Getting caught in a surprise snowstorm on the High Sierra Trail last June taught me to always pack a bivy sack, even on a supposed summer trip.

I was near Hamilton Lake when the temperature dropped 40 degrees in an hour, forcing me to hunker down in my emergency shelter for a full night until I could safely move again, so what's the most unexpected weather you've ever had to deal with on a trail?

3 comments

3 Comments

hayden1449d ago

I read about a guy on the PCT in Oregon who got hit with a freak hailstorm in late July. He said the hail piled up like six inches deep in minutes and completely wiped out the trail markers. They had to just wait it out under some trees for hours.

oscarc539d ago

We got caught in a sudden whiteout near Three Sisters once. Hunkered down with a space blanket between some boulders until it passed.

williams.jenny3d ago

That "wait it out under some trees" part is smart. I got stuck in a downpour once and just sat on my pack getting soaked like an idiot.