Overnight Camping – Backcountry
By NPS definition, backcountry areas are those areas located away from plowed roadways and developed areas such as Rim Village and Munson Valley. These areas are not maintained but are patrolled by volunteers and park personnel. Backcountry areas are generally used in winter by visitors seeking solitude. Use of these areas is permitted throughout the park with little restriction; however, all visitors must obtain a permit for overnight stays.
Table 3-1. Guided Snowshoe Walks in Crater Lake National Park, 1992-93 Winter Season.
Table 3-2 summarizes annual backcountry permit data from 1988 through 1993. The average annual growth rate shows a 1.2% increase in winter backcountry use over the last 6 years; however, the total number of visitor nights has decreased by 0.3% annually. NPS data show that backcountry visitors stay an average of 1.6 nights in the park and have an average party size of 3.3 people.
Existing Winter Concessioner Facilities
The park concessioner currently operates the Rim Village cafeteria/gift shop during the winter season. The facility is open from 9:30 a.m. to sunset daily except for Christmas Day. The concessioner facilities include a cafeteria serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner; snowshoe and cross-country ski rentals; and a gift store. It is estimated that 750 people rent snowshoe and cross-country ski packages each season, generating approximately $6,000.00 in revenue. Winter operations in Rim Village currently employ 16 people and generate between 3% and 6% of the concessioner’s annual revenue. (Gordon pers. comm.)
Table 3-2. Winter and Summer Overnight Backcountry Use in Crater Lake National Park.
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