1) Use waterproof stuff sacks for your gear, especially clothing. Use them in different colors to indicate what type of gear is in each.
2) As most of us do, use self-locking plastic bags to keep such items as matches, food, camera, first aid kit, books, maps, journal, cell phones,GPS,and if you use water mixers.
3) If it is very warm and raining, remember that you can become cold from the moisture when hiking at a brisk pace. Gear up a bit and keep a steady, slow-to-moderate pace.
6) Take advantage of your “pit zips” and other ventilation devices in your rain clothing. Open and close them to either cool off or warm up.
7) To keep your feet dry, put on your rain pants. These direct the flow of water down and over the waterproof exterior of your boots. If it’s too warm, gaiters will keep your feet dry for a while, but won’t keep the rain from dribbling through the tops of your boots.
8) Be a speed eater. Keep snacks handy in your larger exterior pockets, a waste pouch or somewhere that you don’t have to take off your rain coat to open your pack and expose your gear to the weather. Be inventive.
9) As I learned in my hike to Mt. Cammerer Firetower , just the vegetation, after a prominent rain, can make you as wet as a river otter. And, of course, trees will drip for quite a while after heavy rains. So when the sun comes out, initially keep your rain gear and pack cover on.
10) At the end of the hiking day, wring out your socks if they become wet and hang them up in your tent where your body heat can help them dry a little. (Better yet, stuff them inside your sleeping bag while you snooze.) If the next day is drier and sunnier, hang the wet socks up to dry outside. Then put them back on your feet for hiking if they’re not too wet, and save your dry backup socks for the end of the day as you enjoy camp with a warm beverage and some dinner in your stomach.
2) As most of us do, use self-locking plastic bags to keep such items as matches, food, camera, first aid kit, books, maps, journal, cell phones,GPS,and if you use water mixers.
3) If it is very warm and raining, remember that you can become cold from the moisture when hiking at a brisk pace. Gear up a bit and keep a steady, slow-to-moderate pace.
4) Be a quick-change artist (our weather most certainly is) and keep an extra layer of dry clothing made very accessible.
5) If you are hiking in intermittent rain, make sure your stops for water or snacks are during the dry moments on the trail.
6) Take advantage of your “pit zips” and other ventilation devices in your rain clothing. Open and close them to either cool off or warm up.
7) To keep your feet dry, put on your rain pants. These direct the flow of water down and over the waterproof exterior of your boots. If it’s too warm, gaiters will keep your feet dry for a while, but won’t keep the rain from dribbling through the tops of your boots.
8) Be a speed eater. Keep snacks handy in your larger exterior pockets, a waste pouch or somewhere that you don’t have to take off your rain coat to open your pack and expose your gear to the weather. Be inventive.
9) As I learned in my hike to Mt. Cammerer Firetower , just the vegetation, after a prominent rain, can make you as wet as a river otter. And, of course, trees will drip for quite a while after heavy rains. So when the sun comes out, initially keep your rain gear and pack cover on.
10) At the end of the hiking day, wring out your socks if they become wet and hang them up in your tent where your body heat can help them dry a little. (Better yet, stuff them inside your sleeping bag while you snooze.) If the next day is drier and sunnier, hang the wet socks up to dry outside. Then put them back on your feet for hiking if they’re not too wet, and save your dry backup socks for the end of the day as you enjoy camp with a warm beverage and some dinner in your stomach.
Thanks for the nice blog. Backpacking is a great way to get into shape and have fun at the same time.
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