Safety & Staying Healthy
Staying Warm
You should expect & plan for heavy rain every day. A few tips:
- bring fire-starter (commercial barbeque cubes are light and work well)
- a synthetic-filled sleeping bag is preferable to down-filled for this hike (just in case you get it wet)
- cotton is poor, wool better, synthetics best and lightest.
- cotton is quick to get sweat soaked and slow to dry. Bring clothing made of quick-drying, wicking synthetic fabric.
- most hikers bring socks of wool, thick acrylic, or wool-acrylic blends. We recommend wearing those over a thin wicking sock liner. Be aware that your socks will probably be the last clothing to dry. There's a good chance your boots will still be wet in the morning.
Many thin layers are lighter & warmer than 1 thick garment
If you get chilled, climb into your sleeping bag. Cuddle-up. Do anything you can to warm-up if there's a chance of hypothermia.
Light fleece garments are warm, even when wet, & they dry quickly.
Fire wood
A bonfire is one of the great treats of coastal hiking.
On the West Coast Trail, in the rain, you may find yourself searching for dry firewood. Look under large drift logs and near the base of large trees. Look in the brush just above the beach. You will likely use your saw if you bring one.
If it looks like it might rain overnight, stash some dry firewood for the next morning.
Collect kindling when it’s dry. Bag & carry it for the next campsite.
The driftwood at Michigan often runs out late in the season.
One trip to SE Alaska we were unable to start a fire in the rain for 4 days! That could have been dangerous if we had anyone with hypothermia.
Keeping Dry
Bring tarp(s) & plenty of tie-up ropes. Protect yourself from the elements while cooking dinner. Tarp-tying is a much underrated art & science, particularly in high wind. Al Brawn includes a nice summary of tarp construction tips for the WCT in his book Soaring with the Eagles.
Tarp flapping in the gusty ocean breeze.
Bring a backpack cover. You'll be glad you did. Check that it fits your pack when fully loaded. Many XL (extra large) covers are too small for extra large backpacks.
Waterproof EVERYTHING inside your pack. We’ve had hikers fall into rivers & others swamped by ocean waves. Stuff sacs should be waterproof. Plastic bags are OK but they rip. Waterproof stuffsacs are only slightly heavier and far more reliable. A few hikers carry clear SeaLine stuffsacs normally used for kayaking. These are heavier than other waterproof stuffsacs, but it’s nice to be able to see where things are at a glance.
Consider making yourself a sit pad (of light closed cell foam). Wipe it with a bandana & you’ll have a dry, clean spot to sit — rather than a wet bum.
Bring extra plastic bags & ziplocs.
Double-bag vulnerable valuables such as cameras.
