Every Event Day, we pray to the hiking gods for sunshine, a consistent 20 degrees, minor cloud cover around midday and then a refreshing sea breeze in the final 10kms. The bad news is that the gods don’t always listen (bastards)and we end up hiking in the rain.
I remember going on a 20km walk when I was in Year Eight. It was up ‘The Breadknife’, a rocky mountain outcrop in The Warrumbungles near Coonabarabran, NSW. My idiotic 13 year-old brain thought it would be a good idea to wear shorts, despite the fact that it was the middle of winter. My logic went like this: it’s going to get hot eventually and hey, boys!
I sorely regretted my vanity versus common sense decision. It was the longest, coldest day of my life. I’m pretty sure the only thing a boy would’ve noticed was the goosebumps on my purple, mottled flesh.
My point is this: the weather can be a fickle mistress and, after the first 10kms, you don’t much care what you look like.
This is why we’ve prepared this handy guide for hiking in a range of weather conditions.
Sure, perfect weather can certainly contribute to a positive experience, but it’s not the defining factor. What will make a real difference is preparation, attitude and having the right equipment.
Nothing contributes to misery quite like being soaked to the skin and freezing, or blazing hot and sunburnt. SPF 30+ is always your friend, even if it’s cloudy. No matter what the BOM says, pack a hat, sunscreen, protective clothing (long sleeves and pants) and lots of drinking water, as well as a raincoat, an umbrella, spare socks and two plastic bags.
What’s with the plastic bags, you may rightly ask? There are sometimes shallow creeks or beach inlets that you will have to cross and, unless your team mates are willing to piggyback you, you’re going to want to bag your feet to keep your shoes dry.
If you want to be 100 per cent tough on the day, we recommend training in a range of conditions beforehand. Hike in the rain and stroll in wind. Sashay at sunrise and walk at sunset. It’s even worth heading out in fog and snow, if there’s any to be had. The more accustomed you are to walking in a range of weather conditions, the less confronting it will be on the day if the skies are looking grim.
This also provides a great opportunity to test your gear. Want to find out if your shoes make a silly farting sound when they’re wet? If your hat gives you contact rash, or your pants ride up your butt crack? Test them out beforehand. Don’t wait until Event Day to find out how irritating all your stuff is. Be annoyed in advance (and swap out the stuff that drives you nuts).
We say this with one giant caveat: there are some weather conditions that you should wholeheartedly avoid. Thunderstorms where the lightning is less than 30 seconds apart are a no go, as is any risk of bushfires.
Once you’ve smashed out your first Coastrek hike - in rain, hail or shine - we promise that the first bath or shower you take afterwards will be the sweetest of your life. And the sleep? The sleep that night will probably be the deepest of your life!
