Fatpacking

7,700 years ago in Southwest Oregon, a volcanic caldera formed what is now Crater Lake National Park. The beauty of Crater Lake's extremely deep, pure and blue water make it a life-list destination. We will be hiking atop the 2000 foot surrounding cliffs for sweeping views of the lake and island.

We'll also spend a few days on the famed Pacific Crest Trail on our weeklong excursion to this amazing wonderland.

The Crater Lake National Park Fatpacking Trip will be from Aug 7-15, 2010. Here is the proposed itinerary.

Our journey will begin at the Grouse Hill Trailhead on the Northwest side of Crater Lake. We’ll head west on the famed Pacific Crest Trail to Red Cone where we'll leave the PCT and hike a 17 mile 2-day loop around Bald Crater. We'll re-join the Pacific Crest Trail, eventually leaving it to head up the steep and gorgeous Lightning Springs Trail where animals abound. The next two days will be spent hiking on the rim above Crater Lake where we'll summit 8094' Garfield Peak.

The trails around Crater Lake, including the Pacific Crest Trail are said to be well groomed. And while there are certainly terrain changes, the overall daily elevation changes are moderate, except for the day on the Lightning Springs Trail and summiting Garfield Peak which both involve long uphill climbs.

Weather is always an important concern when hiking. Expect daytime hiking temperatures in the 60s & 70s and nighttime temperatures in the 40s. However, be prepared for the possibility of freezing temperatures overnight. You can also check out the historical weather conditions.

Steve Silberberg, who lives in Hull, MA has many years of backpacking experience over a variety of terrains and guides most Fatpacking trips. He is a SOLO certified Wilderness First Responder, Leave No Trace Trainer, and Certified Food Handler.

Hannah Baker lives in Bend, OR and was an assistant on the 2009 Redwood National Park Fatpacking trip. She is a Wilderness First Responder who has led numerous trips in Washington, Oregon, and California.

Here is a list of equipment we suggest you bring. The list is extensive and can seem daunting, but please don't let this deter you from the trip. You can rent top notch quality gear for reasonable prices from Lower Gear. It may also be possible for us to provide some gear for you at a nominal fee if you let us know far ahead of the trip. Unfortunately, we're not in the gear business so the selection of our available inventory is unpredictable. Please feel free to discuss any gear with us before the trip.

We don't believe in austere eating regimens. Backpacking is a rigorous, rewarding activity. You must feed your body in order for it perform. Your body will dictate that you eat often, so it's important to have fuel to feed it. Please check out the sample menus. This list is not comprehensive and may be altered or augmented. If you want to bring personal food, say a 5 pound chocolate cake, go for it. You'll not only hate carrying it over 40 miles through the wilderness, your body will reject the empty calories and prefer nutritious food.

$1075 per person double occupancy. Here, double occupancy means that you will share a room with another participant during the 2 hotel nights. You will also be responsible for transportation to and from Klamath Falls, OR (LMT), personal equipment and any restaurant meals eaten off the trail.

Covered expenses include 2 hotel nights, 7 days of trail meals, ground transportation, Park entrance fees, National Park permits, insurance, and 2 awesome guides.

Although a hotel stay is included for August 15th, people who live on the East Coast sometimes prefer to take a red-eye after the parting dinner on the 14th. You are certainly welcome to do so. And yes, you will be able to take a shower at the hotel before you leave.

A video crew from Yahoo! News will be along filming us any or all of the first few days of the trip. You may elect not to appear on camera if that's your preference, and your request will be honored.

Fatpacking is on an ongoing quest to expand its selection of trip destinations. As such, this is the very first time we are offering a trip to Crater Lake National Park. Even though they are seasoned backpackers, the guides for this trip may NOT have previously backpacked these particular trails.

Many intrepid participants are excited by pioneering new routes, but others don't feel as comfortable with this and may prefer a more established, predictable trip. Experience guiding a certain destination can make things run smoother, but do not underestimate the decades of backpacking experience that our guides possess which permeate every other aspect of the trip in order to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey.