Baker City, Oregon Beta...?

[bovine]

Has anyone spent any time in this area? How is it for outdoor activities and backcountry skiing?

[Game Over]

Its close to Anthony lakes ski area and the eagle cap wilderness. some if the best quality snow in Oregon

[RyanPete81]

The town just up the road from Baker City is North Powder...if that isn't a clue...
Rooms at the North Powder Motel were pretty cheap last time I was there (two winters ago). Anthony Lakes is one of the coolest Mom and Pop run ski areas you'll find. Touring right from the lot, and you'll have the whole place to yourself! Still might be a bit early, I'd wait a month, or two if you can. If I'm not mistaken Anthony Lakes has the highest base area in Oregon at ~7100'.

[TBS]

Backcountry is outstanding in the Wallowas. Check out Wing Ridge Ski Tours http://www.wingski.com/homepage.php

[astralboy15]

Lots of quality wallowa TR/BETA here: http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...archid=3140655


And here are some single-planks at some random day in or around the resort (anthony lakes) dragging knuckle. Try starting @ 2:38.

[AK Brownie]

Anthony Lakes is lots of fun, super friendly locals. Lived in Baker from spring until fire season, wasn't my favorite place but its close to some beautiful forests and mountains

[char]

I lived down the road in La Grande for about 3 years.

There is plenty to do in the area. Eagle Caps offers backpacking, hunting, fishing, BC skiing. Most of the surrounding area offers that as well. There is also the North Fork John Day Wilderness, Strawberry Wilderness and Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness within 2-3 hours. You are pretty much surrounded by the Wallowa-Whitman and Umatilla National Forest.

Plenty of opportunity to ride moto. Rafting on the Grande Ronde. Some mountain biking around. There is some climbing between Pendleton and La Grande, but it isn't incredibly awesome. There is also some around N. Powder. Eastern Oregon University has a climbing gym/club that can point you in the right direction.

One thing that was always great was the relative lack of people utilizing recreational opportunities there.


Anthony Lakes is small, but it's a fun place and the vibe is great. The snow can be incredible. Tour right out of the parking lot. Finish the day at the resort bar.

4.5 - 5 hours to Portland. 5 to Bend. 2 to Boise (if you need a big box store outside of Walmart in La Grande you have to go to Boise or Walla Walla).

For a town of it's size Baker has a decent downtown, a few grocery stores and most of the amenities you probably need. Cost of living is relatively low.


I hope to move back to that area of the world if I can. PM if you want more info.

[Name Redacted]

Barley browns is the local brew pub. Good beer. Anthony Lakes is good. That's all I remember.

[Nic.A]

Has anyone spent any time in this area? How is it for outdoor activities and backcountry skiing?

some of the best in the state. much less populated in the wilderness, which is awesome in my opinion. Gone days without seeing any signs of other BC goers.

[Ducky]

Ahhh, yes, Baker City. Lived there for awhile. Ditto on all those that talk about what's available. My 2 cents - The backside of Anthony Lakes has some of the best skiing in Oregon. Not uber steep, but really, really, fun.

Wallowas? So glad they are 300 miles from Portland. If they were closer that place would be completely over run. It's incredible. Rock formations are primarily granite, not crappy basalt.

[chucknuggin]

Thursday morning bluebird pow day at Anthony is pretty sweet.

[BobMc]

I'm starting to formulate a 3-5 year plan to move to this area. I'm tired of the crowds, traffic, smog, city life. Anyone have any more thoughts on the area?

[abraham]

Uhhh make sure you get a parking space I can camp out in? It's not for me, at least not yet, but I like the area

[Buster Highmen]

I'm starting to formulate a 3-5 year plan to move to this area. I'm tired of the crowds, traffic, smog, city life. Anyone have any more thoughts on the area?

It's really hot in the summer down in BC, so I'd try to find a place to live up around the Phillips Reservoir or Sumpter or at least somewhere up on the ridge W. of BC.

La Grande is nice too, a little further from Anthony Lakes, but has a college and easier access to Joseph and Enterprise which is something. Someone should convince the owners of the Wallowa Lake gondola to keep it open in the winter for a Silverton modelled experience.

Another locale around there I've liked is Halfway up to Cornucopia along Pine Creek which is on the S. border of the Wallowas (Eagle Cap Wilderness). It's an hour E. of BC but is really gorgeous with great access to touring and Hell's Canyon.

Make no mistake, it's Hicksville and any kind of metro area is a long way away. But it's pretty damn perfect for outdoor activities and lack of people.

There's another little t-bar hill by Joseph too:
http://www.skifergi.com/

[BobMc]

It's really hot in the summer down in BC, so I'd try to find a place to live up around the Phillips Reservoir or Sumpter or at least somewhere up on the ridge W. of BC.

La Grande is nice too, a little further from Anthony Lakes, but has a college and easier access to Joseph and Enterprise which is something. Someone should convince the owners of the Wallowa Lake gondola to keep it open in the winter for a Silverton modelled experience.

Another locale around there I've liked is Halfway up to Cornucopia along Pine Creek which is on the S. border of the Wallowas (Eagle Cap Wilderness). It's an hour E. of BC but is really gorgeous with great access to touring and Hell's Canyon.

Make no mistake, it's Hicksville and any kind of metro area is a long way away. But it's pretty damn perfect for outdoor activities and lack of people.

There's another little t-bar hill by Joseph too:
http://www.skifergi.com/

Just the kind of info I was looking for, thanks B. The wife is pretty pumped about the idea as well, after 20 years here I'm ready for a change.

[ill-advised strategy]

Make no mistake, it's Hicksville and any kind of metro area is a long way away.

Yup.

[Buster Highmen]

Spout Springs is another little ski area that is open erratically, but is NE of La Grande, no real challenging terrain:
http://www.spoutspringsskiarea.com/

[wasatchback]

Barley browns is the local brew pub. Good beer. Anthony Lakes is good. That's all I remember.

And makes some of the better hoppy beers in the western US. Not your avg local brewpub

[cloud cult]

Just spent the weekend touring out of Anthony Lakes -- superb. Short runs but incredible access, great snow, and pretty all around. Slept in the parking lot, skinned the resort under a full moon, had a bit of new snow, and looked at Spout Springs on the way home. Skinned it, too -- though it took all of about 5 minutes. Good times. Kept meaning to make it to Baker City but was having too much fun in the mountains. Did look at La Grande -- reminds me of Dillon, Montana, but with fewer cowboys, no Patagonia outlet, and more beer.

[BobMc]

Headed to Anthony Lakes for another go at the cat skiing this upcoming weekend. Bringing the wife and kids along and poking around looking to see what our blue collar kind of money can buy up there. Got my biggest life problem off my back, the plan has been put out a year or two but is still very much on.

[Buster Highmen]

If you have the time to drive an hour there and back, the Terminal Gravity Brewpub in Enterprise is a great spot for tavern food and killer beer.

Joseph is worth a look too with the Wallowas skating high over the lake, great view.

[tBatt]

If you're there in the summer, hike in to the Wallowas from Moss Springs and check out my craftsmanship (or lack thereof).



www.minam-lodge.com

{/shameless plug}

Love the area. Beautiful mountains. Haven't had the pleasure of skiing there yet.

x3 on hicksville and a long way to anything. After 5 winters in SLC I don't know if I could move down valley and drive up the canyon every day, but I also don't know if I could deal with living in such a small, backwoods place.

If you have the time to drive an hour there and back, the Terminal Gravity Brewpub in Enterprise is a great spot for tavern food and killer beer.

Joseph is worth a look too with the Wallowas skating high over the lake, great view.

TG is great but service is generally sub par. Joseph is nice but you have to commit to skiing 400' tbar laps or touring, exclusively unless you're willing to drive 2 hours. Land / housing is also considerably less expensive in Union County than Wallowa County.

[jonesy]

[BobMc]

If you have the time to drive an hour there and back, the Terminal Gravity Brewpub in Enterprise is a great spot for tavern food and killer beer.

Joseph is worth a look too with the Wallowas skating high over the lake, great view.

Good tip, looks intriguing. Lotta beautiful places available up there. I'm ok with hicksville, I've had enough with dicksville. This weekend's trip is just an exploratory mission. We'll see how the land lays about and take it from there. We've been in our house for 21 years and have been pretty responsible with the equity. I'm hoping I can leverage my crappy city house + cash for acreage up there. My 16yo wants to graduate and we'll probably afford her that, the little guy is still too young to dictate what happens.

[Tri-Ungulate]

If you have the time to drive an hour there and back, the Terminal Gravity Brewpub in Enterprise is a great spot for tavern food and killer beer.

Joseph is worth a look too with the Wallowas skating high over the lake, great view.

Terminal Gravity is one of my favorite Brewpubs anywhere.

BobMc, when you get out there I wanna visit.