Nice Scenario Craig. Thermo regulate, Hydrate, Communicate. I like that.

Thermo-regulate: In this situation I would first put-on some sort of poncho, garbage bag, whatever rain protection is in your PSK. I would then spread a space-blanket or bag over the area where you plan to sleep, so it doesn't continue to get wet.

You will stay warm expending energy gathering fire wood. If you are in a pine forest I would then search for fatwood; it doesn't matter if it's raining. A pine forest has a lot of hidden fuel in the dead wood; under pine trees, dead pines, logs etc, many sources for limbs twigs and fatwood. Even live pine trees that have been scarred may be seeping pitch. The best source for fatwood is a place on a dead tree that been scarred and healed over, and/or, a pitch knot. A pitch knot is that portion of a tree that is left after a pine decomposes on the forest floor. These pitch knots are sections where a limb grew from a tree; they are dense with pitch and that's why they do not decompose as fast as the rest of the tree.

Start a fire with your fuel laden wood in an area protected by the wind and in a place where you can reflect the heat off your space blanket lean-to onto the place where you are setting up a spot to sleep out of the rain.

Hydrate: it's raining....collect the water off your space blanket lean-to.

Communicate: In the morning climb the hill and locate the car .