Tent camping in the rain
Tent camping in the rain is not so great. In fact there aren’t many things that ruin a camping trip more than those little droplets of water falling from the sky. A small cloudburst or light mist for a short time can be waited out. An all day rain makes you think about what you are doing. When it rains for days at a time you may have to change your plans altogether.
Even with all this technology we have at our fingertips it comes down to common sense. Say you are headed to a remote area or once you commit to going you can’t turn back. For example, getting dropped off at one end of a trail and hiking to the other. The good news is that the material of high end apparel and gear make all the difference in comfort and protection. Rain and mud become more of an inconvenience. Buying this stuff will max out your visa card though. The real danger becomes lightning. No fancy Gore-Tex jacket will protect you from thirty-thousand amps determined to hit the spot where you are standing. More on minimizing this risk later.
As far as base camps in the rain, you can do it. And by base camp I mean one that is close to your car. If nothing else you can always seek refuge in your automobile. Everyone has done it; sit inside until it stops raining. The best part of this is that when the rain does pass you are still in the outdoors and close to nature. Don’t get to comfortable in the car. Because you may decide it’s never going to stop raining and it’s time to go home. Chances are that after you leave the clouds will clear and the sun will shine.
When you are camping and it starts raining you should pull out your secret weapon, plastic. There is no better stuff to stop the water. A couple cheep plastic tarps from the hardware store will keep things from getting wet. You can cover your fire wood, cover your picnic table, cover your cargo and, even cover your tent. And don’t worry about what it looks like as long as things underneath stay dry. When the rain passes and you are sitting in a dry fold up chair next to your campfire you will be glad you brought the tarps.