Camping in Rain!

Who would want to go camping in the rain?  Few if any of us would set out with the goal of camping in the rain but sooner or later you will probably be caught in a rain storm while you're camping and in some parts of the country rain is a nearly constant companion. A light rain can be a fun for a while; then it becomes a nuisance. A downpour can really rain on your parade! Your first priority is to keep an eye on the weather. Unless you are either close to home or in an area you visit often, weather patterns will be unfamiliar and you may easily get surprised. Listen to weather updates on the local radio station or use a NOAA weather radio for continuous updates -- and, above all, be observant. Pay attention to which way the clouds move and note changes in the color, density, formation, and turbulence of clouds moving toward you. Dark, roiling clouds moving toward you will probably bring a storm. I once initially declined a dirt bike ride in the Mojave Desert because, as I told my kids, I "didn't like the looks of the clouds over the mountains" in the direction we would be heading. They were dark, roiling, ominous, and headed our way. However, my teen age boys were adamant about going with the group and I didn't want some other dad (Gary) stuck watching out for my kids so I went on the ride. Another, wiser and more experienced riding buddy, Al, a former desert racer, opted to stay in camp. He didn't like the looks of the clouds either, so I felt somewhat vindicated. We were relaxing at our destination, a country store some distance from camp, under clear skies, sitting back enjoying a cold soda, when Gary quipped "Al really blew it this time. Just look! It is perfect!" As if on queue, the words were no sooner out of his mouth than the wind kicked up and it began to sprinkle. We started rounding up our group and getting ready to head back to camp. By the time we were back on the trail the sprinkles had turned to drizzle then the drizzle soon turned into a good hard rain. Before long the rain turned to sleet and then to snow. We were all looking forward to getting back to camp and out of the storm. The 18 mile ride out turned into a 27 mile return trip when the dry lake we'd crossed on the way out was no longer dry and we had to go around. By the time we got back to camp, everyone one was soaked to the skin and freezing. My boys couldn't even let go of the handlebars because their hands were so cold. They just slid their cold, curled fingers off the ends of the grips and let the bikes fall over in the mud as they dashed into the motorhome to get warm. After that they had a little more appreciation for the old man's opinion about the weather! On a side note, having a warm and cozy RV waiting and a quick way to prepare some hot chocolate and a bowl of Mom's Marvelous Mojave Mild Chili was wonderful! Glad we weren't tent camping that trip! We had a 10x14 cabin tent set up as dirt-bike "garage" but it had blown down in the wind and had accumulated at least 25 gallons of water in its folds during the storm. The opposing overhead poles slipped right past each other in the rain-softened ground and left the whole thing flattened. Sure glad that wasn't our primary shelter! On the other hand, even having a tent where we could get in out of the weather and change into dry clothes would have been a blessing. A tent heater or even a Coleman lantern (properly ventilated) would have warmed up the tent and we could have heated up some chili and hot chocolate on the camp stove or campfire outside during a break in the storm.

Light rain might dampen your activities and your spirits but usually isn't too much of a problem, even for tent campers, unless you have a leaky tent. You can usually just wait it out in your vehicle or your tent. Some people even like to walk or ride in the rain -- if they are properly dressed for it and/or have a good umbrella and/or are properly dressed for it. A light rain on a hot day is even refreshing. However, even a light summer rain can dangerously reduce your body temperature if your clothing gets soaked -- you will loose heat about 25 times faster in wet clothes than in dry ones -- so if you expect rain or want to be prepared in case it comes, bring along a good rain suit or at least a poncho. You can get plastic ponchos at your dollar store.  They aren't the most fashionable thing you could wear but they can help keep you at least part of you dry.  In a pinch you might poke head and arms holes in a large trash bag to keep the rain off. If you do get soaking wet, change into dry clothes before you become hypothermic.  If you don't have any dry clothes, get out of the wet ones and wrap up in a blanket or sleeping bag while your clothes dry.  Don't sit around in wet clothes, not even by a campfire.  When you are in wet clothing it is possible to get dangerously hypothermic even in mild outdoor summer temperatures.  Your core temperature only needs to drop a little under 4 degrees (from 098.6°F to 95°F) to become hypothermic and seriously in trouble so you see it doesn't have to be freezing outside for your body to get too cold.  You can get hypothermic in 70° temperatures if you're wet.

Heavy rain can wreak havoc in camp. Heavy rain can swamp tents. It can soften the ground holding tent pegs and beneath the leveling jacks on RVs. Tent pegs may pull out, tent poles may sink in.  Leveling jacks and blocks may get mashed into the mud.  Rain can bring flash floods, even if the rain is miles away. It can make getting in and out of unpaved camping areas difficult and even dangerous. I've seen ground that was so hard when dry a pick would bounce off it, but after a few minutes rain stepping on the same rocky spot you would sink in up over your ankles. Heavy rain may reveal any weakness in your RV or tent. Inspect likely areas (seams, around windows and doors, and around exterior fixtures like vents) frequently for signs of leaks. Make note of any you find so you can attend to them when the storm lets up. Unless you have some waterproof sealing tape that sticks to wet surfaces there isn't much you can do during a storm but noting where the leaks are and limiting damage by putting a pan under drips to contain the water. A tarp over your tent or RV might deflect a lot of the rain -- if you have one with you and have the means to put it up and secure it.  I've seen heavy rain send enough muddy water through a campsite that the grass patio mats next to RVs literally disappeared under deposits of silt an inch or more thick!

There are two major things to think about when it rains. 1) Affect of the rain on your camp (RV, tent, exposed equipment) and 2) what do do while it is raining. If you have set your camp up properly and prepared your tent or RV for bad weather, the first concern should already be taken care of. NEVER wait until the bad weather hits or is imminent to prepare. Keeping your equipment in good condition goes a long way toward being prepared for bad weather. Rips in tents or awnings should be quickly repaired and leaks in RVs quickly sealed. When the weather turns bad, double check the ropes and stakes holding down your tent, roll up RV awnings, and get equipment and gear you don't want getting wet inside your vehicle or tent or cover them with tarps. Make sure you aren't parked or camped in a depression that will fill with water or in the natural path of water coming off the hills and down the canyons. Flash floods can occur many miles away from the actual point of rain fall, so, even if you aren't getting rained on but there is rain in the area, take precautions -- move to higher ground if necessary. Don't wait until you see the water rising to take action. By then it is probably too late. The water is likely to rise faster than you can get out of its way.

Preparing your RV for rain. If you're camping in an RV, roll up the awnings, close the windows, and secure all your outside equipment. Gather up camp chairs and, if you don't have someplace inside to put them, slide them under your vehicle. Make sure you aren't parked in an area that might be affected by flash floods, such as a wash, dry stream bed, or depression. If there is lightning nearby and you are parked near or under a tall tree or other obstacle, like a light pole or radio tower, try to move to a safer spot. Also be sure you aren't parked in a sand wash or other depression that could be flooded. Even rain over mountains miles away can cause flash floods to roar down sand washes.  Once you have everything safe, go inside and prepare some indoor activities for you can your companions. Card games, board games, reading, or watching movies are always good things to do when you can't be outside. You might plan some special snacks to help get you through.

If you are tent camping, some tents fare better in rain than others. A good 4-season tent, well anchored, should be able to weather all but the worst storms. Lighter, 3-season tents, might need a little help. First of all, make sure all standard anchors (stakes and guy ropes) are securely in place. It is far to common to ignore staking down modern dome tents and that is probably OK most of the time.  But during a storm, you will want it well secured to the ground!  Some tents have additional grommets or rings called guy-out loops, for attaching extra guy ropes for additional security. Sometimes you can attach extra ropes to the tops of tent poles to reduce movement in the wind. Attaching at least two guy ropes at right angles to each other can add a lot of stability.  If you have a rain fly, make sure it is in place and properly secured. If you don't have a rain fly and are expecting heavy rain, you might want to consider putting an extra tarp over your tent for added protection.  Make sure your ground cloth doesn't stick out past the base of your tent or it will funnel water underneath the floor.   Double check to be sure your camp isn't in a wash, dry stream bed, or depression that might be inundated by a flash flood. Remember, flash floods can occur miles from where it is raining. Also ensure that you aren't camped under a tree or other tall structure that might attract lightning if there is lightning in the area. Make sure all your equipment is secured and covered or placed inside your vehicle. Camp chairs, stoves, coolers, lanterns, recreational equipment, tools, etc should all be put away BEFORE the storm actually hits. Dig out your indoor activities so you and your family will have something to do while it rains and get your snacks ready.

What to do about leaks. When it rains you will quickly find out if your tent or RV has any leaks. When you discover you have leaks you will want to fix them as soon as possible. There is a special sealant tape, Eternabond RV-EMT, that will stick even when the surface is wet so it can be used to seal leaks even when it is raining, Ordinary duct tape will help, but you'll have to wait until it stops raining and dry the surface to get the tape to stick well.  If you really need to slow the leaks while it is still raining, try to dry off the surface as much as you can before trying to apply duct tape.  Then you should have less problems in the next rain. If you have leaks in your tent or your RV, try covering the area with a tarp to deflect the rain until you can make permanent repairs.  Small leaks, like drips oozing through tent seams, might be fixed using a waxy seam sealer or waterproof spray such as Camp Dry.  Leaking RV seams will need to be re-caulked or sealed with silicone.

What to do while it is raining. I often try to make good use of bad weather to perform productive tasks inside my RV or enclosed motorcycle trailer. I find it is a good time not only to make minor repairs or perform maintenance on my bikes and equipment, it is also a good time to take inventory and clean and organize riding gear, tools, and supplies. If you have children with you, they're not going to be too interested in such activities, at least not for long, so you'll want to have alternate things planned for them to do. I found my older (teen age) kids could usually be pretty productive and sometimes the younger ones would want to help too. With today's technology, electronic entertainment is often an option if you're in an RV with a generator. We usually take along several favorite movies for the kids or grandkids, often some with a theme that is related to our location or activity. I keep a copy of the dirt bike movie "On Any Sunday" in my motorhome. Its always a hit on a dirt bike outing.  Simple board or card games can also help pass the time pleasantly. Books and magazines are good options for many people, both children and adults. If you have wifi access you can surf the Internet. Even without access you may find ways to pass the time using your computer. Letter writing, via computer or good old-fashioned pen and paper is another productive way to use "down time". You may want to take time to document your trip thus far, and record some of your group's feelings and response to the storm. Routine cleaning inside the RV often lags behind activities when we are able to go outside and DO something, so catching up while the weather is bad is a good idea -- and makes the rest of the trip more enjoyable. And today's teens will no doubt find texting a good way to spend the time if they have cell service. And don't discount just sitting warm cozy in your tent or RV and watching the storm! Many storms have a beauty all their own, especially lightning storms -- assuming you have taken appropriate precautions and are not in a vulnerable position. If you get a gentle rain, you may even find it fun to go for a walk -- if you have appropriate rain gear.

Prepare. The main point of all this is to prepare for storms BEFORE you are caught in one. Already have indoor games and activities planned for you and your kids. And, of course, make sure you have done all you need to do to make sure your camp is ready for the bad weather. Check with other campers in the area to find out if they've experienced storms there before and learn what to expect. People familiar with the area can give insight into how long the storm may last and how severe it might be. Keep in mind that even highly trained meteorologists with sophisticated computer models can't always predict the weather accurately. Best to prepare for the worst and be pleasantly surprised when it doesn't happen.

OHV activities should usually be curtailed during rain. Rain on your goggles and fogging up inside will limit your vision, increasing the risk of an accident. Mud thrown up by other riders or splashed by your own vehicle can block your vision and accumulate on the vehicle, potentially leading to corrosion of metal components or permanent staining of plastic parts if it is left on too long. Wet, muddy road and trail surfaces will have reduced traction and you'll have less control of your vehicle. ATVs, especially those with 4 wheel drive, are more stable in wet conditions than are dirt bikes or mountain bikes. Crashing on a muddy trail isn't much fun and riding when you are wet or muddy will be very uncomfortable and could lead to dangerous hypothermia. If you're out on the trails when rain is imminent, head back to camp and enjoy watching and listening to it from inside your tent or RV or under some kind of shelter. If you get caught in the rain a long way from camp, seek any shelter you can find. You might find it more comfortable to stop and stay still in the rain than to continue riding in it, but on the other hand, you might want to get back to camp and warm, dry clothes and a hot meal and/or beverage as soon as possible. I've seen conflicting opinions on whether you stay drier standing still or speeding through the rain.   One indisputable factor is time: the longer you're in the rain, the wetter you'll get, so hurrying back to camp may be the better choice.   I read of an experiment to determine if running or walking in rain kept you dryer.  While you might run into extra rain drops laterally when running, the main factor still turned out to be time.  The longer you're in the rain, the more will fall on you and the wetter you'll get.   If you have appropriate rain gear, riding OHVs in the rain can be fun. However, always exercise extra caution. Even if you are riding safely, others might not be! Getting soaked, even in summer weather, can lead to dangerous hypothermia. Continuing to ride when you're wet will speed evaporation and cool you off faster.

Will you stay drier walking or running in the rain?   There has always been some debate about this, but an actual mathematical analysis gives us the simple answer:   the less time you spend in the rain, the drier you will be, so moving from point A to point B, you will stay drier by running.  Turns out the amount of rain that falls directly onto you from above is the same whether you are moving or standing still.  When you move, you also encounter rain drops in front of you, and how wet you get from that depends only on the distance and not the speed.  The bottom line:  running will keep your drier than walking, but standing still will keep you even drier, especially if you have an umbrella or other protection from the falling rain.

Don't let it be said that you didn't have enough sense to come in -- or get your stuff -- out of the rain!