessible.  The mosquitos were not that bad.  I used lemon-eucalyptus oil for the first time and was only bitten twice.  I may return before it is again covered in snow.

Hey, Adam, just got back from that area.  We opted not to do Polaris Pass, and were kind of glad that we hadn't.  Although the blowdown after the river crossing wasn't horrible, it would have been a challenge for us at the end of a long day with full packs.

We ended up seeing most of the rest of the area, and found everything else pretty much snow-free.  Please see my trip report re things like crowds, bugs & crossings.

Thanks for the report.  I'm leaning toward going in from Lostine instead, due to time constraints.  Glad to hear you were able to get over Polaris safely.  Pictures?

So we did come across about four snow piles we had to cross from Aneriod to Polaris, all were easily negotiable except the last pile at Polaris. It took us about 20 min to get all four of my hiking party up and across the last snow pile at the top of Polaris, it was like a giant ledge just before the crest of the pass on the east side. We had to send someone around the snow on the loose rock with a rope to haul our packs up and then we found a smaller section of snow to climb up and over. There was only a few small sections of blowdown on the west side of polaris and headed back up to Frazier Lake from the river crossing. As well as some snow patches on the trail from Fraizier to Glacier Pass and I think one or two patches on the north side of Glacier pass. Everyhting else was claer and easy.

 I have seen reports of people crossing it, although they did say they had to kick steps in the snow, but it is passable.

Thanks D-money!  We pushed our trip forward a week due to prior obligations .  Hopefully, more options will open up by then.  So, reports are positive for Hawkins???

Adam, I am actually headed that way this weekend and our plan is to go over Polaris on our way from Aneroid lake to Frazier lake. I will give a report when I get back on, Tues or Wed.

From what I have read so far, no one has attempted it and we may end up having to go around through Hawkens pass like everyone else.