Opened in 1970 the Wallowa Lake Tramway has the largest vertical rise of any gondola in North America.
The gondola is a Swiss-made tram, and was constructed in 1970 as the steepest vertical lift for a four passenger gondola in North America. It is powered by a 150 h.p. electric motor – and a gasoline engine auxiliary drive at the base, operating a single continuous loop cable 19,300′ in length. In just under 15 minutes you are taken from the bottom terminal at 4,450′ up to 8,150′ atop Mt. Howard which was named for Major General Oliver O. Howard who pursued the Nez Perce from here in 1877.
