[philmont] Rain Gear Failure!

I agree with Mark on this subject. The problem with rain in the
mountains is not just getting wet but the temperature drop. Rain gear
is your insurance against hypothermia. Having seen a 220 lb. high
school football player suffer hypothermia after hiking through a
afternoon rainstorm without proper rain gear, I don't think anyone
should recommend that youth not take rain gear.

Dan Preston
Louisville, KY
Philmont '70, '72, '02, '06
On May 29, 2007, at 9:10 AM, Mark Liechty wrote:

> Jim Notes:
>
>  
> As an aside. 98 times out of 100 the rains in the west in the mountain
> are short and sweet. 15-20 minutes tops.  I’ve never put on, and
> rarely carry rain gear.  I put my pack cover on, almost religiously
> for the entire day.  But never been in a shower in June through late
> August that lasted long enough to make a difference or that I could
> not hike dry in another 15 -20 minutes.
>  
> #####################
>  
> I camp in the other 2%.   Jim is correct in his assessment that MOST
> of the time you can walk thru the rain and dry off.  Problem is that
> the rest of the time you end up a wet and miserable mess.  
>  
> When Mr. Gray took me to Philmont last October I carried the same
> light raingear that I would normally use in the Summer in the Sierra
> Nevada Mountains.    One of the worst gear related mistakes I have
> ever made.  I have things that have still not dried off.    When I was
> about 15 I got stuck in the mountains with another of the 2%  storms
> and it was a mess as well.  (I don't learn like normal people)
>  
> So I would say yeah., if you think it is going to be a short rain then
> skip putting the gear on.  The decision not to carry it at all can be
> a major bummer if you are not as lucky as Jim seems to be.   Having
> the boys make the decision to carry or not carry gear based on the
> great fortunes of a few could prove to be, well, not easy to explain
> if you join me in the 2% club.
>  
> Plan B:  Maybe I can bring Jim along with me on future trips.  He has
> good luck with Rain and I have never had a lightning problem<grin>.
>  
>
>
> Mark Liechty
> Eagle Class  of 82
> Brotherhood Member OA
> mark@mlaccs.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
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Dan Preston
Preston Associates Architects
Received on Tue May 29 09:42:13 2007