Hiked the AT section near Roan Mountain and got caught in a storm that changed my gear setup

I was about 6 miles from Carvers Gap last October when the weather went from clear to pounding hail in about 15 minutes. My cheap poncho tore right down the middle and I ended up soaked to the bone, shivering under a rock for an hour. After that trip I ditched the poncho for a proper rain jacket and started checking NOAA radar before every hike. Has anyone else had a piece of gear fail at the worst possible time?

2 comments

2 Comments

grantthomas28d ago

Oh man, I used to be all "rain jackets are overrated, just bring a cheap poncho" but getting soaked on a cold ridge changed my mind real quick lmao.

the_jennifer27d ago

Did you really learn the hard way like I did? I used to think those cheap emergency ponchos were good enough for anything, but getting stuck on a rainy ridge in Colorado changed my mind fast. The wind ripped mine apart and I was shivering for the last mile down. Now I won't leave for a hike without a real rain jacket in my pack. What kind did you end up getting?

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