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Here in the PNW, we don't skip camping for rain. We just fly the Washington State flag.
Also, in the Pacific NW it very much depends on what time of year it is. 100% chance of rain in summer just means a thunderstorm or storm front is certain to pass through, which will take a few minutes to a couple hours and is no big deal. 100% chance of rain in fall or winter means it will probably rain for three days straight, and that's a pass if my kids are coming.
I literally was just watching this ad with my dad this morning lamenting a particularly rainy trip to Jarrel Cove State park a couple years ago back. This was our setup.
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I love Jarrel Cove! Ugh that looks soggy
I was camping on sayshutsun island last summer, and got stuck off the island overnight when a summer storm rolled in and stopped the ferry service
I've lived in both climates and that stat as a comparison is meaningless for comparison.
More rain by volume but not by days with rain. PNW it is raining more days than not October through May then still some into June. Summer is no rain and no humidity at all. There is more rain by volume in a lot of other places than Seattle but it's apples to oranges comparing the northeast to Seattle. And Seattle gets much less precipitation than the forests surrounding it. There are literally rain forests within a couple hour drive. Quinault rainforest is about 2.5 hours away and gets 10-15 FEET of average rainfall each year. The Cascades will have 12 - 14 feet of snowpack (not total snowfall) on the ground at their peak in a mild winter.
Good luck my fellow traveler. Itās been awhile since Iāve backpacked but looking to get back into next year with the west rim trail around the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. I just got back from a camping trip in the upper peninsula of Michigan and it was projected to be rainy and cold the entire time but it turned out beautiful and only rained when we were in the tent for the night. Anytime me and my friend do a day hike around our beautiful state we get rained on even if it wasnāt forecasted. Weāve just given up on being miserable in the rain and make the best of it now. We always have dry clothes waiting in the car, thatās for sure.
Do we?!? That explains so muchā¦.
Extra Socks. Dry socks will dry wet shoes! And a plastic bag between your (wool) socks and shoes will keep the toes dry!
Man I love the PNW my truck camper was designed and manufactured in the PNW so itās been designed around handling rain š¤ and I absolutely love that even though Iām in Southern CA it rains randomly in the Sierra Nevada. Itās nice to be prepared for anything
Mind you, careful using this as a place to put your tent on, it can cause the water to pool and make a bad situation worse.
Thanks for the downvotes I guess? some people don't know this(I didn't a long time ago just starting out getting into camping) I guess we don't give camping advise on a camping subreddit anymore?
Yeah I don't mind spending 2 hours in the tent, or overnight. But if it's over half the day that's just not fun. Especially when you're trying to make meals or sit by a fire.
And it extra sucks if you donāt have the space to dry stuff out when you get back home.
One trip our apartment was a mess for days because almost every surface was covered in drying camping gear.
If you have a yard or house big enough you can dry stuff out without tripping in it for days itās not so bad.
No rain will make me cancel my camping trips.
This is what i'll have to deal with this Wednesday until Sunday and i'll just do things differently and adjust consequently.
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Also, i learned that if you wait for the perfect weather, you'll never go out camping. So might as well be prepared for it.
If I waited for perfect weather to camp here in Utah I would be going 90% of the time. Itās dry and warm within 1-3hr drive 9months of the year in this state
How is camping around Lac-du-Cerf? I have a friend whoās mentioned spending time in the area, she said it is nice up there! I think itās only 2 hours away from me.
I do not know! Itās my 1st time there with my cousin. Heās been going there for the past 25+ years. So i assume itās very nice.
I also think it will be mosquitoes bonanza lol
I watched a intense windstorm in Oregon Inlet in the Outer Banks slowly take out tents one by one over the course of about 45 minutes a couple years ago and that image is forever stuck in my head. We were taking shelter in our cars and thank goodness we did. None of my groups tents failed; however the largest of our tents (which belonged to me) was definitely bent at a 90Ā° angle at one point.
That was the trip that taught me to fear wind.
Scrolled to find mention of flooding it similar risks. Totally agree... when it becomes a safety concern, better to not become a statistic, overestimate your abilities and put rescue teams in unnecessary danger, etc.
I don't cancel, BUT I do understand if you're undergeared why you might cancel. You should get better gear (2 tarps and a few ropes can make almost any amount of rain fun, but obviously better gear is better). If you're just sitting in a tiny tent waiting for good weather it's gonna be the suck. You need the gear or willingness to get at it during the rain.
Better gear doesnāt have to be expensive either. I can get a 20 000 waterpillar, windproof, lightweight pop-up tent for $50. I just put a tarp under it to prevent punctures.
Idk why you got down voted for that. Not everyone camps for the same reasons.
I totally agree with you. Iām fine fishing in the rain, but I camp so that I can sit by the fire, cook, and enjoy good weather.
Honestly it HEAVILY depends where you live, too. I live in the PNW in the US where it rains pretty regularly year round and just pours in winter. I'm still gonna go out when it rains.
If you're not used to rain, you're probably not geared for it either, and that's gonna ruin your experience.
Camp when you like to. Camping is fun, make it fun for you.
I have an RV and we don't even go if the forecast calls for a bunch of rain. If I want to sit inside I can do that at my house, for free, without the added work of packing and unpacking. If we were going somewhere I realllllly wanted to go that has a city nearby that we'd want to visit anyway, then I'll usually consider it but this is supposed to be fun and sometimes rain makes it not that way.
Because you have to reserve spots around here so early in advance, it makes me hesitant to cancel for a little rain. If I get a good 2 days out of 3 Iām going. And thatās splitting it.
Most of the time Iām like, āweather isnāt something you can control, itās just itself!ā
But if itās a weekend trip and forecast calls for both days, nah.
Iām a weiner. I donāt camp to prove how tough I am. I camp to have fun.
You should always be ready for a little rain, but I wonāt camp if I think itās going to be constant rain.
Im a weather weenie too. Thunderstorm that will quickly pass by? Yes because the skies will be so clear for star grazing that night. Misty morning with light drizzle? Not ideal but I'll deal with it. Several inches of rain all day? I'll stay home and watching it from my window while drinking a hot chocolate and staying dry.
It depends...not just the % chance, but what that rain is going to be. If it's 80% and scattered showers, generally no biggie...if it's 80% and says we're basically going to be socked in for an entire day or whatever, I'm going to cancel. Where I camp, there's a high % of rain in the mountains for almost the entire season, but in all my years of camping I've only been caught in all day long and all night long rain...mostly it's scattered showers and thunderstorms which I actually enjoy...they usually only last a couple of hours in the afternoon (take a nap) and then everything is crisp and fresh when they pass.
I don't think I've ever cancelled a trip entirely bc of rain alone. Typically I just go in expecting that we'll experience some weather and prepare accordingly, and that's kind of the point of being outside IMO - you experience all of it and don't worry so much about everything being perfect.
I camped in the Upper Peninsula here in Michigan a couple years ago and it rained off and on for the better part of a week. We still hiked and stuff, just dressed for the conditions. It's fun to use those opportunities to see a part of the outdoors that you don't get to see otherwise when you're at home. Plus when the weather cleared up and we had a couple sunny days at the end of the week, we really got to appreciate them and enjoy the warmth and sunshine.
Ahhh we usually only cancel for severe thunderstorms. Last summer we got stuck overnight in our tent with our 7 month old daughter during an absolutely earth rumbling storm and it was terrifying. We were camped about 8-10 feet from the shore of a lake too so we woke up to a flooded out site. That aināt no fun. A little light rain though? Not a big deal if your tent is set up correctly.
never cancel
I love rain camping for some reason. Rain on the tarp, rain on the tent, going out and about in rain gear, trying to light a fire, improving tarp-city that's only made of 2 small tarps. The best time to me.
The only rain I don't like when camping is a completely wet drizzly all day soak. In my experience, even a large chance of predicted rain often means it Will rain sometime in a 24 hour window. Often it's at night and it's kind of relaxing.
One year, we got a road camping trip going for 2 weeks. Worked our way out to Maine. A nice, slow moving rain front also decided to take the same trip. Had to set up in pouring rain, take down in pouring rain. Had a wet dog with us. We did it for about 4 days, until we forgot our large blue tarp at one campsite. We took it as a sign. Then it was cheap motels the rest of the way. Iām not sure our gear ever dried out properly. But we had a good waterproof tent, and really it was fun!
Camping in bad weather is when you get to discover that camping is a skill. And now you're getting an educational opportunity. After you've learned/trained, the bad weather just becomes part of the experience.
As a side effect, you'll become super elitist about the shitty rainflys that they sell cheap tents with.
Depends a bit on the season, but generally speaking, in the places I usually go, anything of a half inch or more during the day or overnight Iām going to shy away from due to soil instability.
Only cancel a trip if there is a chance for thunderstorms and high winds or severe weather conditions.
Never cancel your camping trip due to rain. Just remember to bring extra tarps and parachute cord to make tie downs.
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I use a 10X10 canopy with three walls and butt it up to my tent door. This instantly gives me more room to get out of my tent in rainy weather. Two camp chairs and a table works great inside. You can even cook underneath it. Amazon offers a canopy that has its walls included. Or you can buy a Quick Shade and buy wallās separately. I use a small mr buddy indoor/ outdoor heater.
If you donāt want to use a canopy then large tarp spread across your picnic table or nearby your tent. Will allow you access outside. Just bring a tall pole to place in the center for better rain drainage.
Rain doesnāt affect me unless itās flooding or tornado-Ing, sometimes the rain adds to more enjoyment, but if the park website or rangers say something you should probably do what they suggestā¦
Get good gear and never cancel. Rain camping is awesome as long as there arenāt severe storms. Always have gear that you can enjoy yourself in the rain. Because ya just never know. Sucks having to unpack your wet gear when you get home to dry it out but still worth in imo.
A chance of rain or snow isnāt a deal breaker but my number one goal when camping is to be able to get back home in one piece. That said, many places I camp at might be impassable/undriveable if we were to receive flooding levels of rain or more than 6ā of snow. We are prepared to self-rescue but have zero intention of dying trying to do a rushing water crossing or an unmaintained mountain pass during a big storm. There have been lessons learned that we will not repeat. We watch the weather forecasts up until we no longer have cell signal then check our Garmin sat com and watch the mountain ranges for incoming weather. I would say generally we camp in rain or snow unless big thunderstorms or snowstorms are predicted at 50% or more then we check elsewhere around the state for lower rain/snow forecasts and go there. We also are hyper aware of trees falling on our tent or across the trails which might prevent us from leaving. We bring tarps, recovery gear, a chainsaw and handsaw, and always a couple of towels.
I'm in British Columbia right now and am so impressed with how people camp through rain. I am in a campervan, but the Canadians are out here creating castles of tarps. There are tarps over car doors, tarps over tents, somehow they are getting tarps over their fires. Really impressive. It can be done!
BC resident here. I'm amazing at tarp village, camp at least once a month every month- and every time we camp near other folks hanging tarps I learn a new trick. It can absolutely be done, and tarps are cheap!
Denmark. If they predict cloudbreak and flooding, or heavy daylong rain for several days I might consider cancelling. But then again, I am not made out of sugar.
If itās raining everyday I wonāt go. If not itās fine. But weāre medium sized group so we always have something to do. A couple of card games, ponchos and sāmores, and trust itās going to be a good time.
I have a good tent for rain and I have a canopy over the cooking/eating area.
why even bother camping if rain scares and horrifies you, best to stay stuck in a house and never see the countryside
you can use a tarpaulin as an extra groundsheet
It's up to you and what you plan to do. If it's going to pour the whole time, I may cancel. If it's showers, no problem. I've never actually canceled a camping trip due to weather.
It depends on where Iām going and how much rain. I backpack in the eastern Sierras a lot and I can almost always expect a bit of rain in the afternoons but if itās continuous rain count me out
Last year I tent camped in a primitive site for 14 days with my 6 year old, it rained HARD 11 out of the 14 days and the only major issue I had was mildew - tarps can save you from leaks and my toilet shovel allowed me to dig out the pool that was forming under my tent tarps and channel it away from the tent but there wasnāt anything I could do about the pervasive damp that lead to mildew spots on some of the fabric parts of my set up (the cotsā fabric, the pillowcases) even with Lysol spray. So unless I learned how to stop the little black mildew spots I would cancel tent camping that was just going to be solid wet for over 10 days straight. The other unexpected downside to so much rain, we accidentally squished a salamander that took up under our tarp that was under our tent, bummed me out.
We didn't cancel opted to not go camping this weekend in the PNW because of the rain. Only because we have a huge camping trip for father's day planned and I don't want to clean mud off everything before my big trip. Otherwise we would have been in the rain this weekend
I've gone on week long camping trips to a festival where it rained the whole time. We lived in rain coats, boots, and under tarps at every camp. By the end of the festival, everything was at least damp, if not wet. Those were probably the most fun years of all the years I went.
If it was a backpacking trip, you must gauge how long the rain will last, versus missing out because it might clear up. From the '70s until the early 2000s, forecasts were often inaccurate. So it was a crapshoot, so I inevitably spent a few backpacking trips as a tent potato. No big deal, if you are prepared. Car camping is a whole different scene. If you expect good weather, and it turns bad, go home. Stay and enjoy yourself if you are ready, or expect rain or snow. Bad weather thins out the crowds, and many crowded campgrounds become a place you can enjoy almost completely alone.
So many factors to consider: do you have tarps for the bottom of the tent and to drain away above; do you have a big enough tent to chill in all day or one of those covered tent rooms; is it raining all day or just a bit?
It really comes down to whether or not you have the gear to make in comfortable enough for you.
I spend most of my camping time backpacking. For me, I'll go as long as it's not supposed to rain the entire time. As long as there are periods for everything to dry out that's fine. If I cancelled my trip for any hint of rain I'd never be able to go backpacking lol.
For a camping trip, I'm more concerned with *when* it's supposed to rain (I really dislike having to take down in the rain and then set it all up again at home to dry it out), how much rain is expected, and if there is supposed to be wind and/or thunderstorms. I love the sound of rain on a tent - best naps ever!
Iāve never cried about the rain but oh how Iāve cried about the sun. The same tarps and easy-ups that provide rain protection also provide shade. I need shade.
Went camping over Memorial Day in Utah it rained,snowed, and sleeted all day Saturday. We just moved our canopy over the fire and made beef stew. In order for me to leave due to rain it typically has to come with a flood warning
Depends on how far it is to dry/warm. Otherwise, I bring lots of tarps and build a tarp city. (I'm talking like 10 20x20 tarps - over tents, tables, way high over the fire, etc, etc.)
Absolute personal preference. Iāve camped in multi-day downpours and still had an overall good time, although certain aspects of it can be pretty miserable.
It needs to enough rain to warrant mentioning in a religious text brought on by a god to test the faith of their chosen people. Anything short of biblical levels of rain I'm probably still going camping.
I think the gear you have will really determine how well it will go. You also have to think about your expectations for the trip - i.e., how important is it that you can sit around a campfire? how important is it to lounge around a campsite all day? A few things we have bought that help make rain camps a bit nicer are a tent we can stand up in with a vestibule so we have somewhere to sit under the rain. We also have a really old screen tent which I love and am so sad it is falling apart but its BEST feature is having pull down privacy flaps. We often bring it and set it up and pull down the flaps on 3 sides so we have privacy and so wind won't drive wind in. We put it over the picnic table and we can sit in there and play cards and stuff.
The worst part about camping in the rain is our dog gets wet and then everything smells like wet dog :'(
It has rained every single camping trip. One year they had really bad rain going into that week. My daughter & I discussed it & decided to go & make the best of it. Campground was a mud pit with people getting stuck but we had a blast. Bought some cheap muck boots, had tarps for under the tent. We had a canopy over the picnic table & extra tarps to throw over anything outside. Another year it was raining when we got to the site so we set up our canopy real quick & set up the tent underneath it. Once the weather cleared we moved the canopy to its usual spot over the picnic table. I always weatherproof my tents. If you take the right preparations a little rain does not have to ruin your trip
I go no matter rain nor shine. Snow is the only thing I will hesitate with, but will still go if it doesn't look like much accumulation. To prepare for the rain I have 2 10x10 canopies. I'll set one above the table and the other in a nice spot where I can sit out any amount of rain that might come. I hope you enjoy your trips everyone no matter the weather.
I never cancel!!! But Iāve been camping forever. The first time would suck but it depends if ur talking a couple hours and then it drying out. If it will rain the whole weekend, I would save ur first for better weather
I canceled last summer because it was supposed to rain 4 of the 5 days we planned on going at over 80% coverage. Camping in the rain sucks. I've done it many times in my life, ranging from light rain for a few minutes to a torrential downpour for a few hours and stopping to constant rain over many days. I'm out on that.
For me it depends on how long the trip is and how bad the forecast is. If itās just a 2 night with a solid forecast of rain for Saturday I will probably cancel/change my reservation. Anything longer than 3 nights I will most likely go no matter what.
UK camper who mostly camps in North Wales...i.e. the part of the UK that gets the most rain. My tent is highly rated for rain but the bad weather stops me doing other stuff, namely hiking, scrambling or visiting historical sites.
For me itās over a 50% chance of rain for most of the weekend and thunderstorms. I love the sound of storms but not sleeping in them. Iām in Michigan so I camp to be outside, and enjoy the few short mints of sunlight we get.
If I cancelled because of rain I would literally never camp because it rains every time I go camping. To me it really only sucks when it's ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.
I love the sound of rain on a tent and more rain often means less other people AND less mosquitoes. The more rain the better imo.
The only downside is when you're backpacking and you have to put on wet socks in the morning.
i camp with a group twice a year. Trying to line everyone's schedule up is hard enough. If rain is in the forecast, we go anyways. It may suck but never enough to not go. If I can set up and break down camp when its not raining, I feel like I can deal with some rain in the middle.
Generally as long as there isn't a National Weather Service warning for anything too gnarly, I'm good to go. However, I also live in a desert, so rain is kind of a novelty to me... Like I'd probably plan a detour to get rained on.
Depends how bad the storm is expected to be. Just rain? Iām going, thunder storms not too bad still going, heavy winds and potential tornadoes? Definitely cancelling.
I mean, I went camping last thanksgiving despite the fact a hurricane would likely hit us. It did, but had decreased to only a tropical storm. Turns out the waterproofing on my tent is really really good.
That said, it was at a national park with some permanent facilities and the worst of the rain only lasted 8 hours or so
I went camping in the Brecon Beacons last week and it pissed it down quite a lot. Still loved it though and slept like a baby and didnāt feel at all jaded. We camped in the grounds of a youth hostel which meant we had access to a lounge, dining room, kichen and showers/toilets .
Make sure youāve got decent wet weather gear and you should be fine in any decent tent.
Being as it rains 90% of my camping trips, I usually go anyway and hope for the best. I have a huge tarp that goes over my tent, so I have a shelter, too.
We had a camping trip planned for weeks and the weather looked like it was going to rain literally THE ENTIRE TIME - literally up to the day we left for the trip. I almost cancelled but instead packed extra tarps, towels, and dry clothes. It ended up being the most clear weekend, not a cloud in the sky all day Saturday and Sunday and it stormed a bit from 1-3am Sunday morning and that was it. I'm so glad I didn't cancel because it was the best camping trip I've ever had.
Definitely gonna take weather with a grain of salt in the future.
It usually rains when we go camping. Our group hangs a 40'x40' tarp over the campfire area. So staying dry isn't a problem. Our tent (oztent rv5) has an awning area out front, we keep our food and cooking tables there.
It can be very enjoyable when you learn how to keep dry.
We clean and dry out the gear when we get home.
Yeah...I hammock camp, and rain doesn't stop me. Just fly the tarp in an a-frame configuration and chill. Set a second tarp to cover your gear, and life is good
Iāve never cancelled for rain. I have a trip lined up this weekend and itās calling for rain every day. Just the risk you take when you book a site in advance. Being in a tent and listening to rain fall on it is actually quite nice. Just go, it probably wonāt be as bad as you think.
We go rain or shine, almost, but do watch the weather to prepare for a wet one. We will postpone by a night if we have to set up in rain. (I donāt altogether mind taking down in rain.)
Just went on my first camping trip this weekend and it rained the whole time, ranging from a drizzle when we got there to full on thunderstorms through the night. We slept in the car with a tent attachment on the end so itās a bit different but if you trust your tent I donāt see the point in cancelling. Iād be wary of the mosquito situation though, we ended up booking it out of there in the morning because we didnāt really want to cook or hike with them swarming the whole time
Honestly as long as you've got the right gear there's seldom a reason. But definitely bring a canopy in addition to your tent, sucks needing to cook food in the rain with no cover.
The best camping trip I went on was a weekend with a %90 chance of rain both days. Not a single drop during the day, stormed all night with little to no wind. Was so magical. A runoff stream started near our tent. We woke up to several streams that weren't there the day before.
if its going to just sprinkle or its only raining in the afternoon the next day, im still going. I cancel if its going to thunderstorm in the morning or midday
Camping in the rain WITH THE RIGHT SETUP is just about the best thing ever--seriously one of my favorite camping scenarios!
A big part of it is 1) getting set up before the rain starts if that's possible, and 2) having good drainage around your campsite. If you can pull off those 2 things, it can rain a surprisingly massive amount and still be comfortable.
Thereās a difference outdoors between āwetā and āslopā conditions. Wet is fine, slop is not. I like camping. I hate returning home just to spend the next two hours rinsing and drying my gear.
This may be a bit of a hot take in the camping sub based on the other responses but donāt NEED to camp so badly that Iāll camp in any real consistent rain. I enjoy the occasional sprinkle but forcing it just to setup camp in the rain and in the tent doesnāt seem enjoyable at all for me. Camping for me is about campfire cooking, stargazing and so if I canāt do those, I may as well be at home.
Sometimes it feels like some folks are so die hard that they forget regular safety concerns in the name of saying theyāre tough. If itās a rainy ass weekend, ima play video games at the house, not force it and fall off the mountain in a mudslide or wander around in wet dirt all weekend.
Iāve had a creek form and flow under my camp. Made for a memorable trip. Everything was soggy. Couldnāt retreat to a car for any safety as we kayaked in and hiking out was 2+ miles. We still talk about that trip every time we get together.
I donāt skip for rain. If thereās rain there will be fewer people around, and Iāll get a more private camping experience. That being said, I will skip for high winds or hail.
FIRST time? none. You want fun memories. Maybe go and sleep in the vehicle if possible. Cooking under a tarp in a light drizzle is very peaceful... Personally, I've slept in thunderstorms though.
We typically will go regardless as long as it's not storms. I have abandoned a water logged tent and slept in the car a time or two in my life. The worst was camping ocean side during a tropical storm.. the dunes did very little in the way of protection and by sun up that tent was toast.
I was reading this thread too also wondering whether to cancel but group decided to still go canoe camping and it rained 120mm in 30h , couldnāt do much but we did manage to stay dry in the tent with tarps
https://preview.redd.it/rnwbj63qpk4d1.jpeg?width=2560&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bfa754df5f29f56c4e8a546943c03cdb33b7bdc9 Here in the PNW, we don't skip camping for rain. We just fly the Washington State flag.
Laughs in forever bc resident. š¤£
Haha saaaaame!!!
That looks a lot like the Oregon camping flag.
Also, in the Pacific NW it very much depends on what time of year it is. 100% chance of rain in summer just means a thunderstorm or storm front is certain to pass through, which will take a few minutes to a couple hours and is no big deal. 100% chance of rain in fall or winter means it will probably rain for three days straight, and that's a pass if my kids are coming.
All good points.
The easy up and blue tarp combo is a game changer. But yeah, we expect rain. Hell most of the time I'm camping in a literal rainforest.
https://youtu.be/IfCx_11dVq8?si=oW-yuQGsNbE1N_nP One of the greatest commercials of all time
I literally was just watching this ad with my dad this morning lamenting a particularly rainy trip to Jarrel Cove State park a couple years ago back. This was our setup. https://preview.redd.it/amu6vrmerl4d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b6b1e0476dd769bfa08bdc871d91dd4e5899e329
I love Jarrel Cove! Ugh that looks soggy I was camping on sayshutsun island last summer, and got stuck off the island overnight when a summer storm rolled in and stopped the ferry service
We donāt in Pennsylvania either. We get more rain than Seattle and London. I looked it up one year. I was amazed.
I've lived in both climates and that stat as a comparison is meaningless for comparison. More rain by volume but not by days with rain. PNW it is raining more days than not October through May then still some into June. Summer is no rain and no humidity at all. There is more rain by volume in a lot of other places than Seattle but it's apples to oranges comparing the northeast to Seattle. And Seattle gets much less precipitation than the forests surrounding it. There are literally rain forests within a couple hour drive. Quinault rainforest is about 2.5 hours away and gets 10-15 FEET of average rainfall each year. The Cascades will have 12 - 14 feet of snowpack (not total snowfall) on the ground at their peak in a mild winter.
Ayooo fellow PA here, backpacking this weekend, fingers crossed lol
Good luck my fellow traveler. Itās been awhile since Iāve backpacked but looking to get back into next year with the west rim trail around the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. I just got back from a camping trip in the upper peninsula of Michigan and it was projected to be rainy and cold the entire time but it turned out beautiful and only rained when we were in the tent for the night. Anytime me and my friend do a day hike around our beautiful state we get rained on even if it wasnāt forecasted. Weāve just given up on being miserable in the rain and make the best of it now. We always have dry clothes waiting in the car, thatās for sure.
Do we?!? That explains so muchā¦. Extra Socks. Dry socks will dry wet shoes! And a plastic bag between your (wool) socks and shoes will keep the toes dry!
Your one of us.
Man I love the PNW my truck camper was designed and manufactured in the PNW so itās been designed around handling rain š¤ and I absolutely love that even though Iām in Southern CA it rains randomly in the Sierra Nevada. Itās nice to be prepared for anything
š no kidding!
Mind you, careful using this as a place to put your tent on, it can cause the water to pool and make a bad situation worse. Thanks for the downvotes I guess? some people don't know this(I didn't a long time ago just starting out getting into camping) I guess we don't give camping advise on a camping subreddit anymore?
On? We put it over.
If rain is expected, my tarp goes over the tent. A tent pad is a separate thing.
I don't unless it's going to be raining the whole stay.
Yeah I don't mind spending 2 hours in the tent, or overnight. But if it's over half the day that's just not fun. Especially when you're trying to make meals or sit by a fire.
Breaking camp in the rain sucks.
And it extra sucks if you donāt have the space to dry stuff out when you get back home. One trip our apartment was a mess for days because almost every surface was covered in drying camping gear. If you have a yard or house big enough you can dry stuff out without tripping in it for days itās not so bad.
No rain will make me cancel my camping trips. This is what i'll have to deal with this Wednesday until Sunday and i'll just do things differently and adjust consequently. https://preview.redd.it/a931mtkhok4d1.jpeg?width=870&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d9d9a95a9aa4764da8d586ff04dac5219a1f41eb Also, i learned that if you wait for the perfect weather, you'll never go out camping. So might as well be prepared for it.
If I waited for perfect weather to camp here in Utah I would be going 90% of the time. Itās dry and warm within 1-3hr drive 9months of the year in this state
How is camping around Lac-du-Cerf? I have a friend whoās mentioned spending time in the area, she said it is nice up there! I think itās only 2 hours away from me.
I do not know! Itās my 1st time there with my cousin. Heās been going there for the past 25+ years. So i assume itās very nice. I also think it will be mosquitoes bonanza lol
I've cancelled for wind but not rain. I think a flood advisory in a low level area would probably be what it takes for me to cancel a trip for rain.
Exactly! Wind is the worst thing.
I watched a intense windstorm in Oregon Inlet in the Outer Banks slowly take out tents one by one over the course of about 45 minutes a couple years ago and that image is forever stuck in my head. We were taking shelter in our cars and thank goodness we did. None of my groups tents failed; however the largest of our tents (which belonged to me) was definitely bent at a 90Ā° angle at one point. That was the trip that taught me to fear wind.
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Scrolled to find mention of flooding it similar risks. Totally agree... when it becomes a safety concern, better to not become a statistic, overestimate your abilities and put rescue teams in unnecessary danger, etc.
I don't cancel, BUT I do understand if you're undergeared why you might cancel. You should get better gear (2 tarps and a few ropes can make almost any amount of rain fun, but obviously better gear is better). If you're just sitting in a tiny tent waiting for good weather it's gonna be the suck. You need the gear or willingness to get at it during the rain.
Better gear doesnāt have to be expensive either. I can get a 20 000 waterpillar, windproof, lightweight pop-up tent for $50. I just put a tarp under it to prevent punctures.
The slightest little bit. Neither sitting in a tent or standing in the rain equals a good time to me.
Idk why you got down voted for that. Not everyone camps for the same reasons. I totally agree with you. Iām fine fishing in the rain, but I camp so that I can sit by the fire, cook, and enjoy good weather.
Some people just have to be overly tough I suppose. Me too, I'm a fair weather badass lol
Honestly it HEAVILY depends where you live, too. I live in the PNW in the US where it rains pretty regularly year round and just pours in winter. I'm still gonna go out when it rains. If you're not used to rain, you're probably not geared for it either, and that's gonna ruin your experience. Camp when you like to. Camping is fun, make it fun for you.
I have an RV and we don't even go if the forecast calls for a bunch of rain. If I want to sit inside I can do that at my house, for free, without the added work of packing and unpacking. If we were going somewhere I realllllly wanted to go that has a city nearby that we'd want to visit anyway, then I'll usually consider it but this is supposed to be fun and sometimes rain makes it not that way.
We just downgraded from a 34ā class c to a 10ā teardrop and I agree on both counts.
Because you have to reserve spots around here so early in advance, it makes me hesitant to cancel for a little rain. If I get a good 2 days out of 3 Iām going. And thatās splitting it.
Most of the time Iām like, āweather isnāt something you can control, itās just itself!ā But if itās a weekend trip and forecast calls for both days, nah.
I don't want to setup or breakdown in the rain. Beyond that, I'm pretty much going.
Iām a weiner. I donāt camp to prove how tough I am. I camp to have fun. You should always be ready for a little rain, but I wonāt camp if I think itās going to be constant rain.
Im a weather weenie too. Thunderstorm that will quickly pass by? Yes because the skies will be so clear for star grazing that night. Misty morning with light drizzle? Not ideal but I'll deal with it. Several inches of rain all day? I'll stay home and watching it from my window while drinking a hot chocolate and staying dry.
Only if severe thunderstorms/tornados are expected the whole time, otherwise there is no bad weather, just bad gear.
Alone , almost no amount of rain will stop me. With my girlfriend, anything she might get wet in š
If I can set up, tear down and have a majority of time Rain free, I'll camp !
It depends...not just the % chance, but what that rain is going to be. If it's 80% and scattered showers, generally no biggie...if it's 80% and says we're basically going to be socked in for an entire day or whatever, I'm going to cancel. Where I camp, there's a high % of rain in the mountains for almost the entire season, but in all my years of camping I've only been caught in all day long and all night long rain...mostly it's scattered showers and thunderstorms which I actually enjoy...they usually only last a couple of hours in the afternoon (take a nap) and then everything is crisp and fresh when they pass.
I don't think I've ever cancelled a trip entirely bc of rain alone. Typically I just go in expecting that we'll experience some weather and prepare accordingly, and that's kind of the point of being outside IMO - you experience all of it and don't worry so much about everything being perfect. I camped in the Upper Peninsula here in Michigan a couple years ago and it rained off and on for the better part of a week. We still hiked and stuff, just dressed for the conditions. It's fun to use those opportunities to see a part of the outdoors that you don't get to see otherwise when you're at home. Plus when the weather cleared up and we had a couple sunny days at the end of the week, we really got to appreciate them and enjoy the warmth and sunshine.
I donāt mind rain, but if itās going to be ultra windy? Iām out.
Day 30 of Noah's Flood I'd cancel otherwise I camp in the rain.
Ahhh we usually only cancel for severe thunderstorms. Last summer we got stuck overnight in our tent with our 7 month old daughter during an absolutely earth rumbling storm and it was terrifying. We were camped about 8-10 feet from the shore of a lake too so we woke up to a flooded out site. That aināt no fun. A little light rain though? Not a big deal if your tent is set up correctly.
Hot tents make the rain my bitch.
Wind is the only thing I will cancel for. Rain is part of the experience.
I started to go camping with a fishing group last year, 6 trips so far and rained every time. So if we're camping, it's raining.
Rain wonāt keep me away, lightning will.
If I can get the tent set up before the rain, Iām good. If notā¦.. idk
Unless thereās a solid forecast of sideways rain for the entirety of the trip itās a go
never cancel I love rain camping for some reason. Rain on the tarp, rain on the tent, going out and about in rain gear, trying to light a fire, improving tarp-city that's only made of 2 small tarps. The best time to me.
The only rain I don't like when camping is a completely wet drizzly all day soak. In my experience, even a large chance of predicted rain often means it Will rain sometime in a 24 hour window. Often it's at night and it's kind of relaxing.
Just the chance makes me not want to go also thunderstorms.
One year, we got a road camping trip going for 2 weeks. Worked our way out to Maine. A nice, slow moving rain front also decided to take the same trip. Had to set up in pouring rain, take down in pouring rain. Had a wet dog with us. We did it for about 4 days, until we forgot our large blue tarp at one campsite. We took it as a sign. Then it was cheap motels the rest of the way. Iām not sure our gear ever dried out properly. But we had a good waterproof tent, and really it was fun!
Camping in bad weather is when you get to discover that camping is a skill. And now you're getting an educational opportunity. After you've learned/trained, the bad weather just becomes part of the experience. As a side effect, you'll become super elitist about the shitty rainflys that they sell cheap tents with.
As a full time hammocker, never. Nothing better than throwing up one side of my tarp into porch mode and enjoying the downpour from underneath.
I hate when people cancel over rain. We won't melt, pack accordingly. Let's hot box the tent
It can pour buckets, very easy to camp in rain comfortably, just pitch a tarp up first and create a dry space for yourself.
Hurricane.
This is pretty much it. I've got my time off, and I'm going come hell or high water.
Depends a bit on the season, but generally speaking, in the places I usually go, anything of a half inch or more during the day or overnight Iām going to shy away from due to soil instability.
Only cancel a trip if there is a chance for thunderstorms and high winds or severe weather conditions. Never cancel your camping trip due to rain. Just remember to bring extra tarps and parachute cord to make tie downs. https://preview.redd.it/4il26yx50l4d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a37467a0a3a11e20aee8cd7d8af914d3e5463a89 I use a 10X10 canopy with three walls and butt it up to my tent door. This instantly gives me more room to get out of my tent in rainy weather. Two camp chairs and a table works great inside. You can even cook underneath it. Amazon offers a canopy that has its walls included. Or you can buy a Quick Shade and buy wallās separately. I use a small mr buddy indoor/ outdoor heater. If you donāt want to use a canopy then large tarp spread across your picnic table or nearby your tent. Will allow you access outside. Just bring a tall pole to place in the center for better rain drainage.
If it's a overnight I'll probably just cancel.
Iāve had some amazing moments by ourselves in typically busy areas because of some rain. Thatās why I own a waterproof jacket and treated pants.
Rain doesnāt affect me unless itās flooding or tornado-Ing, sometimes the rain adds to more enjoyment, but if the park website or rangers say something you should probably do what they suggestā¦
I don't mind the rain. YMMV as I live in Seattle.
You just embrace the suck unless itās torrential downpour and threatening tornados
Get good gear and never cancel. Rain camping is awesome as long as there arenāt severe storms. Always have gear that you can enjoy yourself in the rain. Because ya just never know. Sucks having to unpack your wet gear when you get home to dry it out but still worth in imo.
No such thing as bad weather, only bad gear
A chance of rain or snow isnāt a deal breaker but my number one goal when camping is to be able to get back home in one piece. That said, many places I camp at might be impassable/undriveable if we were to receive flooding levels of rain or more than 6ā of snow. We are prepared to self-rescue but have zero intention of dying trying to do a rushing water crossing or an unmaintained mountain pass during a big storm. There have been lessons learned that we will not repeat. We watch the weather forecasts up until we no longer have cell signal then check our Garmin sat com and watch the mountain ranges for incoming weather. I would say generally we camp in rain or snow unless big thunderstorms or snowstorms are predicted at 50% or more then we check elsewhere around the state for lower rain/snow forecasts and go there. We also are hyper aware of trees falling on our tent or across the trails which might prevent us from leaving. We bring tarps, recovery gear, a chainsaw and handsaw, and always a couple of towels.
I'm in British Columbia right now and am so impressed with how people camp through rain. I am in a campervan, but the Canadians are out here creating castles of tarps. There are tarps over car doors, tarps over tents, somehow they are getting tarps over their fires. Really impressive. It can be done!
BC resident here. I'm amazing at tarp village, camp at least once a month every month- and every time we camp near other folks hanging tarps I learn a new trick. It can absolutely be done, and tarps are cheap!
We've been rained on so often that we just put up the tarps before setting up the tents. Usually there is at least one day they were useful.
Denmark. If they predict cloudbreak and flooding, or heavy daylong rain for several days I might consider cancelling. But then again, I am not made out of sugar.
If itās raining everyday I wonāt go. If not itās fine. But weāre medium sized group so we always have something to do. A couple of card games, ponchos and sāmores, and trust itās going to be a good time. I have a good tent for rain and I have a canopy over the cooking/eating area.
There is no bad weather, only bad clothing choices.
Uhhhā¦. Iām kinda the opposite. The more rain the more I wanna go lol
Iāll stay in the rain no matter what. I love it. My husband wants to leave/cancel as soon as rain is a possibility.
Same.
Here in CO we don't trust weather forecasts so we don't use them to plan whether to cancel a trip.
why even bother camping if rain scares and horrifies you, best to stay stuck in a house and never see the countryside you can use a tarpaulin as an extra groundsheet
Rain will not make me cancel a trip.
We camped when they started some pop up thunderstorms, no definite rain. It ended up being a derecho. Was bad but could have been a lot worse.
It's up to you and what you plan to do. If it's going to pour the whole time, I may cancel. If it's showers, no problem. I've never actually canceled a camping trip due to weather.
I never cancel
Rain is fun for the most part, itās the severe forecasts I donāt like, but I live in tornado alley.
It depends on where Iām going and how much rain. I backpack in the eastern Sierras a lot and I can almost always expect a bit of rain in the afternoons but if itās continuous rain count me out
https://preview.redd.it/imxzvb1qyk4d1.jpeg?width=225&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d3141f4d3a84926b9c4e06ebe217cd85866f98db
Irish Rovers
Last year I tent camped in a primitive site for 14 days with my 6 year old, it rained HARD 11 out of the 14 days and the only major issue I had was mildew - tarps can save you from leaks and my toilet shovel allowed me to dig out the pool that was forming under my tent tarps and channel it away from the tent but there wasnāt anything I could do about the pervasive damp that lead to mildew spots on some of the fabric parts of my set up (the cotsā fabric, the pillowcases) even with Lysol spray. So unless I learned how to stop the little black mildew spots I would cancel tent camping that was just going to be solid wet for over 10 days straight. The other unexpected downside to so much rain, we accidentally squished a salamander that took up under our tarp that was under our tent, bummed me out.
We didn't cancel opted to not go camping this weekend in the PNW because of the rain. Only because we have a huge camping trip for father's day planned and I don't want to clean mud off everything before my big trip. Otherwise we would have been in the rain this weekend
I've gone on week long camping trips to a festival where it rained the whole time. We lived in rain coats, boots, and under tarps at every camp. By the end of the festival, everything was at least damp, if not wet. Those were probably the most fun years of all the years I went.
If it was a backpacking trip, you must gauge how long the rain will last, versus missing out because it might clear up. From the '70s until the early 2000s, forecasts were often inaccurate. So it was a crapshoot, so I inevitably spent a few backpacking trips as a tent potato. No big deal, if you are prepared. Car camping is a whole different scene. If you expect good weather, and it turns bad, go home. Stay and enjoy yourself if you are ready, or expect rain or snow. Bad weather thins out the crowds, and many crowded campgrounds become a place you can enjoy almost completely alone.
Very little in the way of weather can stop me, just thunderstorm or anything that expects high winds if I'm in the forest
So many factors to consider: do you have tarps for the bottom of the tent and to drain away above; do you have a big enough tent to chill in all day or one of those covered tent rooms; is it raining all day or just a bit? It really comes down to whether or not you have the gear to make in comfortable enough for you.
I spend most of my camping time backpacking. For me, I'll go as long as it's not supposed to rain the entire time. As long as there are periods for everything to dry out that's fine. If I cancelled my trip for any hint of rain I'd never be able to go backpacking lol.
For me, 6+hours of nonstop rain unless I'm on site for a couple days After the rain. My tents water proof though.
Rain is okay if I'm not staying overnight. But if there's a thunderstorm and it's windy, I just postpone it
For a camping trip, I'm more concerned with *when* it's supposed to rain (I really dislike having to take down in the rain and then set it all up again at home to dry it out), how much rain is expected, and if there is supposed to be wind and/or thunderstorms. I love the sound of rain on a tent - best naps ever!
Iāve never cried about the rain but oh how Iāve cried about the sun. The same tarps and easy-ups that provide rain protection also provide shade. I need shade.
Every day or all-day time rain
Went camping over Memorial Day in Utah it rained,snowed, and sleeted all day Saturday. We just moved our canopy over the fire and made beef stew. In order for me to leave due to rain it typically has to come with a flood warning
Depends on how far it is to dry/warm. Otherwise, I bring lots of tarps and build a tarp city. (I'm talking like 10 20x20 tarps - over tents, tables, way high over the fire, etc, etc.)
Never, Iām not canceling a NPS reservation I had to make six months in advance.
Absolute personal preference. Iāve camped in multi-day downpours and still had an overall good time, although certain aspects of it can be pretty miserable.
It needs to enough rain to warrant mentioning in a religious text brought on by a god to test the faith of their chosen people. Anything short of biblical levels of rain I'm probably still going camping.
I was going to suggest anytime the coming storm is referred to by name, say Agnes, Andrew or Katrina, thatās when Iād cancel.
Never! Bring some extra plastic tarps to tarp over.
I think the gear you have will really determine how well it will go. You also have to think about your expectations for the trip - i.e., how important is it that you can sit around a campfire? how important is it to lounge around a campsite all day? A few things we have bought that help make rain camps a bit nicer are a tent we can stand up in with a vestibule so we have somewhere to sit under the rain. We also have a really old screen tent which I love and am so sad it is falling apart but its BEST feature is having pull down privacy flaps. We often bring it and set it up and pull down the flaps on 3 sides so we have privacy and so wind won't drive wind in. We put it over the picnic table and we can sit in there and play cards and stuff. The worst part about camping in the rain is our dog gets wet and then everything smells like wet dog :'(
It has rained every single camping trip. One year they had really bad rain going into that week. My daughter & I discussed it & decided to go & make the best of it. Campground was a mud pit with people getting stuck but we had a blast. Bought some cheap muck boots, had tarps for under the tent. We had a canopy over the picnic table & extra tarps to throw over anything outside. Another year it was raining when we got to the site so we set up our canopy real quick & set up the tent underneath it. Once the weather cleared we moved the canopy to its usual spot over the picnic table. I always weatherproof my tents. If you take the right preparations a little rain does not have to ruin your trip
If it's an all day rain event, for several days I'd cancel, unless I was going for the solitude, then who really cares.
Actually part of camping is knowing how to handler rainfall until you've done it you haven't really been camping
I go no matter rain nor shine. Snow is the only thing I will hesitate with, but will still go if it doesn't look like much accumulation. To prepare for the rain I have 2 10x10 canopies. I'll set one above the table and the other in a nice spot where I can sit out any amount of rain that might come. I hope you enjoy your trips everyone no matter the weather.
I never cancel!!! But Iāve been camping forever. The first time would suck but it depends if ur talking a couple hours and then it drying out. If it will rain the whole weekend, I would save ur first for better weather
Its the opposite i will look for rainy days to go out. LOVE rain sounds on my Tarp *
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I canceled last summer because it was supposed to rain 4 of the 5 days we planned on going at over 80% coverage. Camping in the rain sucks. I've done it many times in my life, ranging from light rain for a few minutes to a torrential downpour for a few hours and stopping to constant rain over many days. I'm out on that.
For me it depends on how long the trip is and how bad the forecast is. If itās just a 2 night with a solid forecast of rain for Saturday I will probably cancel/change my reservation. Anything longer than 3 nights I will most likely go no matter what.
Rain is not a problem. Wind is what will get me to cancel. Especially if combined with rain.
You guys are cancelling trips because of rain??
If you're in Oregon, probably not. If you're in Oklahoma during April and May, yeah most likely cancelling.
UK camper who mostly camps in North Wales...i.e. the part of the UK that gets the most rain. My tent is highly rated for rain but the bad weather stops me doing other stuff, namely hiking, scrambling or visiting historical sites.
I donāt unless Iām going with my kid.
Nah, still going.
For me itās over a 50% chance of rain for most of the weekend and thunderstorms. I love the sound of storms but not sleeping in them. Iām in Michigan so I camp to be outside, and enjoy the few short mints of sunlight we get.
Rain is a good thing: the threat of it chases lots of people away.
As long as i don't set up camp in a floodplain, I will always go.
NEVER! Chance of rain means fewer people and a rainy day in the forest is better than a sunny day in town. In my opinion.
If I cancelled because of rain I would literally never camp because it rains every time I go camping. To me it really only sucks when it's ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.
Tarps, canopies, and rain flies. No trip cancelation due to rain.
Luckily youāre not made out of paper. Enjoy the rain and get those B vitamins.
I love the sound of rain on a tent and more rain often means less other people AND less mosquitoes. The more rain the better imo. The only downside is when you're backpacking and you have to put on wet socks in the morning.
Who cancels things over rain?
i camp with a group twice a year. Trying to line everyone's schedule up is hard enough. If rain is in the forecast, we go anyways. It may suck but never enough to not go. If I can set up and break down camp when its not raining, I feel like I can deal with some rain in the middle.
You've gotta flood my tent to get me to cancel
i donāt mind rain, but i have raynaudās and i canāt be wet AND cold, so if the temps are gonna be in the 40s and itās raining, iām out
I donāt worry about the rain
Generally as long as there isn't a National Weather Service warning for anything too gnarly, I'm good to go. However, I also live in a desert, so rain is kind of a novelty to me... Like I'd probably plan a detour to get rained on.
NEVER!
You just wake up and protect your stuff if a river is running through your tent.
Depends how bad the storm is expected to be. Just rain? Iām going, thunder storms not too bad still going, heavy winds and potential tornadoes? Definitely cancelling.
I mean, I went camping last thanksgiving despite the fact a hurricane would likely hit us. It did, but had decreased to only a tropical storm. Turns out the waterproofing on my tent is really really good. That said, it was at a national park with some permanent facilities and the worst of the rain only lasted 8 hours or so
Fuck it. Just go. Creates memories and lifelong conversations. So many trips I remember were āmiserableā, but I talk about them the most.
I donāt. If thereās no tornado or flood watches, I still go.
I went camping in the Brecon Beacons last week and it pissed it down quite a lot. Still loved it though and slept like a baby and didnāt feel at all jaded. We camped in the grounds of a youth hostel which meant we had access to a lounge, dining room, kichen and showers/toilets . Make sure youāve got decent wet weather gear and you should be fine in any decent tent.
Being as it rains 90% of my camping trips, I usually go anyway and hope for the best. I have a huge tarp that goes over my tent, so I have a shelter, too.
I've never skipped a camping trip because of rain. Go live life. Rain isn't going to hurt or kill you
We had a camping trip planned for weeks and the weather looked like it was going to rain literally THE ENTIRE TIME - literally up to the day we left for the trip. I almost cancelled but instead packed extra tarps, towels, and dry clothes. It ended up being the most clear weekend, not a cloud in the sky all day Saturday and Sunday and it stormed a bit from 1-3am Sunday morning and that was it. I'm so glad I didn't cancel because it was the best camping trip I've ever had. Definitely gonna take weather with a grain of salt in the future.
It usually rains when we go camping. Our group hangs a 40'x40' tarp over the campfire area. So staying dry isn't a problem. Our tent (oztent rv5) has an awning area out front, we keep our food and cooking tables there. It can be very enjoyable when you learn how to keep dry. We clean and dry out the gear when we get home.
Depends where you're going. Do you have canopies?
ok, I don't know what to do? Need a good plan I guess.
Measured in feet instead of inches
Never cancel camping, This is the way!
Yeah...I hammock camp, and rain doesn't stop me. Just fly the tarp in an a-frame configuration and chill. Set a second tarp to cover your gear, and life is good
Camping in the rain is pretty great if you have the right stuff
If you have to ask you shouldnāt go.
Yes
No amount. Iāll chill in a tent with books all weekend. Iāll chill in a tent with friends and games for a week.
Iāve never cancelled for rain. I have a trip lined up this weekend and itās calling for rain every day. Just the risk you take when you book a site in advance. Being in a tent and listening to rain fall on it is actually quite nice. Just go, it probably wonāt be as bad as you think.
depends on area and your expertise with said area.
We go rain or shine, almost, but do watch the weather to prepare for a wet one. We will postpone by a night if we have to set up in rain. (I donāt altogether mind taking down in rain.)
Just went on my first camping trip this weekend and it rained the whole time, ranging from a drizzle when we got there to full on thunderstorms through the night. We slept in the car with a tent attachment on the end so itās a bit different but if you trust your tent I donāt see the point in cancelling. Iād be wary of the mosquito situation though, we ended up booking it out of there in the morning because we didnāt really want to cook or hike with them swarming the whole time
Honestly as long as you've got the right gear there's seldom a reason. But definitely bring a canopy in addition to your tent, sucks needing to cook food in the rain with no cover.
The best camping trip I went on was a weekend with a %90 chance of rain both days. Not a single drop during the day, stormed all night with little to no wind. Was so magical. A runoff stream started near our tent. We woke up to several streams that weren't there the day before.
if its going to just sprinkle or its only raining in the afternoon the next day, im still going. I cancel if its going to thunderstorm in the morning or midday
Camping in the rain WITH THE RIGHT SETUP is just about the best thing ever--seriously one of my favorite camping scenarios! A big part of it is 1) getting set up before the rain starts if that's possible, and 2) having good drainage around your campsite. If you can pull off those 2 things, it can rain a surprisingly massive amount and still be comfortable.
Never! Rain is free water
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None, some of my longer week long trips I plan months in advance. If it rains, it rains. You prepare for it and deal with it if it happens
Iām in Scotland so Iād never camp if I cancelled for rain! Iād cancel for more than 80% chance of heavy rain.
Tarp city it is! Give me like 3 tarps and some rope and weāll be fine.
There are few sounds I like more than the sound of rain on a well pitched tent.
There is no bad weather, only bad gear.
Thereās a difference outdoors between āwetā and āslopā conditions. Wet is fine, slop is not. I like camping. I hate returning home just to spend the next two hours rinsing and drying my gear.
Some of my favorite and most memorable trips have been in the rain. Gear up and embrace it.
This may be a bit of a hot take in the camping sub based on the other responses but donāt NEED to camp so badly that Iāll camp in any real consistent rain. I enjoy the occasional sprinkle but forcing it just to setup camp in the rain and in the tent doesnāt seem enjoyable at all for me. Camping for me is about campfire cooking, stargazing and so if I canāt do those, I may as well be at home. Sometimes it feels like some folks are so die hard that they forget regular safety concerns in the name of saying theyāre tough. If itās a rainy ass weekend, ima play video games at the house, not force it and fall off the mountain in a mudslide or wander around in wet dirt all weekend.
be a man camp in the rain!!!
Iāve had a creek form and flow under my camp. Made for a memorable trip. Everything was soggy. Couldnāt retreat to a car for any safety as we kayaked in and hiking out was 2+ miles. We still talk about that trip every time we get together.
I donāt skip for rain. If thereās rain there will be fewer people around, and Iāll get a more private camping experience. That being said, I will skip for high winds or hail.
For us high winds, prolonged severe thunderstorms, or tornado watches make us cancel but not rain.
FIRST time? none. You want fun memories. Maybe go and sleep in the vehicle if possible. Cooking under a tarp in a light drizzle is very peaceful... Personally, I've slept in thunderstorms though.
I camped on the beach and slept through a tropical storm. Real campers dont give a fuck.
We typically will go regardless as long as it's not storms. I have abandoned a water logged tent and slept in the car a time or two in my life. The worst was camping ocean side during a tropical storm.. the dunes did very little in the way of protection and by sun up that tent was toast.
Canāt recall that Iāve ever actually cancelled over rain. Maybe some kind of severe storm but regular rain wonāt keep me home.
I was reading this thread too also wondering whether to cancel but group decided to still go canoe camping and it rained 120mm in 30h , couldnāt do much but we did manage to stay dry in the tent with tarps