Wenaha River beckons backpackers

HIKING — This photo is just a glimpse of the scenic value I enjoyed this weekend with other backpackers as we hiked up the Wenaha River from Troy, Oregon.

The Wenaha is a major trib to the Grande Ronde, a former steelhead and salmon fishing ground for Chief Joseph, and namesake for the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness.

You have to hike in roughly six miles just to reach the wilderness boundary.

It’s a sweet early-season trek, opening to backpackers sometime in March.