I chase good weather.
I chase good weather.
In Texas... There ain't much sense in checking with the weatherman, he is wrong 90% of the time anyways... I just pack what I need, then pack what the weatherman says to leave at home and hit the trail... The weather changes so quick around here, especially this time of year, it could be a high of 90+ one day and 35* the next morning, which that exact temperature swing happened 2-3 weeks ago... Weatherman didn't have a clue...
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Digital Janitor, sums it up for me, we live in the same general area of the west.
I do seek to hang on the coast during storms. I just love it, can not get enough. Mostly, I stay away from flooding, that is a concern for me. I was in a major flood as a child, I still remember floating on a roof top. Floods are bad, wind storm good, sick trees bad. I do worry about trees coming down when we are camped on the coast line, I am going to be increasing my inspection of trees before we hang.
I don't pay much attention to the weather unless it's a hurricane - those get my attention. Hurricane Irene cut short a trip in 2011 since it was aiming at me and my two sons.
However, I know a bunch of folks who will cancel a trip if inclement weather is forecast. That's why I do a lot of solo trips because my hiking buddies are wimps. Weather is not going to keep me home, nor are hiking buddies who back out.
Been snowing for tree weeks here. 5 people have lost their lives in my county in the last month alone in avalanches, and the avalanche danger level is at 4 out of 5 which means they set themselves off. Villages are cut off by avalanches, and it's too dangerous to try open the roads. Some villages may have to be evacuated if the snow does not stop.
And everywhere else (where it's flat) is covered in 1,5 meters of white fluff which I am in no condition to wade trough dragging a pulk.
Well, well, some day we'll have some sun and I may laod up the boat and go hang on one of the islets out on the fjord. The snow should melt quickly out there.
Anyway, taking the weather into account when you decide to go out or not, has nothing to do with being a wimp as someone suggested. At 68* N you don't mess around with mother nature. You heed her well and stay allive.
Last edited by Rune; 04-02-2013 at 15:27.
Personally I wouldn't care what the weather does, but I would check it to see what I need to pack to be prepared.....with that said, I don't go with a complete rainy weekend because I go with my 15 year old son and he would drive me nuts with nothing to do, and just relaxing with a book is not in the cards with him, but for an hour here and there. If it were just me, I'd lay back and read a book and listen to the rain, or snow and just take it all in and enjoy being in the woods and away from the daily grind at home.
As angrysparrow put it in another thread, "known hurricane". That's (or something similarly dangerous) what'll keep me out of an area that I've planned a trip for; otherwise, it's just another adventure.
"Just prepare what you can and enjoy the rest."
--Floridahanger
I personally prefer camping in the cold. I grew up with my father only doing winter camping in Alabama due to copperheads and ticks. The only time we changed dates on a camping trip was if there was gonna be really bad storms in the Bankhead. Rain or shine we always went. It made for some good memories. I would say anything colder than about 20's for me would probably reconsider if highs of 50 or so were else where. My favorite temps are probably 40's to 60's. not to hot, not to cold.
Here in guam the weather is always the same, with rain showers common and never cold. Doesn't change from that so I never check the weather here.
"We do not go to the green woods and crystal waters to rough it, we go to smooth it."- G. W. Sears
My forum name is Fish<><; I'm in the navy; and I hate sleeping on the ground. If I didn't need ground to walk on or measure resistance to, I think I could happily give it up.
I don't usually let it dictate my trips, if it's just me. For the sake of taking less experienced people I'll pick the place with the most convenient weather forecasted. I'm usually going to place based on certain terrain characteristics, second is travel time, third would probably be weather, if there's still no clear preference by the third tie-breaker
If you come to the Deam Wilderness in south central Indiana,,be prepared for 20% chance of showers Sat nite, and 30% Sunday,,BUT,,warming up! might crack 70 during the day, and upper 40s to 50 at nite.
2nd CAG, CAP 2-1-5 5th Marines, 1st Mar. Div.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_Action_Program
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