Space rain gear saved me today!
Elk
This morning I planned to scout a new elk spot up around 10,000'. The weather babe called for scattered afternoon thundershowers so I took off early this morning. Blue sky, only a few puffy clouds and 71 degrees when I parked on the west side of the mountain at 10 a.m.. I was wearing a short sleeved cotton shirt and light hiking pants. I was around on the east side of the mountain when I heard a "boom" and spotted a dark cloud peeking over the top. Morning thunderstorms are pretty rare in this part of NoCo. They usually start up around 3 or 4 if they happen at all.
Within minutes the rain started, hard, which quickly became sleet, then hail. It was the sort of morning where I wouldn't have specifically packed rain gear since I was only going in about a mile (as the crow flies, but bushwhacking through timber and deadfall). I quickly dug into the bottom of my pack and put on the Space outfit. The ground was soon covered with hail and it was getting cold.
By the time I reached my truck after slipping and sliding a bit in the accumulated hail while going down the steep slope, the temp had dropped 25 degrees to 46. Hypothermia territory. Without having the Space gear tucked into the bottom of my pack, I would have been in trouble.
People new to our mountains don't realize how quickly a bluebird morning can turn into a dangerous situation, and again reinforced why I ALWAYS have rain gear and a full survival kit tucked in the bottom of my pack, even when out for a short trip like this morning.
Boy Scout Motto- "Be Prepared"
I always have the Space Rain Jacket in my daypack when I'm up there...and my walking stick/ umbrella of course.
That combination has saved my ass many times in the elk woods.
Glad you made it home safely, Lou!
Best of Luck, Jeff
Jeff, I was sure wishing I'd brought my Elk Mountain "walking stick" along this morning!!!
Note to self: The weather babe doesn't do forecast above 9,000 feet !
So lightweight and packs down so small, it makes it easy to always have in your pack. A great wind breaker, too.
Great reminder Lou! Rain gear, a survival kit and maybe a puffy are critical items regardless of the intended duration of a hike.
My set was delivered last week and on sale. Will always be in my pack too!
Love the space rain gear never a reason not to pack it.
Lou, good to be prepared! I don't take it with me everyday but certainly do when weather is questionable. Staying dry definitely makes the day more enjoyable! (grin) Lord knows I've had my share of being soaked to the bone over the years, I swear wet clothes add another 10# (grin)
ElkNut1
10am storm, that's early! Glad you were prepared, seems like people die in those situations every year.
Just a couple weekends ago I was driving home from Grand Lake, when I left town it was 82 degrees, in Winter Park a storm had just gone through and it was only 49 degrees in the middle of town...
Elknut, I know where you're coming from. When I had bulkier rain gear I didn't take it unless the weather was "iffy" either. Got caught a few times too, once with a bad hypothermia situation with a buddy. Wasn't sure if I could get him off the mountain. That situation was what prompted me to get the Space and stick it in the bottom of the pack permanently along with a survival kit. Back then we traveled with a lighter, a candy bar, and a couple band-aids. :-)
Ditto the survival kit and SPOT. Could've easily slipped on the hail on the steep slope in deadfall and hurt myself. Without a survival kit with space blanket and rain gear, that might have turned very serious.
Yesterday I wouldn't have packed any rain gear. It was one of those "perfect" bluebird mountain mornings.
Lou, understood! It's funny how things can turn our don't care attitude into a caring one! (grin) I know when I started elk hunting 41 years ago, myself & hunting partners never gave rain gear a 2nd thought. Quite honestly I didn't consider any until I was around 50. Not sure if it's wisdom or I got tired of being wet! (grin)
None of us gave getting drenched for hours much thought, it was like it was just a part of hunting, we'd get back to our wall tents crank up the woodstove & dry off hours later. Some days were worse than others but nothing death defying for sure, we were just miserably wet & yes we wore lots of cotton then too! I think a lot of it can be chalked up to young & dumb! (grin)
Yes sir, times have changed & so have I. I do own lightweight rain gear, it's 2# for tops & bottoms. It's helped in staying dry & certainly more comfortable when caught in those heavy rains & wet snows.
Glad you were prepared, I bet in your early years you were a lot like us! (grin)
ElkNut1
Elknut, I think most of us were a lot like you back then. Not sure if you get the terrific mountain hailstorms we get in NoCo, but after the first one I experienced unprepared in the backcountry over 40 years ago, when my buddy became so disoriented from hypothermia that he didn't care if he lived or died, I started carrying a cheap poncho everywhere. And we always wore cotton too.
But when the hailstorms last for an hour with 30 degree temp drops, or more, and the hail piles up 6", that cheap poncho, condensation and soaked cotton clothes made for some really dicey situations. Thank goodness for modern breathable lightweight rain gear!
Oh ya Lou, here in ID we get some pretty nasty stuff including some mean lightning mixed in. I used to use a 55 gallon black plastic garbage bag with a hole cut in the top for my head, my whole body, pack & bow also fit under it as I hid under fir trees weathering the storms including the temp drops. I didn't know what the drop was but it would be significant, man those were the days.! (grin)
I certainly appreciate the upgraded technology we have today that turned hunting clothes into gear! Still love my wool at times though! Good luck to you this year, we can all use it! (grin)
ElkNut1
Glad all is well Lou. Never trust a woman with iso bar curves.
So what kind of rain gear are you talking about? Is this just one of the small disposable space blankets or actual rain gear?
Cabelas Space Rain Gear. Jacket and Pants
Elknut1, That's funny I was beginning to think I was the only one that had used the big trash bags. I used them for rain gear and when caught above timberline in a hell of a storm the rain was coming thru the tent and rainfly and I split them and used them to cover my sleeping bag to stay dry.
Lou, at least the day ended watching some trout raising on the pond. It also didn't hurt that you didn't kick my a$$ on the fish count for once!
"Watching" was the operative word for me that night. I'm sticking with the streams now, where the fish are more cooperative! I will always have rain gear in my fishing pack too, after getting caught in a nasty hailstorm way down in the river canyon.
Is the Space rain gear quiet or is more like regular rain gear. In other words, would you wear it hunting or is more for the times when your more concerned about staying dry than staying undetected. I want to upgrade mine but would look for something more for the whitetail woods than the mountains.
Just ordered a set online. I went to the local Cabelas yesterday and tried some on for sizing. They are much cheaper to buy online.
BC...super light and packable, but not extremely quiet.
Best of Luck, Jeff
I've shot animals inside 25 yards while wearing it and it didn't seem to bother them. There are tradeoffs with any type of rain gear. The quietest isn't the lightest or most packable. The stuff with fleece or "nap" outer to quiet the membrane seems to collect water in the nap.
Space gear isn't really made for all-day every day hunting in the rain. I have other stuff for that. Its for when you don't expect inclement weather and you're a couple miles from camp or the truck.
Which weather lady was it? Used to be a Kathy Sabine fan, but now I think I like Ms Whitney.
Ben, yes sir, I used one for years, lightweight & 100% waterproof! (grin) I must have looked like a black bear under a tree at times, not good in OTC units! (grin) Fortunately I was probably the only idiot out there during some of those harsher storms like Lou mentioned! Ha Ha!
ElkNut1
I've had the space rain gear for years! Used it many times. Before that it was the cheap 1 dollar survival ponchos or a garbage bag. I still carry some garbage bags for those just in case times or for carrying out elk heart
