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Permalink Reply by Nathan Williams on June 3, 2011 at 12:32pm

Hey, Amanda! I've done a few night hikes over uneven terrain. It can definitely be a cool way to experience the outdoors. Here's a few thoughts (and sorry if these are obvious):
1. Bring a good headlamp and extra batteries.
2. Bring a friend or, in the absence of one, let someone know where you're going, when you'll be back, and what to do if you're not back in time.
3. Do the hike during the day first. Things can look so much different at night that it's easy to get disoriented and lost. I've known folks who were twenty yards away from a campsite with a headlamp, but couldn't find their way back just because of how different things looked.
4. Wear good footwear. Obviously this is important for any hike, but ankle-twisters are especially tough to avoid at night.

Hope that helps a little. Have a great hike and share how it went afterward!

Nathan

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Permalink Reply by Amanda Senft on June 6, 2011 at 1:21pm

Thanks for the advice! I'm going with someone who is familiar with the trail, I think I would spook myself if I tried to do it myself. I will certainly share the experience after!

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Permalink Reply by Maureen Botoman on June 8, 2011 at 10:44am

One more thing in addition to Nathan's suggestions. Planning your night hike on the night of a full moon really increases the amount of light and make it much easier to see the trail and your surroundings. Also full moons are gorgeous.

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Permalink Reply by Amanda Senft on July 18, 2011 at 2:27pm

Turns out this was a very tough but awesome idea. We tackled Hurricane Mountain in the Adirondacks, a fairly easy and short hike to a 3600 foot summit with a 360 degree view of the High Peaks region. The hike was tough, it is definitely easy to get disoriented with only headlamps for light - but the full moon at the top was beautiful! Plus we got a completely clear night, so we could just drop our sleeping bags and camp under the stars on the summit, and enjoy the sunrise in the morning. It was a great adventure!

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Permalink Reply by stefanie michaelson on July 18, 2011 at 2:30pm

That sounds amazing!!

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Permalink Reply by Alvin Mites on July 29, 2011 at 12:13pm

Sounds like an awesome hike - for future reference:

- a red light won't interfere with your peripheral vision

carrying your gear to setup camp at the summit sounds like a great idea. I especially love full moon hikes with snow on the ground.

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