Years ago I was caught in a totally unexpected and sudden blizzard/snowstorm. It was August so I was totally unprepared for cold weather in the days when I owned a goose down sleeping bag only.

I found a reasonably wind-sheltered site, pitched the tent, and dove inside as the storm raged. An hour or two later, I felt the trickle of very cold water flowing (head to foot) through the ground-contacting portion of the sleeping bag. Turning onto one side bought perhaps 10 minutes of relative comfort. After about three repositionings, comfort was unattainable. So I got out of the bag and tent—standing naked in the fierce blizzard—and wrung out the totally soaked bag of several gallons of water (or so it seemed) and shook it vigorously to fluff it up. It was not dry, but at least it was not soaked.

Getting back in the sleeping bag was heavenly: It was way warmer and I fell asleep immediately. However, soon it became soaked again and the cycle repeated throughout the night, something like once an hour. Not the greatest night's sleep. By first light (04:30) the storm disappeared and I got out to look. There was perhaps eight inches of Cascade Concrete™ (snow) with drifts of more than two feet. My tent site turned out to be a small gully which was draining maybe 50 feet (15 m) of the PCT.

My hands were too cold to do a decent packing job, so I basically stuffed tent and sleeping bag into—and onto—the pack. Though it was a three hour hike from the trailhead on the way in, it took more than seven hours to return because it was difficult following and finding the trail combined with the extra effort of walking in frequently deep snow.

After considering this misadventure for decades, my advice for a soaking wet sleeping bag is:

• Wring out the sleeping bag. Even if it is made of down and soaking wet, the moisture in the bag is a major burden on body heat. Reducing the moisture helps significantly.
• Move to a location that is not so wet. Even if the storm is raging and you are naked. Put on some outerwear to increase comfort and probability of success.
• Try to decrease the rate of water ingress. Laying on top of the backpack may not be "comfortable", but it is better than being hypothermic. Or if water is coming from the top of the tent, add a blanket, clothes, or trash bags to slow down getting wet.
• Improvise a bed or akia using limbs, branches, and needles. It can be under the tent.
• Maybe duct tape could make a waterproof blanket.
• Get out of the sleeping bag, and wear modern water-resistant materials and hiking apparel. Bail out next opportunity and return with adequate equipment.

Years ago I was caught in a totally unexpected and sudden blizzard/snowstorm. I started out the trip at 85–95°F (30–35°C) in August so I was totally unprepared for cold weather in the days when I owned a goose down sleeping bag only.

I hastily found a reasonably wind-sheltered site, pitched the tent, and dove inside as the storm raged. An hour or two later, I felt the trickle of very cold water flowing (head to foot) through the ground-contacting portion of the sleeping bag. Turning onto one side bought perhaps 10 minutes of relative comfort. After about three repositionings, comfort was unattainable. So I got out of the bag and tent—standing naked in the fierce blizzard—and wrung out the totally soaked bag of several gallons of water (or so it seemed) and shook it vigorously to fluff it up. It was not dry, but at least it was not soaked.

Getting back in the sleeping bag was heavenly: It was way warmer and I fell asleep immediately. However, soon it became soaked again and the cycle repeated throughout the night, something like once an hour. Not the greatest night's sleep.

By first light (04:30) the storm disappeared and I got out to look. There was perhaps eight inches of Cascade Concrete™ (snow) with drifts of more than two feet. My tent site turned out to be a small gully which was draining maybe 50 feet (15 m) of the PCT.

The temperature was chilly at about 10 °F (-12 °C) and my hands were too cold to do a decent packing job (why would anyone take gloves or mittens for summer backpacking?), so I basically stuffed tent and sleeping bag into—and onto—the pack. Though it was a three hour hike from the trailhead on the way in, it took more than seven hours to return because it was difficult following and finding the trail combined with the extra effort of walking in frequently deep snow.

After considering this misadventure for decades, my advice for a soaking wet sleeping bag is:

• Wring out the sleeping bag. Even if it is made of down and soaking wet, the moisture in the bag is a major burden on body heat. Reducing the moisture helps significantly.
• Move to a location that is not so wet. Even if the storm is raging and you are naked. Put on some outerwear to increase comfort and probability of success.
• Try to decrease the rate of water ingress. Laying on top of the backpack may not be "comfortable", but it is better than being hypothermic. Or if water is coming from the top of the tent, add a blanket, clothes, or trash bags to slow down getting wet.
• Improvise a bed or akia using limbs, branches, and needles. It can be under the tent.
• Maybe duct tape could make a waterproof blanket.
• Get out of the sleeping bag, and wear modern water-resistant materials and hiking apparel. Bail out next opportunity and return another time with adequate equipment.