Status Operational Country United States Line length 5,883 m Installed power 150 h.p Number of stations 2 | Character Recreational No. of stations 2 Open 1970 Construction begin 1968 Termini Mount Howard | |
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Location 59919 Wallowa Lake Highway
Joseph, Oregon Elevation lowest: 4,450 feet (1,360 m)
highest: 8,150 feet (2,480 m) | ||
Wallowa lake tramway terminal gravity brewing barking mad b b
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. 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.
Contents
- Wallowa lake tramway terminal gravity brewing barking mad b b
- Wallowa lake tramway views
- History
- Operations
- References
Wallowa lake tramway views
History
The tramway was built in 1968, and opened for service in 1970. 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. This was the first safety incident for the tram. Later that year, the tramway was used to haul fire fighters fighting a forest fire to the top of the mountain. In 1999, tram owners explored expanding the tramway to include a winter resort.
Operations
Twenty-five towers are used along the route to support the cables of tramway. The Wallowa Lake Tramway rises 3,700 feet (1,100 m) vertically, starting at the 4,200-foot (1,300 m) level of the lake. At the top of the gondola ride, an elevation of 8,150 feet (2,480 m), is Oregon's highest restaurant, the Alpine Grill. The Tramway runs May through September in summer. It formerly ran on the weekends in winter for skiing and snowshoeing. The four-person gondolas take fifteen minutes to make a one-way trip.
The tram is the steepest four-person gondola in North America, ending at the 8,256-foot (2,516 m) peak of Mount Howard. The tram is operated on 115 acres (0.47 km2) of land leased from the Forest Service through a special national forest permit. At the summit one can view wildlife, 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.
