Hurwal Divide, Chief Joseph, Sacajawea Climbs (Summer 2025)

Activity Notes

On one weekend we will climb three of Oregon’s highest mountains, while spending two nights camped at 7,450’. These will include Sacajawea, Oregon’s sixth highest mountain and the highest outside the big five in the Cascades.

1. Hurwal Divide 9,777’
2. Chief Joseph 9,623’
3. Sacajawea 9,843’

Over three days in the Wallowas we will hike 18.8 miles with 9,050' gain.

• Friday: Leave home at 06:00. At 13:00, backpack from Hurricane Creek trailhead to camp in a meadow northeast of Sacajawea. 4.8 miles with 2,750' gain.
• Saturday: Starting at 05:00, climb Hurwal Divide and Chief Joseph and return to camp. 7.3 miles with 3,550' gain.
• Sunday: Starting at 05:00, climb Sacajawea and return to Hurricane Creek trailhead and home. The climb is 1.9 miles with 2,400' gain. The backpack is 4.8 miles with 350' gain.

These climbs are scrambles. We will bring climbing helmets, trekking poles, climbing boots, and gaiters but no ropes or harnesses. The stream crossings should not be hazardous later in summer, and we could find snow patches at highest elevations, but the known hazard will be steep scree fields on the Hurwal Divide and Chief Joseph climbs.

Chief Joseph and Hurwal Divide are on a ridge that ties those mountains to Oregon’s Matterhorn. We will access this ridge from the Thorp Creek valley to the west, reaching it slightly north of Hurwal Divide’s summit. Sacajawea’s summit is a short distance from where we’ll be camped.