Packing up after a wet night

[oldranger]

How do you break camp after a wet night? Wait for things to dry or pack up wet. Any special techniques? Please someone teach an old dog some tricks!

Mike

[AlmostThere]

It depends on whether it's a hammock or tent. No problems with a hammock, everything's under the tarp. With a tent it depends on whether it's still raining or not... might try to shake it all out and dry some stuff in the morning sun if there's any.

[JWreno]

When I lived in Michigan I faced this issue all the time. We would just shake off the water as much as possible and pack it wet. We would keep the wet stuff away from the dry clothes and sleeping bag. I would try to break it out later at lunch and let it dry out a bit if possible.

This seams to not be much of a problem in Nevada or California up in the mountains. The relative humidity usually allows things to dry out rapidly after a cloudburst.

[RoguePhotonic]

I try to dry things within reason and then just pack it wet. Sometimes my clothes wont be dry at all by morning when I have done laundry the night before and it's just the same thing. Pack it up wet and put it out again at the next camp.

[Ikan Mas]

Shake and run. I ususally hike till early to mid afternoon, pitch camp and then fish. Given that things are so dry in the Sierras, I've never had a problem with things drying out. For that matter, its worked on late summer trips to Oregon and Washington as well. Hike when its cool and play in the afternoons.

[Rockchucker]

Since you have an Exos pack, you can put your wet tent into the outside mesh pocket, that's what I do.

[Wandering Daisy]

I carry a good quality sponge. I shake the tent and then sponge dry and pack it up. I will take it out to dry at a later rest stop. I am an early bird- usually am on my way at 7AM so seldom have morning sunshine to dry things. I usually stop by 3-4 PM so it can dry then, so long as there are not afternoon storms. I seldom have problems in the Sierra but deal with wet tent problems in the Wind Rivers and on the coast. I have been in week-long wet periods in August in the Wind Rivers, when it snows at night, hardly gets above freezing all day and the sun seldom shines. Coastal hiking in California can be damp, but usually warm-damp so not as serious as cold-wet. On the coast my goal is to stay warm, not necessarily dry. My sleeping bag has dry-loft outer material, and after having a lot of trouble getting the bag wet when I was trying to (washing the bag), I worry less about a little dampness than I used to.

[RoguePhotonic]

Last season after getting snowed on while camping at Lonepine Creek I waited for the sun to at least break loose the large patches of ice on my tent before packing up. Unfortunately when I got to camp and began setting up in the last light it was so cold that my tent was completely frozen before I could even put my tent stakes in so not much I could do there but climb in an ice box and sleep. Although in a strange twist when I woke up in the morning the ice was not only melted but the tent was completely dry.

[Mike M.]

How do you break camp after a wet night?

It depends on the weather the next morning. Summer weather patterns in the Sierra are usually pretty forgiving. If there's morning sun, I'll set things out to dry while I eat breakfast. It doesn't take long. If the weather is gloomy and I'm set on getting on the trail rather than staying put, it's shake and bake.

AlmostThere wrote:

No problems with a hammock, everything's under the tarp.

Of course, you still have the issue of the wet tarp. Either let the sun dry it out or shake it out, stuff the still-damp tarp in your pack and be on your way. Same as a tent.

Mike