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Backpacking is one of the best ways to unwind and get in sync with nature, but there’s a bit of a learning curve if you want to go out on your own. Join an expert guide and like-minded women on this 4-day tour of the Pacific Crest Trail—or rather, just one spectacular part of it—and learn all there is to know about backpacking. Find out about the preparation process, wilderness survival, Leave No Trace principles, camp setup, nutrition on the trail, and so much more.
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Your backpacking adventure begins at your guide’s office, where you’ll meet the rest of your team at 8:00 am. You’ll get dropped off at the trailhead, after which it’s just you, your guide and your group in the woods of the Pacific Northwest! Departing from Rainy Lake Trailhead, get ready for a hike to remember!
Meals: Lunch and dinner
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During the course of your 4-day backpacking trip, you’ll traverse 25-30 trail miles (40-48 km) through lush temperate rainforest of the Pacific Crest Trail. You’ll be going through Columbia River Gorge. Enjoy the views of Mt. Hood, stop and smell the wildflowers, and soak in the lake after a long day of hiking. Let your guides teach you the basics of backpacking: preparation and planning, wilderness survival essentials, Leave No Trace principles, campsite selection and setup, backcountry nutrition, bear-safe food storage methods, and more! This being a summer tour only means one thing: mellowing out at the lake under the stars!
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
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Tread the last few miles of the trail until you reach Eagle Creek Trailhead. After a challenging, but infinitely rewarding few days, say goodbye to your team and your guide around 4:00 pm.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
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What you get on this adventure:
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- An experienced, local hiking guide with extensive knowledge of the area
- 4 days of backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail
- Transportation to the trailhead and back
- Meals (as indicated in the itinerary)
- Snacks, tea, and coffee
- Group camping gear (water filter, stove and fuel canisters, toilet paper and waste bags, bear canister, travel trowel)
- Backpacking tent
- Water filter
- Trekking poles
What’s not included:
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- Transportation to Oregon
- Backpacking sleeping bag and pad
- Guide gratuities — optional
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No experience necessary—this is a beginner-friendly backpacking trip through a selected part of the Pacific Crest Trail! Your guides will teach you everything you need to know about backpacking. Still, there are several routes your guides have in mind, some beginner-friendly, some intermediate, so you’re more than welcome to join if you’re looking for a challenge.
Regardless of the specific route, you do need to be in good shape as you’ll be carrying a 40 lb (18 kg) or an even heavier backpack. Make sure you’re physically fit enough to keep up the tempo for four days.
To give you an example, this is what you can expect. Below you’ll find several route options with their total distances and elevation gains over 4 days of backpacking.
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- Beginner-friendly
- Route 1: 21 miles, +5,519 ft
- Route 2: 25.5 miles, +8,850 ft
- Beginner-friendly
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Here’s a list of things you need to bring:
Backpacking gear:
- Backpack (55 – 70L capacity)
- Backpacking sleeping bag rated at 20°F – 40°F
- Backpacking sleeping pad
- Packable pillow — inflatable or compressible
- One pair of clean sleeping socks
- Headlamp and extra batteries
- Stuff sacks or waterproof dry bags for gear organization
- Trash compactor bag — used as a waterproof backpack liner
Clothing:
- Sun hat
- Warm beanie
- Sunglasses
- Hiking shirt
- Fleece, down, or synthetic packable jacket — no ski jackets
- Hiking shorts or convertible pant
- Waterproof outer shell jacket and pants
- Lightweight hiking boots or hiking shoes — broken-in, and sturdy enough for trail use
- Hiking socks — 2 pairs
- Underwear and sports bra — 2-3 pairs
- Swim suit
- Thin gloves for warmth
- Base layers, top and bottom
Hydration and items for the camp kitchen:
- Water bottles or hydration bladder — at least 2L total
- Additional backup collapsible water storage — an extra 2L for water-scarce sections
- Utensils and dinnerware, including a lightweight mug, plate or bowl, knife, spoon, and fork
- Small lighter
Personal items:
- Ear plugs
- Eye mask
- Personal medications — enough for your trip and two extra days
- Women’s hygienic and urinary products
- Sunscreen — travel size
- SPF-rated lip balm
- Toiletries — travel size
- Hand sanitizer
- Wet wipes
- Face covering — when riding inside the vans
- Quick-dry camp towel
- Insect repellent
- Guide gratuities — optional
Optional items:
- Lightweight camp shoes with a backstrap — Crocs are a great example
- Backpacking camp chair
- Sleeping bag liner — extra warmth and comfort
- Snacks, candies, and caffeine — for motivation on the trail
- Headphones
- Packable lantern
- Rechargeable battery pack
- Over-the-head bug net
- Bear resistant food-storage canister or sack — can be provided by your guide
- Bandana or neck gaiter
- Emergency shelter — can be provided by your guide
- Extra blister treatment supplies — can be provided by your guide
Your guides will provide:
- Backpacking tent — let your guides know if you’re planning on using your own
- Trekking poles
- Water filter
- Stove and fuel canisters
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Snacks
- Tea and coffee
- Bear bag hang kit or bear canister — for storing food away from bears
- Toilet paper and waste bags
- Small travel trowel
- First aid kit
Your guide recommends that you exclusively bring synthetic or wool clothing. You may be asked to help carry some of the group equipment. Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.
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Of course! You’ll need to bring your own sleeping bag and pad, and if you don’t have your own, there are plenty of rental companies in Portland—the starting point of your tour. You can rent from LowerGear Rentals, Mountain Shop, Portland Paddle, or any other rental company in Portland. Make sure you make arrangements in time. Contact us if you need any help!
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You will spend your nights in tents.
Your guides use 1- and 2-person tents. For the 2-person tents, the internal dimensions are just big enough for 2 standard sleeping pads to fit side by side. You are welcome to use your own tent as well.
Whether or not you’ll have to share a tent depends on a variety of factors—the number of people signed up for a trip, how many people are sharing a tent already, and who is bringing their own tent. Your guides would never suggest strangers share a tent, so participants traveling solo get priority for single tents.
Two of their most common models include MSR Elixir 2 and MSR Hubba Hubba 2.
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Your guides will provide a combination of meals cooked from scratch and pre-packaged trail meals and snacks. Upon booking, you will be provided with a waiver where you can notify them of your allergies and dietary restrictions. You are welcome to bring as much of your own food for the trip, as well as any other personal gear related to food preparation.
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Group sizes and prices:
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- For this all-women backpacking tour along the Pacific Crest Trail, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 10:1.
- It takes a minimum of 3 persons for this tour to run.
- All cost is per person and does not decrease as the group grows.
Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
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- If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
- Minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join the hike on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
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To get to Portland, Oregon, most people fly into Portland International Airport (PDX). From there, you have a 15-minute drive to your guide’s office in Troutdale.
You’ll meet your guide and your fellow backpackers at the guide’s office, 121 E Historic Columbia River Hwy, Troutdale, OR 97060 at 8:00 am on day 1 of the tour. Their office entrance is located below and behind the storefronts in downtown Troutdale. Turn left off the main street immediately after the “Gateway to the Gorge” arch to access the lower parking lot.
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57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Oregon, please refer to Oregon’s COVID-19 resources and updates.
If you have a fever, sore throat, cough, or any other COVID-19 symptoms (or exposure to a person who has tested positive for COVID-19), your guides ask you to alert them immediately and stay home.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
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