Gear: Not an Emergency Poncho

Water on the inside of your body is vital to health and well being.  Water on the outside can be annoying, heavy or at worst, dangerous.  Being cold and wet while hiking all day isn't really my idea of fun.

Mount Rainer sits on the windward side of the Cascade Mountain Range, and as such, forces moist air upward over the range as it moves inland.  As air moves upward, it gets colder and as it get colder, it gets drier.  Thus producing precipitation, hopefully rain.

We have to be prepared for all types of weather conditions on the mountain, including rain.  So rain gear is an essential when those summer squalls hit.  If just taking a day hike, one can easily just pack an emergency poncho, little more than a plastic bag to wear over you to keep out the majority of the water.  However, this poncho is frail, easily ripped, and traps moisture inside as effectively as it traps it outside.  What we really need is some good rain gear.  Although I own about 6 rain coats (I do live in a rain forest, you know), I'm not certain what I'm going to bring yet.

So, I'll keep my Emergency Poncho in my fanny pack (for those day trips) and figure out something else to take along before I head out.