I woke up this morning around 4:00 a.m. with the sound of a very hard rain. Got me thinking about my upcoming Sept trip. I have a route mapped out, but was wondering what I might do if I wake up to the same type of weather in the middle of my loop.

So the question to all - when you wake up and it is pouring down rain. Do you just sit and wait it out (which could be day/s) or do you put the rain gear on, take the tent or hammock down in the rain, pack the canoe, and paddle on to the next portage in order to stay on your schedule.

That's a good question, napinch. And a good thing to think about ahead of time. Not only in regards to rain, which might be less than ideal, but also in regards to wind, which might make it unsafe or impossible. Lightning would be unsafe, but is not too prevalent in Sept. The weather then can be quite variable and can wreak havoc with your plans, especially if you have planned to travel long and hard every day and do not have bail-out options to shorten the route.

My late-Sept trip strategy has evolved to the following: I incorporate 1-2 layover days for weather in my plan and plan to travel half days (about 5 hours) on the others. I may have an option to shorten. I may have options to extend. I'll have options for side trips and day trips.

I will have calculated the distances and average travel times before I leave. I will check the weather forecast right before I leave and plan accordingly. I also carry a small weather radio, which is sometimes useful. I will have a travel plan, but am not a slave to it. Sometimes you have to make hay when the sun shines.

My preference, as you may have guessed, is to sit out a hard rain ;). But if necessary...

Boonie's strategy is excellent and I could not agree more. I think you have to build flexibility into you plans.

If the rain is heavy and it looks like the rain will clear out later in the day, I will usually try to wait it out. Light rain, I just paddle. I am much more concerned with wind (and lightening) than rain. If I judge the conditions not safe to paddle, then I don't. When paddling solo I'm pretty cautious, so like Boonie I always have a couple of extra days of food and fuel with me. I'm retired, so don't have to keep a schedule so a couple of extra days are no problem.

bonnie says it well. On any trip over three days there is a layover option and bail out options. Cold rain will almost always keep me in camp, high wind will do the same. I will more likely day trip in the rain than move camp. Mostly it is how I feel at the moment; after all that is the beauty of a solo trip.
I do recall racing ahead of a storm coming down Moose after a Quetico trip. I hit the dock at the outfitters and the storm arrived before the group gathered could hand me a cold beer. What a ride!

I always start tracking the 10 day forecast before a trip. One of my last things to do before leaving is print it out. From this I will tweak my gear list and travel plan. I will have a pretty good idea if there is going to be a front moving through and if so, is it a fast moving one or a several day soaker. Maps, planning, forecasts, current progress, etc all go into decision making along the way. The one thing really critical on solo trips is sound decision making.

Also with a SPOT I use my one canned message to say I am staying put for weather or "just because". This alleviates the choice between being late coming out or risking unsafe travel.

If it is pouring down rain when I wake I would most likely roll over and catch up on some sleep.

I like to plan "options" into my trips. A good plan B can be a good thing. It's good to ask yourself the what if's. I've had to change routes a few times... even had to borrow a map to make it happen once. Me leaving an itinerary is kind of complicated, so I make it clear I may change my route. I suppose I should get a spot so people tracking me can shake their heads as they look at where I was going to go and where I'm actually going. On my long trip a couple years ago I got wind bound a few times and had other things happen like get forced out because of a fire. You really have to be flexible out there.

I would be more likely to play it safe and hold fast when solo. But if it's one of those weak low pressure systems where it drizzles on and off for a day or two, I'm traveling.

What boonie says ...

An important part of going solo in the shoulder seasons is you have to be that much smarter about the weather. I got caught in a big low pressure storm in October a couple years ago and had to toss my plans out the window on day two of a trip and just hunker down for 3 days in one spot. I think being in the wilderness means having to be adaptable.

quote Jaywalker: "An important part of going solo in the shoulder seasons is you have to be that much smarter about the weather. I got caught in a big low pressure storm in October a couple years ago and had to toss my plans out the window on day two of a trip and just hunker down for 3 days in one spot. I think being in the wilderness means having to be adaptable.


"

Yeah, I know what you're saying.

That's one of the reasons I quit doing shorter trips then. If you hunker down for three days out of 4 1/2 days...

That doesn't really make a 2600 miles round trip worthwhile.

rain but no big blow? go.