Spring Break: Central Oregon & Crater Lake Winter Adventure
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Spring Break: Winter Adventure & Crater Lake
Spring break is the perfect time to explore the winter wonderland of central Oregon!
The east side of the Cascade Mountains features snowy peaks, pine forests, and plenty of crisp spring sunshine. We’ll spend our days snowshoeing or exploring low elevation hikes where it can be warm, sunny, dry, and 60F. We’ll sleep in cozy yurts with electricity and heat. We’ll stay near Bend, Oregon close to the Three Sisters Wilderness and Mt. Bachelor.
You’ll get to practice backcountry navigation skills, learn some avalanche awareness basics, and definitely drink lots of hot cocoa! Time and conditions permitting, we plan to build an igloo, go ice skating, snowshoe by moonlight, visit Crater Lake National Park, and hike at iconic Smith Rock.
No experience is necessary, but this trip is moderately strenuous and is recommended for those in good physical condition who are comfortable in the wintery/snowy outdoors.
Spring Break trips can count as an activity credit for graduation! You can get credit in PE/A 101 “Outdoor Adventures” for participation in this trip as long as you register through WebAdvisor prior to the end of the add/drop period. To be granted registration permissions, email kori@lclark.edu
How to Register
Registration Opens:
Friday, January 31st, 2025 (earlier for those enrolled in PEA 101: Outdoor Adventures)
Trip Fee: $485 / $243*
Plan to add $5/day for vegan, gluten-free, or other specialized diet requests (a vegetarian option is included at no extra charge). Medical dietary restrictions are exempt from the additional $5/day fee.
*We have a limited amount of scholarships available based on financial need. If you qualify, the trip fee is cut in half thanks to scholarship funding from ASB. We accept cash, checks, credit/debit cards, and apple/samsung/google pay.
How to Sign Up:
To register for a trip, stop by the College Outdoors office in Fowler 239. We’re open Mon - Thurs 9am-5pm, and Fridays 9am-3pm.
Registration is all first paid first serve.
Trip Type
- Overnight in a rental house or deluxe yurts
- Snowshoeing
- Cross-Country Skiing
Physical Demands
No experience necessary! We’ll teach you all the skills needed to participate, but snowshoeing and cross-country skiing can be physically demanding. The distance and pace of activities will be tailored to the group and weather conditions.
Participants should be prepared to spend several hours at a time hiking, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing on uneven terrain in cold (snowy) weather. This requires balance/core stability and the ability to get up after falling in deep snow. Some activities will be at elevations up to 6,500ft.
Accessibility accommodations are available, contact outdoors@lclark.edu.
What to Expect
- ☑ Sleeping indoors
- ☐ Sleeping outdoors
- ☑ Electricity
- ☐ Wifi
- ☑ Cell phone service
- ☑ Heating
- ☑ Beds
- ☑ Bathrooms
- ☑ Gender-inclusive bathrooms
- ☑ Showers
- ☐ Wheelchair accessible
- ☑ Food for any Dietary Restrictions
Amenities
Pre-Trip Meeting
College Outdoors trips have a Pre-Trip Meeting (PTM) prior to the trip to help you prepare, which takes place at the Sequoia warehouse on the Graduate Campus.
At this meeting you’ll meet the trip leaders and other participants, learn more about the trip activity, location, and schedule, and be given a packing list of everything you need for your trip. The trip leaders and Sequoia staff will then help you find and borrow anything on the packing list that you’d like to borrow. We have high-quality outdoor clothing and equipment, and it’s all free to use for your trip!
If you miss a Pre-Trip Meeting, check your email for important info you missed.
CO Policies
All trip participants and leaders are expected to follow CO policies, which can be found here. This document includes info on healthy practices, water/swimming policies, environmental safety, community standards, and leader responsibilities.
Sequoia Warehouse
Sequoia is the College Outdoors warehouse, located on the Graduate Campus. Everything you’ll need is available for free when you come on a College Outdoors Trip. At Sequoia you will find:
- Clothing needed for your trip, including any relevant outerwear and specialty items needed for the activity. Sizes range from XS - XXL and come in gendered an non-gendered designs.
- Gear needed for your trip, such as sleeping bags, backpacks, water bottles, and much much more.
- Equipment such as tents, cookware, first-aid kits, and boats, which trip leaders will pack for each trip as needed.
- Gender-neutral bathrooms, which can also be used as changing rooms.
- Staff available to answer your questions.