Backpack the Eastern Columbia Gorge
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Escape spring rains and come explore the beautiful semi-arid landscape of the eastern Columbia Gorge. A somewhat strenuous climb uphill will be richly rewarded with spectacular views of Mt. Hood and the Columbia river gorge, hillsides of wildflowers, and a secluded campsite. Poison oak, ticks, and rattle snakes sometimes show up in April, but they are easy to avoid with a little caution. Participants will need to be out of class on Friday by about 3pm, and you will return Saturday by late afternoon.
How to Register
Registration Opens:
- Friday, March 15th, 2024
Trip Fee: $55 / $27*
*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
- Hiking
Physical Demands
No experience necessary! This trip is a great introduction to backpacking. Participants should be able to carry a large backpack and hike up to 4 miles. Backpacking requires a range of full body movements including sitting on and sleeping on ground 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.