Backpacking with the Post

The Best memories are made in the cold and the rain

Written by Malaika Dechet-Wetzel

Raindrops raced down the window as I anxiously checked the weather app on my phone for the third time. The farmland on the side of Highway 26 heading to the coast soon gave way to the forested peaks of the Coast Range and cell reception was almost immediately lost, leaving me to wonder what the next few days would be like. It was Memorial Day weekend and a group of three Postees and two advisors would be setting out on a three day backpacking trip along the Wilson River, which weaves through the mountains of the Coast Range like a snake. The weather did not look promising, and as anyone who has spent a night outside in the Pacific Northwest during rainy season knows, being out in the wet and cold can turn miserable pretty quickly. However, we left the car armed with a tarp, raincoats, pack covers and spare changes of clothes, ready to face whatever the sky were to throw at us.

As we set out, a light drizzle began and the trail soon became overgrown. I regretted not wearing my rain pants, as the dampness from the leaves and ferns had already soaked through my pants. Our little group powered on, hiking through the trees and around switchbacks. The rain increased, and by the time we stopped for lunch it was a full on downpour. We set up the tarp right over the trail and took a break for lunch, and continued on through the rain. Although the rain did end up stopping later in the day, it wasn’t gone permanently and the ground was already soaked. We spent the majority of our time at camp under the tarp making hot chocolate, plucking on Timothy’s travel guitar and playing card games.

My entire backpack was soaking wet by the time I got home three days later, but when I look back on the trip, I don’t remember the rain or my wet clothes or the dampness that seeped in through the bottom of my tent during the night. I remember the fun we had telling riddles on the trail, sharing snacks and trail mix recipes, the card games under the tarp, laughing about how there was no room under the tarp and singing along to the guitar. It was an experience that I won’t forget, mainly because we faced such uncomfortable conditions and still made it enjoyable.

I think this is an experience that nearly everyone in the Post has had, especially because we live in the Pacific Northwest and rain is so common here. We have to learn how to keep our gear dry and which weather apps are the most reliable and which rain jacket brands are the most waterproof. But most importantly we have to learn how to make the best of a situation that might not be enjoyable because of the rain. And sometimes, the rain even makes the trip more memorable because that experience of being cold and wet is shared by all and everyone grows closer as a result of it. So the next time you are looking at the forecast for a trip and it’s not looking too good, just remember: the best friends you’ll make in the Post are the ones that are made in the cold and in the rain.