Hiking in the rain

[roopass]

Hi all, doing the light to light hike this Thursday , looks like we're going to get 3 days of rain:(, we've already postponed this hike twice, so think we're just going to tough it out, never hiked in bad weather before, any tips??, thanks in advanced:)

[Lizzy]

Don't forget your rain jacket

[ErichFromm]

Just make sure you have a dry set of clothes for night and put all your stuff in dry sacks or a garbage bag. Walking while wet not a biggy, it's the ability to be dry once you stop that's important.... usual advice about wearing right clothes too: merino or polypro so can stay warm even while wet. Someone posted a good tip here recently: plastic bags over the feet at camp so you can still wear boots and stay dry and so feet warmth help dry out your boots....

[taipan821]

take a tarp, if you're tenting, the tarp will ensure a place to spread out a bit while still keeping dry. In addition you can set it up while taking a break on the trail.
Keep a set of dry clothes (already said) and wear quick-drying clothes, putting on wet clothes in the morning, while as good as a cup of coffee, sucks

[roopass]

Don't forget your rain jacket

Yeah walked right into that one Lizzy;)

[GPSGuided]

Bring a small synthetic hand towel and keep it handy. Useful to wipe off those ever accumulating rain water from face and other places.

[Lizzy]

Yeah sorry about that- couldn't resist.
Haven't done the walk but if it's open and not too windy maybe an umbrella??? Haven't tried one bushwalking myself but can see some possible benefits.
Have fun

[ChrisJHC]

Haven't done it myself but some people take an umbrella.
Looks a bit odd, but you're dry!

[roopass]

Yes have thought of an umbrella
Those ponchos how waterproof are they?

[nevw]

Light to Light for those among us that are not familiar with the walk:
https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/th ... light-walk

[Xplora]

Yes have thought of an umbrella
Those ponchos how waterproof are they?

Ponchos are waterproof but not good in the wind as they blow up (not bang blow up) and then you get wet anyway unless you put them on before your pack and then they can be uncomfortable. The throw away versions are just that. The tarp idea is a good one and we use it often in rain. If you set it as a single 'lean to' with weather behind you you can use your poles to support the open end and packs down the other to lift it a bit and then lay on your packs. Bend the knees and you don't get wet and later you have a place to cook.
There is also a temptation to set up your tent under some foliage. Avoid that as the drips off the leaves are much louder than rain.

[puredingo]

I'm not familiar with the walk and I didn't click on the link (too many out of school link clicks and my work computer rouses on me) but if you aim for a good enough over-hang each night you will save yourself a heap of mucking around in the afternoon/mornings.

as far as getting wet while walking i don't bother fighting the inevitable too much. I seem to end up wet no matter how much effort i put into staying dry (but I wouldn't call my wet weather gear "high end" either) so as long as it's just wet and not cold...embrace it?

[roopass]

Tks for the advice guys , yes think we'll just have to embrace it , these are the 3 days we'll out there, lol!!

[warnabrother]

I love walking in the rain.. usually quiet on the tracks, campsites are empty and as long as you have the right gear is great fun..

I especially love falling asleep to the sound of rain on the tent..

Make sure you have either a good pack liner ("dead dog bag") or drybags for clothing and sleep system..

Always feels more "adventurous" in the rain and the bush looks different

[roopass]

Tks warn, u make it almost sound appealing!!:)

[puredingo]

I also like the way it seems to clean everything up. The bush looks and smells more sanitised in the rain plus you know there will be water about....What I don't like is the the leech population ramps up, severe chafing can be a real issue and that weird, continually wet feeling you have even though you have new cloths on in a dry tent...always damp no matter how many towel offs?

[warnabrother]

Tks warn, u make it almost sound appealing!!:)

haha.. well, I do enjoy it.. as also mentioned, especially the smell

[dingelberry]

I like walking in the rain.I know of a few walks that come alive in the rain.You usually get the place to yourself nothting better than sitting in a dry warm tent with a cup of fine malt scotch ( Purley to keep cold out. good survival practice ) and listening to the rain .

[ribuck]

... the the leech population ramps up ...

... but the snake population ramps down!

[Neo]

Is there such a thing as leech-proof socks? Got heaps yesterday. Maybe a synthetic or close weave fabric?

[Avatar]

nothting better than sitting in a dry warm tent with a cup of fine malt scotch ( Purley to keep cold out. good survival practice )

Lest someone reads this and believes it (lack of emoticons etc.) I say "No, it is most definitely not good survival practice."
Drinking alcohol can make hypothermic situations much worse and really has no place in an activity that involves placing yourself in remote locations, in the context of this thread under sustained rainfall, and on foot.

[puredingo]

Technically, yes. But there have been times I thought I would of died without the help of the good stuff.

[roopass]

If anyone wondering if we still did light2light, no,weather was getting to dangerous level, we did an overnite at Newnes-Glen Davis, hard hike, very interesting walking around the abandoned coal mine!

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[roopass]

Glen Davis coal mine

[roopass]

Glen Davis

[roopass]

Glen Davis

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[roopass]

Glen Davis

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[roopass]

Is there such a thing as leech-proof socks? Got heaps yesterday. Maybe a synthetic or close weave fabric?

Where were u Neo?

[Neo]

Hi a very wet Wilson River in Willi Willi NP. Plenty of tree cover and wet leaves. The rain held off until I got back to the picnic shelter. A good spot to de-leech, so I thought! Felt the luckiest one 'detatch' from inside my sock on the drive back.

[roopass]

Willi willi is wetti nice