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Camping in the rain presents challenges that need to be addressed prior to taking that first step onto a muddy trail that promises nothing but more rain for the rest of the day and night (maybe longer).
Last week the subject was hiking in the rain. Today let’s look at some tips on how to handle camping when, at the end of the day, it’s time to set up your campsite.
Selecting the correct spot to erect your tent is imperative. Obviously, you don’t want a stream of water coming through your tent, so choose a site with a little elevation.
I learned the hard way on this one by pitching my tent on the bank of the Susquehanna River, never imagining that the water would rise more than three feet overnight. I was a soggy mess before morning.
Be careful, also, about setting up under trees. Additional weight of water on dead branches could cause them to come plummeting down.
We’re assuming here that you are hiking and camping with several hikers. When it’s raining, unless you have a group gathering area, everyone will need to spend time alone in their tents.
That’s no fun, so create a rain shelter by stringing up a tarp where your friends can gather. Pack a deck of cards. Euchre, anyone? But don’t have a fire under the shelter because you’ll be smoked out.
High calorie comfort food is important because the body burns more fuel when it’s wet and cold, so don’t be ashamed to pack in some pizza and/or lasagna.
Wet clothes and gear should be hung up rather than being allowed to pile up in a corner of your tent. String them up under a hanging tarp, or in your tent’s vestibule. Even if they don’t dry out completely they won’t be mildewed.
Despite your efforts, tomorrow you’ll probably have damp gear and clothes, so now’s the time to use those plastic bags that you were smart enough to bring along. Store your wet clothes, shoes and gear in them. This prevents them from getting everything else wet. You can also use the black plastic garbage bags to store dry firewood before the storm hits.
When it’s time to break camp in the morning you’ll be faced with donning cold, probably damp, clothes. To prevent this, the night before put tomorrow’s clothes in a breathable bag and stuff it into your sleeping bag. You’ll be blessed with warm clothes to start the day.
Eureka, the tent and hiking gear company, gives us several additional tips on camping in the rain. They include: watch the weather forecast, pack newspapers (for stuffing inside your wet shoes), put a heavy duty tarp under the tent to prevent water from seeping in, string a tarp over your tent, don’t wear cotton clothes, have a rain jacket and pants quickly handy, bring waterproof shoes.
All of this to help you feel comfortable when the weather doesn’t cooperate.
Happy trails.
Daryl Warren has been a serious hiker for many years.
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