So, do people ever hike at night because of a clear night and full moon, or is there something inherently taboo about it?(disturbing other sleeping hikers, rabid night moose, etc)
Myshkin
Night Hikes - Appalachian Trail
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#2
Nothing taboo about it. I know several people who much prefer night hiking - much cooler than hiking in the day. The biggest problem for me is not runing into rabid moose, but rabid skunks!
Bear Bag Hanger
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#3
I’m a compulsive night hiker. You see all kinds of wildlife, the trail isn’t busy, and it’s not so god damn hot. Now that being said, if you’re going to stay at shelters all the time night hiking can really piss people off. I tend to cowboy near the shelter as not to disturb folks. But definately try it! Best one I had was 9 miles in ME, no head lamp, by myself. Such a good night. Oh and the only bears I saw on trail last year I saw at 2 in the morning in the Shennies. good times!
Nokia
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#4
When I first got onto the forums and read about people night hiking, I thought they were crazy. But now…I just have to try it. Last night, I think we had a full moon and it was so bright and beautiful outside. I could just imagine what hiking in that would have been like. Hopefully I’ll muster up enough courage to try it next year. You do have to go slower right…to keep from twisting your ankle and stuff right?
Michele
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#5
was the side trails. Following white blazes is easy, and if you are going to stealth camp, then you have no worries.
My only time night hiking was not done intentionally, but was due to bad planning, and I actually enjoyed it…until I had to find the shelter, which was located on .5 mile blue-blazed trail. Not fun with narrow and not well worn trail.
Yossarian
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#6
We do most of our night hikes during the full moon. Do them before the leaves are on the trees unless you’re higher up so you won’t trip. Also if you’re good at guessing the weather try it on the balds in Va in mid spring. The cool clear night air falls to the valleys and and condenses and you’ll be walking on silvery clouds all night. Bring a sleeping pad, a bottle of wine…oops, sorry wrong forum, but you get the idea.
Anyway, its a dreamy time of the hike, the miles fly by and you get to see another side of the trail and yourself. We had a huge doe deer nibble at our feet where we rested on the Blue Ridge. An Hardy Boys sized moon in the Smokeys that actually scared us not knowing what such a flood light was doing out there. Go get some kids.:cheers
Bushwhack
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#7
I have a group of hikers that do full moon hikes all winter long in NH. Once the leaves fall off the trees and we can see the trail we start the night hikes and hike well into the spring. The biggest mountain we did was Jefferson in the presidentials on a clear November night.
Big B
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#8
I am an avid hiker and cyclist and when the weather got too cold to ride that road bike last winter, I turned to night hiking, on the same twice a week schedule as if I were still cycling, after work. It was a way to keep me outdoors for some fresh air and exercise and it kept my legs strong for when cycling season finally did come back around. Starting over each spring is always so hard, this helped.
Night hiking is so surreal…I loved it! Who cares if there’s no moon at all, we were out there. Even in snowfall, and if you don’t think that’s the coolest thing, to actually HEAR the snow falling on the trail at night! WOW.
The real bonus…I figured I’d be the only one in my circle of hiking/biking buddies to be crazy enough to do this with any regularity…much to my delight, they hung in there with me all winter and we had a blast! Even if we only did a few miles and stopped for an impromptu night time picnic, it was great.
Pam Bennett
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#9
Night time is the best time to get a different perspective on everything. Full moons add an erie blue light that turns your surroundings into a dreamscape you are only used to when you are sleeping. Just remember some extra batteries for your head lamp on those overcast evenings. I’ve had some of the most amazing hiking experiences well after the sun has set. My favorite is a tie between a presidential traverse in NH(I’ve never done this alone or advise anyone to do so either) and a Katahdin summit to see the sun rise to finish a thru hike in 04’. oh yeah, no bugs at nights either!!!
LORAX GA>ME 04’ - no turn left unstoned
Lorax
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#10
Best night hike was on the Long Trail, heading over Harmon Hill – full orange moon rising in one direction, storm bypassing us in full view in the other direction.
Of course we stopped there for the night; I couldn’t have imagined trying to get down the stone steps to Rt. 9 in the dark, they are famously steep. I did lots of night-hiking on that trip and found the green tunnel really to be too dark. I got bleary-eyed from using my LED headlamp too long. But I’ll do it in a heartbeat out west; I was raised in California. Temps cool and there usually is less tree cover, everything has an otherworldly glow to it…it really is sublime.
Yossi – are you the same dude who bummed a hitch off me in Manchester shortly after that LT stint? and then kept emailing me all those pics of Coup (GoLite Guy) in spandex!!!
BackTrack
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#11
Night hiking is simply magical esp. during a full moon.
The light makes the ground have a silvery glow. You see green, glowing eyes from the night creatures (deer, foxes, etc.) and there is a beauty that often does not show itself during the day.
Last year, I did Longs Peak (14300’) by the light of the full moon. Was on the summit and watched the sun rise over the high plains. The same rising sun lit up the snow covered peaks behind me with a soft glowing pink color. Was one of the highlights from my life. Seriously.
During winter, I esp. love full moon activities. This past winter, did a cross-country ski trip to a lake at 11k. The snow GLOWED. No headlamp needed. The frozen lake reflected the stars and moon above. The Continental Divide was visible and was a white and rocky wall behind the lake. Stayed at the lake and drank hot spiced rum. We skiied back and swooshed along in the night.
Memories like the above just makes me think: Life is good. Life is good!
Paul Mags
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#12
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#13
I leave Denver on 28th via greyhound. (14 beers!)
Get to Kalispell, MT on the 29th (15 beers!)
Get my permit and junk on the 30th (16 beers)
Start from an alternate route via Bowman Lake to get to the Border at Waterton/Highline Trail (forgot my passport in storage. Doh! But 15 extra miles in Glacier sounds rather nice!) (17 Beers!)
I START THE CDT OFFICIAL JULY 2ND!!! WOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
(18 Beers!)
Paul Mags
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#14
Night hiking is fun but I have had more then one person wake up the whole shelter looking for a place to sleep.
Its one thing to quietly put your sleeping bag down without trying to disturb the other hikers but I have had hikers come in, wake up a full shelter so that everyone could slide over and make room for them, and then proceed to whip out their cooking pot and stove and noisily make dinner.
If you’re going to night hike, plan on tenting it!
Aside from getting lost, my biggest fear in night hiking is twisting an ankle.
slumberland