Wallowa Lake Tramway | |
---|---|
![]() Tramway from top of Mount Howard with Wallowa Lake in the background | |
Overview | |
Status | Operational |
Character | Recreational |
Location | 59919
Wallowa Lake Highway Joseph, Oregon |
Country | United States |
Coordinates | 45°15′49″N 117°10′51″W / 45.26355°N 117.1809°W |
Termini | Mount Howard |
Elevation | lowest: 4,450 feet (1,360 m) highest: 8,150 feet (2,480 m) |
No. of stations | 2 |
Construction begin | 1968 |
Open | 1970 |
Website |
wallowalaketramway |
Operation | |
Carrier capacity | 4 |
Operating times | mid-May until early October |
Trip duration | 15 minutes |
Technical features | |
Aerial lift type | Mono-cable gondola detachable |
Line length | 19,300 feet (5,900 m) |
No. of support towers | 25 |
Installed power | 150 h.p. |
The Wallowa Lake Tramway is an aerial cable gondola lift near Joseph, Oregon, in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest of the United States, named for Wallowa Lake. The tram runs from the floor of the Wallowa Valley to the top of Mount Howard. [1] It travels to an elevation of 8,000 feet (2,400 m) above sea level and allows for views of the Eagle Cap Wilderness area and the rest of the Wallowa Mountains. [2]
The tramway was built in 1968, [3] and opened for service in 1970. [4] In June 1992, a malfunction caused the evacuation of the lift's passengers who were then flown by helicopter down the mountain, with no injuries reported. [5] This was the first safety incident for the tram. [4] Later that year, the tramway was used to haul fire fighters fighting a forest fire to the top of the mountain. [6] In 1999, tram owners explored expanding the tramway to include a winter resort. [7]
Twenty-five towers are used along the route to support the cables of tramway. [3] The Wallowa Lake Tramway rises 3,700 feet (1,100 m) vertically, [8] starting at the 4,200-foot (1,300 m) level of the lake. [9] At the top of the gondola ride, an elevation of 8,150 feet (2,480 m), is Oregon's highest restaurant, the Alpine Grill. [10] The Tramway runs May through October. [11] It formerly ran on the weekends in winter for skiing and snowshoeing. [12] The four-person gondolas take fifteen minutes to make a one-way trip. [8] [12]
The tram is the steepest four-person gondola in North America, ending at the 8,256-foot (2,516 m) peak of Mount Howard. [13] The tram is operated on 115 acres (0.47 km2) of land leased from the Forest Service through a special national forest permit. [7] At the summit one can view wildlife, [1] and wildflowers in an alpine meadow. Parts of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho are visible from the summit. Two miles (3 km) of hiking trails are available. [4]
Wallowa Lake Tramway | |
---|---|
![]() Tramway from top of Mount Howard with Wallowa Lake in the background | |
Overview | |
Status | Operational |
Character | Recreational |
Location | 59919
Wallowa Lake Highway Joseph, Oregon |
Country | United States |
Coordinates | 45°15′49″N 117°10′51″W / 45.26355°N 117.1809°W |
Termini | Mount Howard |
Elevation | lowest: 4,450 feet (1,360 m) highest: 8,150 feet (2,480 m) |
No. of stations | 2 |
Construction begin | 1968 |
Open | 1970 |
Website |
wallowalaketramway |
Operation | |
Carrier capacity | 4 |
Operating times | mid-May until early October |
Trip duration | 15 minutes |
Technical features | |
Aerial lift type | Mono-cable gondola detachable |
Line length | 19,300 feet (5,900 m) |
No. of support towers | 25 |
Installed power | 150 h.p. |
The Wallowa Lake Tramway is an aerial cable gondola lift near Joseph, Oregon, in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest of the United States, named for Wallowa Lake. The tram runs from the floor of the Wallowa Valley to the top of Mount Howard. [1] It travels to an elevation of 8,000 feet (2,400 m) above sea level and allows for views of the Eagle Cap Wilderness area and the rest of the Wallowa Mountains. [2]
The tramway was built in 1968, [3] and opened for service in 1970. [4] In June 1992, a malfunction caused the evacuation of the lift's passengers who were then flown by helicopter down the mountain, with no injuries reported. [5] This was the first safety incident for the tram. [4] Later that year, the tramway was used to haul fire fighters fighting a forest fire to the top of the mountain. [6] In 1999, tram owners explored expanding the tramway to include a winter resort. [7]
Twenty-five towers are used along the route to support the cables of tramway. [3] The Wallowa Lake Tramway rises 3,700 feet (1,100 m) vertically, [8] starting at the 4,200-foot (1,300 m) level of the lake. [9] At the top of the gondola ride, an elevation of 8,150 feet (2,480 m), is Oregon's highest restaurant, the Alpine Grill. [10] The Tramway runs May through October. [11] It formerly ran on the weekends in winter for skiing and snowshoeing. [12] The four-person gondolas take fifteen minutes to make a one-way trip. [8] [12]
The tram is the steepest four-person gondola in North America, ending at the 8,256-foot (2,516 m) peak of Mount Howard. [13] The tram is operated on 115 acres (0.47 km2) of land leased from the Forest Service through a special national forest permit. [7] At the summit one can view wildlife, [1] and wildflowers in an alpine meadow. Parts of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho are visible from the summit. Two miles (3 km) of hiking trails are available. [4]