My brother told me to skip the rain pants on the Lost Coast Trail...

Abby Fox · 2026-04-11T00:50:04.339629+00:00

He said the forecast looked clear and they were just extra weight. We got hit with a surprise storm on day two near Shelter Cove, and my hiking pants were soaked through in about ten minutes. I spent the next 18 hours cold and miserable, trying to dry my only pair of pants by a tiny campfire. Has anyone else been given gear advice that totally backfired on a specific trail?

the_andrew6mo ago

My friend trusted a similar tip on the Appalachian Trail and got hypothermia near Clingmans Dome.

4

the_jana6mo ago

That Clingmans Dome story is rough, but honestly not surprising. The weather up there can turn on a dime, especially in the shoulder seasons. Getting caught without a proper shell layer in those exposed sections is a serious risk, way beyond just being uncomfortable.

2

graygonzalez5mo ago

Man, that's brutal. 18 hours wet is a special kind of misery, really feel for you on that one.

-1