We'll start by picking a 2 month window. after which we'll try to find a week that will work for as many as possible. Keep in mind it can snow any day of the year up there. bugs can be bad as i remember it(it's been a while). in april and october i would be prepared for winter like conditions. during high summer there will be tourists. If you have never been to crater lake though I can safely promise it will be like nothing else you have ever seen.
Last edited by Kallorne; 03-29-2010 at 21:40.
Got this from some other website forum.... as such, as I am after a non-snow trip... I have voted for "July-August"... with a preference in late July early August, so the tourists aren't around.
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The weather in May and June can vary from warm and sunny to snowy and foggy with poor lake visibility. Temperatures may be as high as 65°F (18°C) or as low as freezing.
July, August, and September are your "best bets" for dry, warmer weather. A typical daytime high temperature during these three months is around 67°F (19°C), but can range from 40°F to 80°F or more (4°C to 27°C). Temperatures cool off rapidly in the evening, with a typical nighttime low around 40°F (4°C), while some nights dip below freezing.
October usually presents cool but sunny days and brings the start of winter snowfall by mid-month.
Summer thunderstorms occur from June through mid-September, bringing dramatic displays of lightning and high winds. Boat tours, guided walks, and evening programs may be canceled if lightning is present in the park."
excellent info... mine is from half remembered childhood camping trips and those elevations up here in WA...
i've spent a little time down in your area, the fiance fell in love with crescent city when i took her through around new years. a good place to be, those trees never fail to awe me
It's a long shot for me to be able to make it, but Crater Lake is on my life list of places to go. So I vote for July-August. Since it's a year out, there's a decent possibility that I can save the money for airfare and be in decent enough shape to hike.
I have heard your confession I know who you blame
If you had it all back you'd just lose it again
Can't bank on redemption if you ain't saved
Don't bring me your tales of temptation and loss
Don't bring me the pieces of your shattered cross
-- Stuart Adamson
well i emailed the park service and got some good info... i hope this helpful:
Regards,
Terra Kemper
Park Ranger
Thank you for your e-mail about backcountry camping at Crater Lake National Park. I hope the following response answers your questions. Feel free to reply to this e-mail if you have further questions or if you find that your original question has not been answered.
Over 95% of Crater Lake National Park is managed as wilderness. Exploring the park's old-growth forests, flower-filled meadows, and volcanic landscapes can be a rewarding experience. The park's backcountry is little used in the summer and opportunities for solitude are plentiful.
All campers not staying in the park's developed campgrounds must obtain a backcountry permit. The only exception is through-hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail, who may instead sign the trail register as they enter the park. Permits are free and are available at either visitor center or at the ranger station at Park Headquarters. The group size limit is 8 people. Other backcountry regulations can be found on our website at: http://www.nps.gov/crla/planyourvisit/brochures.htm , under Summer Backcountry. Permits are not available over the phone.
Due to the park's snowy winters, the backpacking season at Crater Lake is short. Typically, the park's lower elevation trails become snow-free in late June. Some higher-elevation trails typically remain closed by snow until mid-to-late July. The best time to visit the park's backcountry is mid-July through September.
The park has a number of established backcountry campsites. These sites consist of a flat patch of bare ground and usually an established fire ring. The most popular established sites are at Lightning Springs and at Dutton Creek (each of which actually consists of two sites in the same vicinity). The park also allows dispersed camping, where you pick your own campsite, according to the rules outlined on our website.
Some areas of the park are closed to backcountry camping. For example, camping is not allowed along any of the park's main day-hiking trails. Camping is also not allowed inside the 33-mile Rim Drive that encircles Crater Lake. In fact, campers must be at least 1 mile outside the Rim Drive. This means that there is no backcountry camping within view of Crater Lake.
Because the park's day-hiking trails tend to be more scenic than the park's backcountry trails, some visitors opt to spend most of their time doing day-hikes. In the evening, they backpack a short distance into the backcountry to spend the night.
At this time, the park does not have a backcountry trail guide or a list of suggested trails and itineraries. Many possibilities exist; the best way to plan a trip is to consult a topographic map and talk with rangers at the visitor center. Our recommendations will depend on your interests and abilities, and on conditions in the park (such as the presence of snow, the weather forecast, the abundance of wildflowers at certain times and places, etc.). Please note that there is no hiking trail that encircles Crater Lake. There is a spectacular hiking trail along a 6-mile stretch of the caldera's West Rim, but it is for day use only and not open to camping.
Also note that backcountry regulations are different in the winter months (mid-November through May). When the 30-mile Rim Drive closes to automobiles for the season, it becomes a trail for snowshoers and cross-country skiers. Camping along the Rim Drive is allowed during these months, with spectacular lake views (weather permitting). The park's winter backcountry regulations can be found on our website at: http://www.nps.gov/crla/planyourvisit/brochures.htm , under Winter Backcountry.
I hope this message has helped answer your questions. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance. In addition, feel free to call our visitor center at 541-594-3100.
Data is from Park Headquarters
I would love to go in he summer and also do a winter trip to be able to camp and see the lake. Let me know final dates!
Finally something going on out West. I feel obligated to vote on this poll. Is there anything happening on the water, or is the hiking/camping all up on the rim? I finally bought a kayak and pretty much go everywhere with it. (Escalaters and elevators are a bit problematic.)
"Well, you might be lazy, but if we were not all about comfort here this would be a tent forum!" - - Roadtorque
I voted for July or August. Sounds like a great trip.
Not the guy to ask for Directions.
mk it's looking like july-august by a decent margin, we'll leave the poll going for another week. then look for the thread to finalize dates and activities, if you voted i'll appreciate your in-put in planning the shin dig
Nice to see the warm-weather month has gotten the votes!!
I live 275 miles (6-hour drive) away from Crater Lake.
I have never been there.
I will say this...
If what this email posted above is true... about the group-size not being allowed near the rim... than seriously... what is the point of even going? I don't want to be hanging a hammock so far away that I cannot even see the reason of being there in the first place. Know what I mean?
"no backcountry camping within view of Crater Lake"... that's just screwed up guys.
If that means we have to limit our group size, and split it into multiple group-trips, so we can stay within view of the lake itself, I am almost thinking it would be better to have fewer guys and organize more trips.
And what about this "group size limit is 8 people"... we've already had 18 people vote... if that means we get 10-12 to actually commit... that would put us over the limit.
So, I don't know guys... but we are either going to have to say "screw the rules" or find a resolution to these two issues.
John
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