Advice on ascending/decending steep rocky sections during rain

[scamp_80]

I was out hiking near Bear Mtn. in NY late last week on a very rainy day. A couple of very steep rocky ascents/decents were on my planned route (steep enough that I have to put my hiking poles away and use my hands to climb up the "trail"). On my first steep ascent, I started slipping. I thought it seemed a little risky to continue particularly since I was solo so I backtracked and took another route. I'm sure I'll encounter similar situations on the AT but won't have the option to go around.

Do you have any advice on ascending/decending these types of steep rocky sections safely? Do you wait out the storm on occasion?

[Lyle]

Not to be a smart a$$, but the best advice is "be careful".

Other than that, stand upright. You loose "purchase" and will slip easier if you lean into the hill. It doesn't help to hug the rocks.

[Homer&Marje]

3 or 4 points of contact. Hiking poles or stick

[TrippinBTM]

What Homer said. Only one limb (foot or hand/pole) in motion at a time, keep the other 3 on the ground. The best is to go down on all fours. While a hiking stick/pole is ok, your hands are better, you can feel when you're starting to lose friction.

Going downhill, just take your time, choose your path well. Use the trees. This one time I slipped bad on a slick downhill in CT, and it was a bit of a sheer drop below, for ten feet or so. I would have been in a bad way, the way I was falling. I instinctively, on the way down, let go of my stick and hugged a very fortunate tree growing in the middle of the trail/slope I was taking. I didn't even see the tree, but just knew to reach out and grab. I ended up spinning around that tree and hanging backwards over that drop, heart pounding but safe and sound. Very lucky...

Just go slow and very consciously. Focus on what you're doing.

[Doughnut]

I prefer to loosen my pack, holds me closer to the slope.

DoughNut

[Pips]

slide! i didn't mean to but most of the time that is what i ended up doing. the lower my center of gravity the softer my fall.

you will surely come across this on the trail. one of my worst days on trail was in Maine in a downpour up and down rocky mountainsides (Saddleback, yay!) -- and the rocks were a little more ominous than Bear Mountain. it took me all day to finish 8 miles -- partly because i hadn't expected to take so long and had to finish the last of the miles after nightfall (in the rain, on the rocks). stay low and be careful!

[Gray Blazer]

Take your time. Make up time on the flat easy spots.

The way I look at it is if I'm in a hurry, the dangerous spots could hurt/maim/kill me permanantly and I'll never get anywhere. There are lots of easy spots where you can pick up speed and make some time.

[sixhusbands]

what kind of shoe/boots are you wearing? some boots are slippery even on dry surfaces and some boots are "stickey"on all surfaces. I have Vasque sundowners and they are great on any surface but ice. I agree with the others on this site...just take your time and try to stay upright , you will be fine. Hiking in the rain may be slower but is stilll hiking and that beats work anyday!

[SawnieRobertson]

I was out hiking near Bear Mtn. in NY late last week on a very rainy day. A couple of very steep rocky ascents/decents were on my planned route (steep enough that I have to put my hiking poles away and use my hands to climb up the "trail"). On my first steep ascent, I started slipping. I thought it seemed a little risky to continue particularly since I was solo so I backtracked and took another route. I'm sure I'll encounter similar situations on the AT but won't have the option to go around.

Do you have any advice on ascending/decending these types of steep rocky sections safely? Do you wait out the storm on occasion?

One word if it is truly a down climb in the rain, "Don't."

OTOH, if you really must, then mostthe above.

[JAK]

This is another good case for hiking light, including body weight. You gotta be as light on your feet as possible. The next thing is trail runners that your really comfortable with in terms of grip and feel and cushion. You gotta wear something on you feet that you are not afraid to jump and land a pointy rock if neccessary. If you are pussy footing around too much you will eventually crash and burn. Trail runners should be enough but if they are not then wear something that is. Its all relative to the weight you are carrying and the terrain you might be landing on. Hiking sticks or a hiking staff shouldn't be neccessary but sometimes they help. I will stop and make a hiking staff if I need one, and prefer something solid when really needed over light hiking sticks, but coming down a steep rocky climb is a little late to be looking around, so if your not light on your feet you might want to carry something like hiking sticks all the time if going places where they are helpful. Where I hike there are alot of trees on steep decents and I find a palmed glove useful as you can impall yourself on little branchlets especially on spruce trees. Again not so important if you are going light, but it gets more important if you are overweight and overburdened and get overtired. It all depends on who you are. I've seen young healthy 100 pound women with light daypacks carrying hiking sticks and wearing army boots and I just don't get it. Looked pretty hot though.