Moderate (to Freezeout Saddle)
5.6 miles round trip
1950 feet elevation gain
Open early May through November
Use: hikers, horses
Difficult (to Summit Ridge)
11.9-mile loop
3470 feet elevation gain
The lowest point on the Oregon rim of Hells Canyon, this surprisingly balmy saddle is usually free of snow a month before Hat Point (Hike #45). As a result, equestrians and backpackers prefer the Saddle Creek Trail through Freezeout Saddle as a more reliable, and better graded, route to the Snake River. For a day hike here, climb to the views at Freezeout Saddle or continue on a difficult loop through the wildflower meadows of Summit Ridge.
Begin at . . .
This chapter is an excerpt from 100 Hikes: Eastern Oregon