Danger!
Rain trekking may be beautiful, but it isn’t without its risks. Groppe has had to change her hike to a run after hearing trees falling nearby.“Don’t think of yourself as invincible, because you definitely can put yourself into some scary situations,” she says.Hikers should avoid heading out during thunder or lightning storms, and should always be aware of their surroundings. “If you start to hear a crack around you, find out where it’s coming from and go the other direction,” says Groppe. “If it doesn’t look safe, it probably isn’t.”If it’s raining, stay off slick surfaces or steep trails, which often turn to mud in rainy conditions.
When people envision hiking in the rain, they usually picture themselves sinking into a puddle of mud or shivering while they’re pelted with droplets. But that’s not what Mariel Groppe sees when she hikes in adverse weather.
Groppe sees fog creeping through the trees, enveloping each trail with mystery. She sees new waterfalls trickling to life, swirling and splashing just for her. Where others see a reason to stay inside, Groppe sees what she can only describe as magic.
“Hiking in the rain has a really mystical-type quality about it,” she says, comparing the feel to scenes from Lord of the Rings. “You get up into the higher elevation and you’re essentially in the clouds, so you get a nice foggy effect that really adds an element of magic.”
It’s not just the dramatic change in landscape that makes Groppe look forward to rainy days, she also looks forward to the seclusion.