![]() ![]() At this time it was getting late in the afternoon and with falling snow and deep fog, there was no view of the lake, as we were completely socked in. ![]() We decided to call our home next to a row of 12-foot pines which made a natural wind break, and underneath 3 mammoth-sized pine trees which offered some protection from the falling snow. They thanked us for making our own trail and not stomping through their previously made ski trail and wished us luck on our journey.Īfter about another hour of pushing and pulling ourselves through the snow, we made it to Discovery Point and scouted for a camp spot. We spoke with them for a few minutes and they thought were in for quite an adventure that night and seemed equally as enthusiastic as we were for our overnight trip. Approximately a quarter of a mile into the trip, we passed a group of 5 park personnel who were part of their Snow Patrol and were on cross-country skis. Right from the start, this was a tough trip! Due to the fluffy and unpacked snow, every step we took sunk us down to our knees and every once in a while I found myself waist deep in snow and had to pull myself out. The poles marked the completely snowed over and unplowed Rim Drive which became our winter trail. My friend and I felt that we had the necessary gear to handle an extended stay or an extra few miles of snowshoeing if necessary and decided that we were still up for an overnighter, despite the weather warning.Īs planned, we began our snowshoe at a marker of two poles in the ground, which were a couple of hundred yards down the plowed road from Rim Village. If that happened, our vehicle would be stranded up at Rim Village and we would have to snowshoe the 3 miles back down to the Visitor Center for assistance. He warned that due to the expected snow, the gate to the road up to Rim Village may be closed and snow plows might not be able to plow the road. ![]() The Ranger told us that we would be the only ones snow camping at Crater Lake that night and that the forecast was for temperatures in the low 20s with 12 inches of snow. We planned to shoe from the Rim Village parking lot 1.1 miles to Discovery Point and set up camp. We drove on snow packed roads with four-wheel drive to the Visitor Center where a very friendly Ranger went over our planned trip with us and filled out our camping permit. We decided to make the drive from Portland to the small town of Shady Cove to spend the night in a motel and wake up early the next day and drive the remaining hour to the park. As winter can be a challenging time with blizzards, avalanches, and icy slopes all backcountry campers must register at the park’s Visitor Center for a free permit before camping. Due to the snow, Rim Drive which is a 33-mile road around the crater, closes early in the season which creates an ideal unplowed trail for skiers and snowshoers. However, plenty remain open for snow enthusiasts to enjoy cross-country skiing and snowshoe hikes. This was my first visit to Crater Lake and my friend Christian and I thought a snowshoeing and overnight camping trip would be a memorable adventure a few days before Christmas.ĭue to the substantial snow pack in the winter months, most of the park facilities close for the snow season. In the winter months, the lake is typically socked in with fog and snow as Crater Lake National Park receives an average of 44 feet of snow every year. Crater Lake in Southern Oregon is well-known for its intense and pristine blue color and spectacular views in the summer. ![]()
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