Night Hiking - Tips?

[^MtnMike^]

I know some of the memebers here do this fairly regularly.
I'm hoping to start night hiking pretty soon and I'm looking for any tips/suggestions you can offer. Things a day hiker like me, who has never hiked at night, wouldn't necessarily think of.

Thanks!
^MtnMike^

 

[WalksWithBlackflies]

Light. Sorry, but you left yourself wide open.

IMO, headlamps work much better than flashlights. However, if it's very humid, your breath will condense in front of the headlamp... at which point it's easier to see if you carry it in your hand. My headlamp has halogen (bright, short-lived) and LED (softer, long-lasting) bulbs. I ususally travel with the LED, and only shine the halogen when I need a "spot light".

If your lamp breaks or batteries suddenly die, you'll be SOL, so bring a backup headlamp and additional batteries. My backup is about the size of two paperclips. Doesn't throw a lot of light, but it's a backup.

Slow your pace... shadows can play tricks with your depth perception. Descending is generally harder than ascending. Some noises may freak you out until you get used to them. There's lots of critters moving around at night. Extra special is when you light up bear eyes

 

[sapblatt]

Trails

Ricos points hit it all. I would add try to start on a trail that is wide and well defined. I did this on the Valley Way and had no issues. A major trail like Tuckermans, Livermore, Crawford Path, etc will be easier to follow than the lesser used trails. I would also recommend starting an hour or two before daylight - that way if you are having problems you will be in the light soon enough.

 

[Jay H]

If you want to hike at night and retain your night vision, a red filter on the headlamp/flashlight will least affect you're nightvision. Sometimes on a full moon nighthike, might not need a headlamp, especially if it's winter and there's snow on the ground.

If you are hiking in a group and things get spaced out a bit, something reflective on the back or even a small red blinkie would work.

Prepare to trip occasionally!


Oh, thought I'd add one more:

On group hikes, make sure each individual is skilled with map and compass and has one. Unlike a day hike, it is a lot easier to lose sight of one another due to varying hiking speeds so each ind. is more important to be prepared.

Jay

 

[Gris]

IMO, headlamps work much better than flashlights

I respectfully disagree, although i think you need both. I wear the headlamp off or on low and carry a small flashlight (princeton Blast) in my hand at waist level. Best of all, hike with both at the ready but turned off. At least one noted "expert" long distance hiker/writer says best of all is no light (let your eyes dilate, but concentrated beam of flashlight is better than wide angle of headlamp) and moonless night better than full moon (non-intuitive, i know). Guess you'll need to experiment with lighting yourself, but for sure I would say pick eaiser trails and be prepared to spend the night in the woods. Also be prepared for more wildlife!

 

[chomp]

Night hiking can be tricky and scary. I tend to get a little anxious when I first start hiking in the pitch dark, but by slowing down and controling my breathing, I get over that pretty easily.

First - I would recommend that you hike a trail that you have done in the light. That way, you will have less concern about getting lost. If possible, follow the AT at some point - those gleaming white blazes really stick out at night.

Headlamp - absolutely. Make sure that you have spare batteries for your headlamp AND a backup light source (so you can change your batteries). I carry a Petzl Tikka headlamp and a small Photon light as my backup, in my pocket, so it is handy.

If its a clear night, try hiking without a headlamp. If you get blessed with a clear night and more than a half moon, go ahead and switch the lamp off. It will take several minutes, but your eyes will adjust to the lower light levels. The fantastic thing about night hiking without a light is that you can see MORE. When you have a headlamp on, you can see very clearly, but only in that little bubble of light that your headlamp creates. If you hike without a light, you cannot see nearly as clearly, but your range of sight is much greater.

If you do try this, keep in mind that what you are seeing might be different that what you expect. For example, when I do it, the trail doesn't look anything like it does under direct light. But, with a little trial and error, you can figure out where to place your feet rather effectivly.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[Artex]

You might want to consider bringing along a GPS as well (in addition to a map and compass, of course). It could give added piece of mind.

Good luck, and hiking at night can be a real treat. You'll see and hear things you might not see otherwise. I've gotten very close to deer before, since they were blinded by my headlamp.

 

[TCD]

Night hiking is great; I've done a bunch of it. Off trail travel alone at night REALLY brings the wild close to you, especially when you stop to sit down and have a snack, and turn off the light.

A couple other things to remember:

It will be cooler, even in Summer.

Be careful of trail junctions, they're easy to miss when looking down at the lit trail.

If you are bushwhacking, remember that you often will not be able to see distant landmarks like mountains, that you may have used to navigate in the daytime.

Others have made a bunch of good points. Regarding travel with a group, IMO the overriding factor is the group should stay together. If each person really comes into the hike intending on going it alone, that's one thing. But different hiking paces is not a good enough reason for a group to get separated. People simply have to accommodate each other, and stay together. Night is different, and the rules change.

Have fun out there!

 

[carole]

Keep your mouth closed. If you try it this time of year all those moths, etc. will be attracted to your light. Or at least be ready to wash them down with something.

 

[sardog1]

When planning routes, especially bushwhacking, choose landmarks that will be easily recognized at night. Examples are major streams, lighted radio antennas, noisy highways, wide gravel roads, etc. Don't count on spotting trail junctions readily; identify something that will tell you when you have blown past a planned turn. Be watchful for hazards that you would easily see in daytime (steep cliffs, slippery slopes, etc.) that might be more hazardous at night.

Bushwhacking at night requires very good map and compass skills. Practice following a compass course through thick woods with few recognizable features in the daytime, before you attempt it at night. (Yes, Virginia, you can walk right across a trail at night without knowing it .....)

You will probably overestimate your distance traveled for a while. It can seem a lot longer at night than in daytime. The corollary is that you will probably also be moving slower to take heed of underfoot hazards and you will take more time for navigating.

 

[DougPaul]

Most of us get our first experience night hiking when the sun sets before we get back to the car...

It's just like day, except it's dark. (Well, almost.) And maybe a little cooler.

Probably worth doing with others until you are comfortable.

You can see a lot better without lights than most people would think. If the sky is somewhat open above and there is any moonlight, one can hike pretty much any relatively easy trail. Particularly easy to do in winter when you are walking on a white carpet. It may take up to 1/2 hour for your eyes to adapt to the dark. Eat lots of carrots.

We (people from my college outing club) used to run a night hike up Monadnock via Pumpelly Tr. The goal was to leave the car after the sun set, summit, and return to the car before it rose--all without using our lights. (We, of course, carried lights.) It was very doable if there was a good moon (we scheduled for full).

Headlamps:
I carry 2 if with others or 3 if solo (caver's rule). One which can throw a good beam (eg, PTec Yukon HL or BD Zenix IQ) and one or two small LED lights (eg PTec Aurora, Petzl Tikka, BD Moonlight). The strong beams are rarely needed for hiking (I'd be comfortable without one on a known easy trail)--the low or medium intensity setting of an Aurora is generally adequate. (The strong beams are mainly needed for fast movement such as skiing down a slope or trail. Occasionally useful for navigation--eg checking out the trail at a distance.)

Big beams eat batteries. Lower intensity lights last longer. The recent multi-intensity LED lights are _very_ useful--you can choose the minimum intensity necessary for the job at hand and save the batteries. Use lithium batteries in winter or to save weight. IMO, LED lights rule--no bulbs to blow out and they still give good light as the batteries weaken.

I usually use an Aurora for hiking and camping and keep the spare and the big-beam light in reserve. The 2nd and 3rd lights give you light to fix the first by or just get you back to the car without worrying about the primary if it fails. The lightweight LED headlamps or pinch lights make great backups. (I have heard of ultra-lighters using just a pinch light...)

Using a headlamp:
Using the headlamp gives you tunnel vision--you see what you are pointing the light at and little else. (Broad beams help and I use one a lot more than I use a narrow beam. Turning the light off is even better if there is enough ambient light.) Depth perception isn't very good with the headlamp on your head--hold it in your hand to improve. Back reflection from fog, heavy snow, or brush is also a problem--again hold it in your hand.

One argument for using a headlamp under conditions of adequate ambient light would be to warn animals (and hunters) that you are coming. Save your bear and moose encounters for the daylight.

Headlamps also tend to attact insects to your face. A baseball cap helps.

Point of Etiquette:
Don't shine your headlamp in anyone else's face--it will blind him. When talking to someone, turn your head to the side. (Exception: a deaf person who is trying to read your lips may want to shine his light in your face.)

Doug

 

[Sleeping Giant]

The cautions about hearing more wildlife at night bear repeating. You do hear much more at night than in daylight and normally don't see what you hear, so the imagination can go into high gear. It's happened on more than a few occasions that I've heard a moose-like snort from, it seemed, very close range - like my elbow. A couple times my fight-or-flight response kicked in when that happened. Then I saw how fast I could run through the woods at night!

 

[Rivet]

Bring a dog. They have an easier time following the trail at night than us bi-peds.

 

[Gris]

One more thing, my little Princeton Blast flashlight is WAY better at picking up distant blazes than my Aurora headlamp.

 

[DougPaul]

One more thing, my little Princeton Blast flashlight is WAY better at picking up distant blazes than my Aurora headlamp.

Bought one. Carried it (along with an Aurora). Never used it.

Take a look at the BD Zenix IQ: a 1 watt Luxeon Star LED (high narrow beam) plus two 5mm LEDs (low broad beam). Three intensity levels for each beam. The output from the 5mm LEDs is similar to that of the Aurora and the high beam replaces the Blast and then some. This particular light contains a regulator circuit so the intensity stays constant as the batteries weaken (also nice because you get the same intensity with NiMH batteries as alkaline or lithium).

These days, I carry the Zenix IQ and one or two Auroras. I mostly use an Aurora for hiking and camping and the Zenix IQ for skiing. The Aurora is also great for reading in bed (on the trail or at home).

The 1W Luxeon Star LED based flashlights and headlamps are replacing the incandescent bulb lights. 3W Luxeon Star LED headlamps (Petzl Myo XP), flashlights, and bike lights have begun to appear and 5W Luxeon Star LEDs should be appearing in products soon.

See http://www.flashlightreviews.com/ and http://ledmuseum.home.att.net/ for reviews of flashlights and headlamps.

Doug

 

[SherpaKroto]

All good points, and it shows that a lot of us love night hiking.

1) Get comfortable on trails that you are comfortable on. Unless "un-planned", initially stay away from trails that you do not know well
2) Stick to good weather. A dark dreary, rainy night hike is disheartening at least, dangerous at most.
3) Carry 2 light sources that you would be comfortable using on a hike. Start with the least bright. If conditions warrant, go to the stronger one (sort of the 4 wheel drive mentality). A built in insurance policy is great to have... I use a Petzl Tikka Plus and a BD Zenix (in that order)
4) Initially go in groups, and lower your distance expectations.

Planning a pre dawn hike is often a better way get your feet wet than a sunset hike. If you get spooked, just stop and it will be light soon!

 

[TrekMan]

changing batteries

My son's hint is to practice changing batteries in your headlamp in total dark.

 

[DougPaul]

My son's hint is to practice changing batteries in your headlamp in total dark.

Part of my reason for carrying a spare lightweight headlamp or pinch light.

You might also need to repair your main light.

I have dropped batteries in the snow 12 miles from the trailhead on a solo ski... (Yes, it was just after sunset, and yes, I found them with the help of my spare light.)

Do

 

[JJD]

I had my first night hiking experience a few weeks ago, a friend and I hiked in to Perkins Notch Shelter on a Friday night via Bog Brook Trail. The trail was...ummm...boggy. There many stretches (some several hundred feet)where rock hopping was required to keep from ending up ankle deep in mud and several brook crossings, my Tikka Plus wasn't up to the challenge . It was a little low on batteries and my night vision isn't great to begin with, but next time around I'm defintely going to have a high intensity beam.

This is an interesting thread though, I hadn't even considered hiking without the headlamp. I did experience the feeling of thinking you've traveled alot farther than you have. The first 1/2 mile felt like it was about two miles.

 

[ExploreTheEast]

Even if you don't usually hike with them, poles can help keep you vertical when it's dark. It's like having two extra legs to keep you up when one of your feet get caught on something that you didn't see.