They say you have to pay for quality, and while plenty of us are willing to fork over extra money for a good meal or a nice pair of shoes, it can be harder to justify paying for good views.

But the scenery found on the Wallowa Lake Tramway is not just good, it’s incredible. With a sweeping look over Wallowa Lake and in-your-face views of the Wallowa Mountains, the experience is one of the very best in northeast Oregon, if not in the state.

The only barrier, it seems, is the $40 per person price tag.

That places it somewhere between the admission to some of Oregon’s major attractions (the Oregon Coast Aquarium is $25) and, say, a lift ticket at Timberline Lodge ($85 during the winter). The the price is comparable to the Mt. Rainier Gondola at Crystal Mountain in Washington, which is $44 for adults, though that gondola is much newer, opening in 2010.

It’s also worth noting that anyone willing and able to hike into the nearby Eagle Cap Wilderness can get their mountain views for free.

The Swiss-made gondola was erected in 1970, when it had the distinction of becoming the steepest vertical lift for a four-passenger gondola in North America, its owners boast. Using small cars that travel along one long, single cable, the tramway takes riders up 3,700 feet in 15 minutes, ending at the top of Mount Howard in the Wallowas.

From the upper terminus, visitors can branch off on any of a number of hiking trails that explore the mountain summit, most of which lead to stunning viewpoints of the Wallowa Mountains as well as the Seven Devils Mountains across the Snake River in Idaho. And while most people have seen mountain views before (especially in the Pacific Northwest, where we are surrounded by them), these views are truly something else.

The word that comes to mind is “immersive.” Standing at the top of Mount Howard, you are surrounded by the many beautiful peaks of the Wallowa Mountains, rugged and snow-capped, rising all around you. It’s here that the mountain range’s nickname, “the Swiss Alps of Oregon,” really resonates. It can be easy to get lost in the awe of this place, and benches are helpfully supplied for those who need to sit down to soak it in.

Anyone who enjoys a wilderness excursion may start to feel the itch of adventure while looking out at the mountains. In fact, a massive network of long-distance trails allows hikers, backpackers and horseback riders to see practically the whole place. But from Mount Howard all you can do is stare out and dream, which somehow makes it all the more appealing.

Views are really what you’re buying for that $40 ticket up the Wallowa Lake Tramway. There are views on the gondola going up (and back down), views from the trails that lead around Mount Howard, and even views at the Summit Grill, where you can happily enjoy a sandwich, fries and blackberry cobbler. Visitors can grab a quick view or linger around the summit a little longer, taking in the scenery at their leisure. Just make sure to be back in time to take the tramway back down.

It’s by no means the only place to find good views in Joseph, but you’d be hard-pressed to find an easier, more convenient way to get them.

The Wallowa Lake Tramway is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in July and August, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in May, June and September; 59919 Wallowa Lake Highway, Joseph; $40 for adults, $37 for seniors and $30-$37 for kids; wallowalaketramway.com; 541-432-5331.