I find the hardest part is first going out in the rain from the dry, but once I am out it is not bad at all. The anticipation is the worst part ( besides putting on wet clothes.)
I find the hardest part is first going out in the rain from the dry, but once I am out it is not bad at all. The anticipation is the worst part ( besides putting on wet clothes.)
Make sure there is not a depression under hammock--it might be a mud puddle in morning. Either setup on a ridge-high ground, or setup on a slope-so there won't be any standing water after rain storm. Also don't setup over a dry wash or ditch that can turn into a creek.
You gonna get wet-just don't drown!
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I just got back from a 4 hour hike in the rain and it actually felt good. Put your stuff in a trash compactor bag and go for it. I tried to use my Packa but at 87 it was just too hot and humid. That Packa work great in cooler weather though.
All of the above plus two things: an umbrella and a good attitude. The attitude is weightless unless you supplement it with attitude enhancers.
Protect yourself. Drink plenty of warm liquids, Cocoa, Tang, tea ect. It is easy to forget to hydrate when you are cold and wet.
Stop and set up early. Don't wait until you are already hypothermic to establish a warm dry spot.
40* and rainy conveys far more risk than 10* and snowy to me.
Good Luck, have fun
Questioning authority, Rocking the boat & Stirring the pot - Since 1965
babypowder. it's the miracle drug. keep socks and bed clothes in a bag saturated with it. take some to toss in the hammock and extra dust the feet.
First time I've heard of this. Does it absorb the moisture?Originally Posted by sidvicious
I am curious how the trip went. After the weekend, how would you respond if someone posted a similar question? What worked? What would you do differently?
I help out with my son's scout troop hiking trips and it is good to be reminded of the things I might take for granted.
Questioning authority, Rocking the boat & Stirring the pot - Since 1965
So, I made it back happy and no gangrene.
We arrived at the trailhead campground (Hawn State Park) with just a mist in the air, got our camp set up just before there was no more light available and the rain started back up.
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It was a gorgeous area. I think we had the best site of the whole campground. It backed right up to Pickle Creek, which we could hear when the rain wasn't drowning it out.
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After we settled in the beer and food came out. Stayed up a bit too late, but sleeping was intermittent with lightning and thunder. This is what we slept through:
And this is what we woke up to:
The temps got down to the low 40*s, but I had a "new-to-me" Hammock Gear Incubator 0* under quilt that I was using for the first time, that kept me toasty. Thanks @peppy.
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I stayed perfectly dry, except for some splashing I received from big rain drops hitting my suspension.
We started the hike out in the rain, which was pretty non-stop until we made camp six hours later. Within two miles of our hike we hit our first water crossing. Pickle Creek, which is usually a non-issue to cross (after a week of rain), was now a raging river. We decided to "Man up" and not turn back. We hung our boots over our neck (I went pants-less, too) and made it over.
We knew we would have to cross Pickle Creek once more a few miles down the trail, but we encountered multiple smaller creeks that during normal weather would have a trickle to no water in them. The second Pickle Creek crossing was just as adventurous. I loved it!
Aside from the rain the hike was amazing. And there were time when the rain actually enhanced the environment. There was a section of the trail that went through a Short-leaf Pine forest and with the overcast lighting and the haze of rain coming down it looked like a Ansel Adams photograph. I felt like I was in the Pacific Northwest.
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Quite a few of my videos and pics came out blurry because of the raindrops on the lens. I tried to lick them off often, but sometimes it didn't matter.
There were sections of the trail that were just little creeks of their own. The waterproofing on my hiking boots definitely got tested and I am pleased to say that they 'passed with flying colors.' All of my gear performed exceptionally. Even I performed better than I had anticipated, considering the conditions. But, it is hard to complain when you have beautiful scenery to look at.
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We made camp around 3:00pm and quickly set up camp to get out of the rain and start drying our gear and ourselves. I suppose the clouds had given us all they had, because shortly after that the rain stopped.
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We proceeded to be tested on wet/soggy weather fire lighting. Of course we're BAMF's and got the fire going on the first try. Practice does make perfect and preparations are the most important lesson. I made sure we had everything we needed for the fire ready to be used (no last minute processing) before a single spark was thrown.
(The previous paragraph was just in my imagination, because fires are not allowed in the backcountry. ...even though there is an established fire ring)
The rest of the evening were great, relaxing and discussing current and future adventures we will have.
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Deadrise, Derailleurs, & Dirt
This is what we woke up to, that made all the rain and disrobing for water crossings worthwhile:
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We took our time breaking down camp after a little breakfast. Hiking out the last four-ish miles feeling pretty good, with only minor aches and soreness. The sun made the scenery bright, but different. It made me miss the rain just a little.
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Overall it was a great trip. My buddies and I learn something new about this hobby of ours every time we go out into the woods. That's part of it though, right? Becoming wiser and better.
Also, never go to Hawn State Park. It is so ugly and not worth it. I don't recommend it to anyone.
Deadrise, Derailleurs, & Dirt
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