Backpack Mt St Helens
Open gallery
Trips to be scheduled.
Explore the trails of the Northwest’s most active volcano and observe close-up the aftermath and natural recovery since the 1980 eruption that blew the top off this iconic mountain. Discover stunning scenery at this national monument, known to
indigenous people as the beautiful lady Loowit. We’ll start our hike on Friday evening by headlamp, carrying everything we need for the weekend on our backs. Each day we’ll hike through islands of old growth forests and sleep in tents at night. In case of inclement weather, the trip location may change to an almost as impressive backpacking location on the dry side of the Cascades.
How to Register
Registration Opens:
- Friday, September 1st, 2023
*Trip Fee: $85 / $42*
*We have a limited amount of scholarships available based on financial need. If you qualify, he 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 - Thur 9am-5pm, and Fridays 9am-3pm.
When trips are first posted on Fridays, you can write your name on the paper trip sign-up sheet to save your spot until the following Tuesday at 5pm. You can pay to secure your spot right away, or return to pay by that following Tuesday at 5pm. After that, all trips spots are first-paid, first-served.
Trip Type
- Backpacking
Physical Demands
No experience necessary! The hiking pace and rigor will be tailored to the group and weather conditions.
Participants should be prepared to hike up to 6 miles per day on uneven trails, carrying 50-60lbs in backpacks. You’ll sleep outdoors on foam pads.
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.
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.