This trip is designed to provide you with the skills you need to plan and execute solo backpacking trips as you cover roughly 30 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail through the Oregon wilderness. On day one, you'll meet at the Rare Earth Adventures office in Troutdale, Oregon for a gear check and to learn the basics of how and what to pack. From Troutdale, you'll travel to the trailhead and begin your adventure. This portion of the PCT is filled with dense forest and packed dirt and you'll pass by many lakes and tons of wild blueberries and huckleberries. You'll hike between 8-12 miles per day, depending on group abilities, and the elevation gain/loss is moderate each day.
No previous backpacking experience is required, you'll just need to be in good shape and able to carry a 40 pound pack over distances up to 15 miles per day. Group size is kept small, with only eight to ten people per departure date in order to provide you with a personalized experience and in-depth instruction in backpacking techniques.
Throughout your adventure, you'll be guided by the outdoor experts from Rare Earth Adventures. They are dedicated to showing their guests the best of the Pacific Northwest's wild backcountry, and aim to pass on their skills so you can get out and explore on your own. During the tour, you'll receive instruction in subjects such as using a map and guidebook to plan logistics and daily hiking distance, how to find and set up a campsite, locating and purifying water, cooking meals and the use of different types of portable stoves, basic trail first aid, and navigating with a compass. Thanks to the skills you'll learn here, you'll have the knowledge and the confidence to start backpacking on your own. The Pacific Crest Trail is just the beginning!
