moonrock
New member
I like when clouds and rain roll in at the END of a trip, even if while still hiking out. It mellows, eases the melancholy of leaving the woods, and enhances the sense of accomplishment.
An extreme example was when my friend DNAgent finished his 46 (Cliff-Redfield-Allen) on a 5-day Fall trip of often brutal (post-Floyd) backpacking. Rain from a tropical storm arrived just as we approached trailhead. In a couple of hours we had each showered, changed and he was treating us all at a fine restaurant - as it poured buckets outside. Perfect end to a trip.
We have also done entirely cold/wet High Peaks trips, after a weather system (invariably) departed 3 days after forecast. My only trip up Haystack (so far) was in 40s and rain - wearing waterPROOF gear. Haystack summit was like standing on some stormy micro-planet, with hammering 60-70 mph wind and clouds racing by on all sides. Ironically, that was the most badly dehydrated I got on any hike.
In warmer wet weather, even my Marmot Precip is too warm and clammy.
I keep it on standby as a shell.
Only recently have I discovered what a wonderful thing a broad-brimmed synthetic hat is in the rain (or sun). Keeps it off you face, out of your eyes, and from running down your neck.
MR
An extreme example was when my friend DNAgent finished his 46 (Cliff-Redfield-Allen) on a 5-day Fall trip of often brutal (post-Floyd) backpacking. Rain from a tropical storm arrived just as we approached trailhead. In a couple of hours we had each showered, changed and he was treating us all at a fine restaurant - as it poured buckets outside. Perfect end to a trip.
We have also done entirely cold/wet High Peaks trips, after a weather system (invariably) departed 3 days after forecast. My only trip up Haystack (so far) was in 40s and rain - wearing waterPROOF gear. Haystack summit was like standing on some stormy micro-planet, with hammering 60-70 mph wind and clouds racing by on all sides. Ironically, that was the most badly dehydrated I got on any hike.
In warmer wet weather, even my Marmot Precip is too warm and clammy.
I keep it on standby as a shell.
Only recently have I discovered what a wonderful thing a broad-brimmed synthetic hat is in the rain (or sun). Keeps it off you face, out of your eyes, and from running down your neck.
MR
