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 8000 ft above sea level and allows for views of the Eagle Cap Wilderness area and the rest of the Wallowa Mountains.

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 3700 ft vertically, starting at the 4200 ft level of the lake. At the top of the gondola ride, an elevation of 8150 ft, is Oregon's highest restaurant, the Alpine Grill. The Tramway runs May through October. 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 8256 ft peak of Mount Howard. The tram is operated on 115 acre 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.