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Kernel
10-03-2012, 20:30
As a wannabe thru-hiker who is not ready to hit the trail just yet, I always wondered what it would feel like to hike solo, but I mean REALLY solo, whether it be in the 100-mile wilderness, etc. I did an experiment near home, where I had the opportunity to do a bit of night hiking and camping solo, where there is no one around for miles and miles.

What I realised in my experiment is that solitude and the halo of a headlamp limiting your vision really accelerates your brains, like if it were trying to fill the information gap by anything: intrusive thoughts, (I hope all is ok back home, etc). Same thing with laying down in your tent by yourself overnight, with nothing else happening for hours.

My question is: how do other people experiment hiking solo, do you get used to it after a while ? I have the feeling the human being is probably made to interact with others and is not necessarily comfortable with total remote solitude, but that is probably just me... :)

If you don't mind sharing on the subject, many thanks !

1azarus
10-03-2012, 20:49
i guess i've gotten used to it and now generally prefer to be alone, at least most nights... but i didn't start out that way. And night hiking was scary at first -- i would get up early and hike before dawn so that i wasn't as scared about getting lost... now i welcome night hiking as part of the adventure -- a necessary part on short fall and winter days. I do get bored if i have too much "camp" time, so i prefer to hike long days no matter the amount of daylight.

for the "sharing" part, i was only really uncomfortable one night when camping alone -- i was in the smokies, alone at a shelter, and the night was so dark that i couldn't see my hand held an inch from my nose... and there had been some "trouble" bear sightings. nothing happened, but it was a pretty sleepless night.

you may well get used to being alone and may grow to like it. i have rarely hiked with crowds -- my guess is that if you actually thru hike the loneliness thing is way harder to find.

snifur
10-03-2012, 20:54
Night hiking is a different world. the other senses pick up wear your eye sight drops off. during my thru i did alot of miles (close to 200) at night. for lots of different reasons but mainly to escape the heat and people. the first few nights are awkward and then it becomes norm. time, speed and distance seem warped while night hiking. it is just one of those things you have to just do it. i enjoyed every mile i did at night. except through the rock maze in PA. that part had me turned around and upside down by the time i got though it. i burned alot of time there. not recommended at night... funny thing, i was laughing and cussing at myself through the entire maze as i am backtracking and looking for the blaze, whilst tripping. yeah, good times...

Deerleg
10-03-2012, 20:56
Love hiking most of the time with family or friends but have hiked more than 1000 miles solo over a number of years and usually just enjoy the surroundings or get lost in my own thoughts. Lots of time to work things out, once planed every detail of a surprise party for my wife. Most of all just enjoy solitude in the natural world. LOVE hiking at night…try turning off the lamp you’ll be so busy honing your abilities to navigate without the light there won’t be much need to “fill in”… and you may be surprised at your ability to master the skill...same way with camping, busy with preparations, usually pretty tired and not long before you welcome night sounds that use to make you nervous. :)

johnnybgood
10-03-2012, 21:26
As the temperature begins to cool in October so does my penchant for hiking again. With the cooler weather also comes the shortened days so hiking into darkness to the next campsite is sometimes a necessity.

For me I enjoy weekend solo overnighters either in SNP or the Blue Ridge Pkwy. I like to occasionally getting outside of my comfort zone a bit and hike well past dusk ,seeing the trail and surroundings like not seen during the day. I experimented first on a trail that I knew well and felt comfortable hiking at night. The hiking is truely surreal after dark and sometimes scary too. The red eyes of a rabbit sitting on the trail at 2am is a little unnerving for the first time but with more experience at night hiking you feel less fearful the next time.

Hikerhead
10-03-2012, 22:25
Well said.

CrumbSnatcher
10-03-2012, 22:44
over the years i found myself hiking alot at night mostly with my dog, who was a gentle soul and pretty much harmless, but i always felt safer with her by my side. Not so much for protection but as a great alarm system i suppose, with her along i wasn't caught off gaurd by anything, she would let me know if something was too close or alarmed her. we hiked at night mostly to take advantage of the cooler weather for her(she was a black lab/chow mix) she could over heat pretty easy if we didn't pay attention to the heat. cowboy camped right on the trail alot of times. totally different hiking though at night if she wasn't with me! i mean like day & night :-)
our last thruhike she was 10 yrs old, so she had alot of days off with friends in every state and i hiked very big days on her zero days that usually ended up hiking til around midnight or so. missed her on her days off, she didn't hike all the miles that year but was with me on the journey,and that was important to both of us, we picked her sections carefully that year. I enjoyed hiking with friends at night, like the time we were sitting around walnut mtn. shelter in the evening and a few of the hikers at the shelter were talking about the cocky hikers who bragged they were going on too the next shelter(deer park mtn. shelter) right outside of Hot Springs so they could be first to town. so i mentioned we could night hike if they wanted too and that excited all of them :-) so we went ahead and crashed til around midnight or so, then we slowly headed out and made it to the Deer park mtn. shelter turnoff right at dawn. i was standing there taking a break looking down the side trail to the shelter and someone ask me what the shelter down there was like? i said i don't know? never been down there, too close to town to ever check it out :-) the funny part was when those hikers that stayed at the last shelter right before town, rolled into the smoky mtn. diner and seen all of us already sitting at a table, you should of seen the look on thier faces :-) i had my camcorder sitting on the table rolling. they thought all 6 or 7 of us yellow blazed.

Zipper
10-03-2012, 23:27
I camped at night completely alone about 14 nights on the AT. Each one was different. Usually I wasn't worried and able to sleep ok. I used earplugs to cut out the high frequency rustling sounds or they keep me awake wondering what they are. I decided I'd rather not know, and usually they're teeny creatures like toads hopping through the leaves.

One of the things I learned to do, whether sleeping alone or near others, is to not look at my watch in the middle of the night. I found that if I thought it was 3 a.m. and looked at my watch and it was only 11:00 that I would wonder, "When is this night ever going to end?" and if I thought it was 2 a.m. and looked at my watch and it was 5:30, inevitably I was wishing it was earlier and I had longer to sleep. Either way looking at my watch caused me to have all these thoughts which woke me up and disturbed my rest. So I began to make it a habit to not worry about what time it was and just roll over and go back to sleep.

I'm fine camping alone in the woods - and I like the freedom that gives me to go take a trip whenever I want without having to coordinate with anyone.

I've done a little bit of night hiking - the most memorable up to Clingman's Dome in November by the light of a full moon. We left at 4 a.m. to be up on top by sunrise. We were early, and it was soooo cold! But the misty sun rising was pretty cool.

Odd Man Out
10-03-2012, 23:41
I had one of those weird nights camping when it was so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. Odd thoughts start running through you head keeping you from falling asleep. I was trying to come up with some way of proving that I hadn't gone blind and that it really was that dark. The obvious solution was to turn on my light which was hanging from the clip on the peak of the tent. But it was my first night out and I was so incredibly sore from hiking the day before, the act of sitting up to reach the light was going to cause excruciating pain. So I probably laid there for 30 minutes trying to decide which was worse - the pain of sitting up or not knowing if I was blind. I eventually sat up, turned on the light and found I could still see. Yes it was that dark and yes the pain was as bad as I had feared.

kayak karl
10-03-2012, 23:45
i usually hike and camp alone. the longest i went without seeing or talking to (saw some cars moving on highways) another human was 5 days-4 nights (mon-fri). wasn't that bad. kind of fun always being first prints in the snow, but weeks later i realized that was the longest i went without seeing or talking to another in my LIFE.

Theosus
10-04-2012, 07:03
I really prefer to be with others, especially someone who wants to push on. I find I take more breaks on my own, and maybe go slower. At night I really like to be with others. It's hard to sneak up on a bunch of people.

Old Hiker
10-04-2012, 07:43
I pretty much hiked alone and camped alone the 500 miles of my attempt. I slept near a few shelters and had to shelter stay through the Smokies, but I preferred to be alone. There's too much talking and carrying on for me to sleep well and I PREFER to hear what's "sneaking up" on me.

That being said: I did have one bad night: I heard a bear sniffing outside my tent and I couldn't decide which side of the tent it was on. Turned out to be my beard scratching against my sleeping bag as I frantically whipped my head back and forth!!

One great night at least: seeing the shadows of the mountain laurel leaves change against my tent wall from a full moon each time I woke up during the night. My camera wouldn't get the picture. Everytime the moon came out from behind a cloud, I'd wake up as if someone was shining a light on my tent and I'd have new pictures.

Haven't night-hiked, though. I was too tired at the end of the day to keep going and I worried enough about the blazes in the daytime, let alone at night!

OzJacko
10-04-2012, 07:48
I don't mind night hiking except for the issue of stumbling over wildlife. In warmer weather our snakes are active at night and I'm not keen on treading on one in the dark. Have done it in daylight which was scary enough. Initially thought being alone would be unnerving but when you actually do it it's cool. Camping alone is fine where you know you're alone. i.e. at the end of the day the only truly dangerous things out there walk on two legs... Man is a social animal and company gives a feeling of protection from other people more than anything else.

Not Sunshine
10-04-2012, 08:13
I just completed a 108-mile 7day/6night section solo. I saw and met a few cool people - 1 night I stayed at a shelter with a two-some of hiking buddies who were cool; another of those 6 nights, I camped with a couple of "lolligagger" hikers (they called themselves that!)...but other than those 2 nights, the other 4 nights I was completely alone.

It's nice not having to coordinate waking up/packing up/etc with another person - when I was awake, I either took my time making coffee or just packed up and hit the trail - and I didn't have to accommodate anyone else's preferences. I also didn't have to adjust my hiking speed for anyone else. That's always nice.

That said - I'm instinctively more of an extroverted person - so being alone in the woods without cellphone reception and/or anyone else to talk to but myself can get to be reaaaaally lonely. I do, at least. Sure all that solitude is refreshing to the soul, but it got to be a bit much for me.

The good news with thru hiking is there's always other people hiking in your vicinity. If you're ahead of them, you write them a note in the shelter log - of they're ahead of you, they're writing "where are you??" in the log. So while you could be alone all day, your chances of seeing someone in the evenings is decent. You shouldn't be 4 days all alone unless you're ahead of everyone or behind everyone.

Personally, 7 days was enough for me, for this trip. I honestly just missed home - I started daydreaming about my bed, fried eggs from the cast iron skillet, hot showers....luxuries that I take for granted daily.

If you're serious about thru-hiking, my advice would be to plan a 1-2 week trip/vacation. Plan out your resupply/town/hostel time - so you get that weekly shower...have your family/support meet you there to even help you shuttle your car to the end point so you can just walk to it. Seeing someone briefly in town who you love and then having to get back on the trail - that's HARD to do. It's hard to get back into the mindset of being alone. Another thing I recently experienced is how when you've resupplied you have CLEAN clothes and OH they feel so good!!! But you also have another heavy stock of food and that food is bloody heavy! Climbing up 2000' with a clean shirt didn't outweigh the emotions of carrying a newly weighted pack! In fact, I thought re-supply kind of sucked! I saw my boyfriend for a few hours and then I had to leave again! :-/

This was the first time I'd ever gone so far, so long and I was only gone 7 days! I had planned 8 or 9 but pushed myself just to get off the trail! I had always thought I could do a thru hike, but after this experience (which was a good one!), I don't think I'll ever attempt one. I missed home too much.

Karma13
10-04-2012, 08:26
I live alone and work alone (home office), so most days of the week, I don't see or talk to another soul. I'm actually afraid that my head's going to explode from too much social contact next March! I'm trying to build up to it. :D

Not Sunshine
10-04-2012, 08:33
I live alone and work alone (home office), so most days of the week, I don't see or talk to another soul. I'm actually afraid that my head's going to explode from too much social contact next March! I'm trying to build up to it. :D

If you're going NOBO that is definitely something of a real possibility! I hiked for a day with a guy named Weenail back in 2010 (he gave me my trail name) and when he was going NOBO that year, he said he got so tired of the crowds/drama that when he got to Damascus, he had his family take him to Harpers Ferry to get ahead of the crowds. He then hiked to ME, took a few weeks off before returning to Damascus and hiking VA NOBO in the fall.

I'm not a diehard purist when it comes to what a "true NOBO AT thru hike" is - I think his flip flopping definitely makes the cut for a "thru hike".

VA is beautiful in the fall, too! I think if I ever attempted a thru, I might do exactly what Weenail did.

OzJacko
10-04-2012, 08:39
I live alone and work alone (home office), so most days of the week, I don't see or talk to another soul. I'm actually afraid that my head's going to explode from too much social contact next March! I'm trying to build up to it. :D
No worries Karma.... we'll just duct tape it back together again.....maybe the trailname Humpty Dumpty might fit...:D

Karma13
10-04-2012, 08:54
LOL! Do you think 5 feet of duct tape will be enough? I'm counting grams.

OzJacko
10-04-2012, 08:56
LOL! Do you think 5 feet of duct tape will be enough? I'm counting grams.
We can pool our duct tape for such a serious need....

HikerMom58
10-04-2012, 09:45
You can be a gram weenie Karma13 ;)... you do know that the duct tape goes on your hiking poles, if you have one (or them). I just thought that was the coolest idea for "carrying" duct tape... right around the hiking poles... Now ,why didn't I think of that:confused:

Slo-go'en
10-04-2012, 09:45
I live alone and work alone (home office), so most days of the week, I don't see or talk to another soul. I'm actually afraid that my head's going to explode from too much social contact next March! I'm trying to build up to it. :D

I also live and work alone, but being alone in the woods can be a little spooky. It does take some getting used to, as initally it's a new and unknown enviorment.

Lyle
10-04-2012, 09:52
Only real concern about night hiking is finding the shelter turn-off if that is what you are looking for. Many shelters are poorly marked, and easy to miss at night. Other than that, not much of a problem for most of the AT. Blind folks manage to hike it after all.

Lyle
10-04-2012, 09:55
Will add, I heard the biggest, loudest, most threatening sounding deer ever when I was camped alone in the Shining Rock Wilderness in NC. Heart was racing for a few minutes that night. Never had heard a deer blat that loud or close before - probably scared him as much as he scared me and all I was doing was laying in my tent. :-)

hikerboy57
10-04-2012, 09:57
Only real concern about night hiking is finding the shelter turn-off if that is what you are looking for. Many shelters are poorly marked, and easy to miss at night. Other than that, not much of a problem for most of the AT. Blind folks manage to hike it after all.

are they now blazing the at in braille?

Kerosene
10-04-2012, 10:13
Will add, I heard the biggest, loudest, most threatening sounding deer ever when I was camped alone in the Shining Rock Wilderness in NC. Heart was racing for a few minutes that night. Never had heard a deer blat that loud or close before - probably scared him as much as he scared me and all I was doing was laying in my tent. :-)It's amazing the range of sounds that deer make in various situations.

Drybones
10-04-2012, 10:14
I prefer to hike alone but it's nice to speak with other folks in the evening or at breaks and get to know other hikers, met some great folks. As for night hiking, I normally only do it when I have to in order to reach a camp spot or avoid the heat. First two hours of daylight and the last two are the best times to hike.

Kerosene
10-04-2012, 10:21
I prefer to walk alone at my own pace, even when someone else is hiking a section with me. I've probably had half a dozen solo nights, and as mentioned before, earplugs eliminate those nagging little sounds that keep your mind racing. I do enjoy sharing a view or a meal with others, but I've done enough solo hiking that I'm comfortable being alone for long periods of time. On a truly remote trail (typically not the AT outside of winter) you assume more risk should you get injured, in which case you need to be prepared to take care of yourself.

I've only night-hiked 3 times, the first time with Hikerhead (end of a 23-mile first day heading north from Watauga Lake in late October 2008), which was fun, scary and enlightening. That same section hike I again ran out of daylight trying to get in 26 miles (don't try night-hiking when it's snowing...it's really hard to see with the snowflakes reflecting your headlamp light!). Most of the time, though, I prefer to have camp setup before dark. If you are hiking late into the evening, then realize that you're likely to disrupt a lot of people if you expect to find a spot in a shelter after hiker midnight (~9 pm).

Drybones
10-04-2012, 10:25
It's amazing the range of sounds that deer make in various situations.

You're right about deer, they can do some interesting things. I've been sitting at the base of a tree and had them come within 2-3 yards sniffing to make out what I was then start stomping the ground trying to get me to move so they could tell what I was. Had two stand on thier hind legs boxing underneath my tree stand one day. One of the most beautiful scenes for me was on Clinch Mt in VA, sitting in a tree, snow flakes the size of 1/2 dollars floating down, 4-5" of snow quickly, deer come from everywhere under my stand and a doe lays on her side and puts her head up underneath a large log getting a morsel to eat, came up with snow on her nose and face, wish I had camera instead of a bow.

jakedatc
10-04-2012, 14:15
I don't think night hiking is that useful on the E coast. Maybe down south when it's hot but remember that if you show up at a campsite or shelter after hiker midnight camp outside. Had some folks on the Long trail show up at 10-11pm and wake everyone up. Now, I had known them from the last few shelters and they were nice people so I wasn't "as" pissed but I was still a bit annoyed. I also "knew" them enough to tell them get their stuff set outside so they could just come inside and go to bed.

I don't mind hiking alone but i'd much rather camp with people. someone to talk to instead of sitting at a shelter being bored before bed.

hikerboy57
10-04-2012, 14:29
I solo hike all the time, dont have any problems at night, but night hiking still freaks me out when im alone. seeing red eyes in the woods makes my imagination go wild, even if it turns out to be just a squirrel.ive "seen" things once my imagination has kicked into gear.

RedRunnerJumper
10-04-2012, 16:50
Definitely done some night hiking in Boy Scouts (couple miles,to get to the campsite) but the camping solo will be a first for me, not too worried though, but surely will experience it at some point during my thru-hike next year.

Kernel
10-04-2012, 19:14
Thanks everyone for your insight. As I gather, the experience will vary from person to person. One of my biggest worry was: is there a bear on the trail around the next bend ?

In any case, before flying out to Georgia and having to fly back home after 5 days, I will probably attempt a week long trek (100-mile wilderness or something similar) to see if solo is my thing, as Not Sunshine suggested.

Many thanks to all,

kernel

SassyWindsor
10-04-2012, 22:57
Downside to night hiking: 1. footing on trails can be downright dangerous, even with the best of headlights. 2. Wildlife can become a problem. 3. Very limited scenery 4. Colder 5. Trail intersections can become easier to miss

Upside: 1. Cooler 2. Wildlife 3. mostly quite and secluded 4. view of stars and civilization lights

I rarely hike at night unless I'm trying to meet a deadline or it's just too hot during the day, but sleeping in the daytime heat is also tough.

Old Hiker
10-05-2012, 06:22
are they now blazing the at in braille?

Why not? The Feds have us putting Braille on the DRIVE-THROUGH WINDOWS at the banks.

hikerboy57
10-05-2012, 08:07
Why not? The Feds have us putting Braille on the DRIVE-THROUGH WINDOWS at the banks.

when they have movies with subtitles in braille, ill be impressed.

hikerboy57
10-05-2012, 08:13
Thanks everyone for your insight. As I gather, the experience will vary from person to person. One of my biggest worry was: is there a bear on the trail around the next bend ?

In any case, before flying out to Georgia and having to fly back home after 5 days, I will probably attempt a week long trek (100-mile wilderness or something similar) to see if solo is my thing, as Not Sunshine suggested.

Many thanks to all,

kernelthe hundred mile wilderness has treacherous footing in daylight, let alone nighttime, a never ending series of rocks,roots and bogbridges.id look to some easier stretch of trail for your first stretch of nighttime hiking.

Bronk
10-06-2012, 01:02
I don't think night hiking is that useful on the E coast. Maybe down south when it's hot but remember that if you show up at a campsite or shelter after hiker midnight camp outside. Had some folks on the Long trail show up at 10-11pm and wake everyone up. Now, I had known them from the last few shelters and they were nice people so I wasn't "as" pissed but I was still a bit annoyed. I also "knew" them enough to tell them get their stuff set outside so they could just come inside and go to bed.

I don't mind hiking alone but i'd much rather camp with people. someone to talk to instead of sitting at a shelter being bored before bed.


Just one more reason not to use shelters. One of the deciding factors in my choosing to avoid shelters was a group of 4 or 5 young guys who arrived at the shelter after the real midnight. They proceeded to rekindle the fire from the previous evening, which cast light into the shelter. They sat around talking loudly and excitedly for the next half an hour about how nobody was going to believe the fact that they had covered 52 miles in one day, and then one of them suggested that they needed to sign the register in order to document it. So they stomped around inside the shelter, stepping on and over people digging around to find the register. They finally left about the time everyone was wide awake.

oldbear
10-06-2012, 01:54
While I do enjoy the rituals , realities and solitude of solo hiking ( I once went 10 days in the Grand Canyon w/o seeing another person ) I think that the combination of solo hiking and night hiking are at cross purposes w/ each other
One of the basic lessons that all solo hikers quickly learn is that you can't screw up bc if you do the cavalry is not gonna come over the hill to rescue you ; you are the cavalry
Unless you're hiking the deserts under a full moon , hiking at night increases the chances of screwing up and as such should not be done unless you have to.

Hairbear
10-06-2012, 02:46
seems funny to me as im a cronic loner everything i do is alone.a little while back i went to a missouri hang in the ozarks ,it was the first time ive ever hiked with a group or camped with others.weirdest thing for me was i talked more to those people than i do the people that are in my life and around me all the time.(not counting my sons).weirdest part is im the type that is totally alone and hating it when im in a large group of people.ive even had people ask why are you way out here by yourself when they would come upon me in passing on horse back or group hiking.i even had a couple come up behind me while hiking,they were making so much dam noise i went to the side of the trail about 30 feet from the trail to let them pass so they could get away from me with their constant screaming conversations.when they passed i said nothing and they stopped right in front of me.they were there 5 minutes before they noticed me,it freaked them out and they left quickly.i could hear them talking down the trail she was saying there is something wrong with that guy hes weird lets get out of here,ironicly im the most passive person i know and would hurt noone in any way i can avoid .i dont hike much at night because it adds contollable risk to me without reason.

jakedatc
10-06-2012, 12:22
Just one more reason not to use shelters. One of the deciding factors in my choosing to avoid shelters was a group of 4 or 5 young guys who arrived at the shelter after the real midnight. They proceeded to rekindle the fire from the previous evening, which cast light into the shelter. They sat around talking loudly and excitedly for the next half an hour about how nobody was going to believe the fact that they had covered 52 miles in one day, and then one of them suggested that they needed to sign the register in order to document it. So they stomped around inside the shelter, stepping on and over people digging around to find the register. They finally left about the time everyone was wide awake.

Luckily the Long trail is not busy and there aren't that many folks out there so I stayed in my tent twice out of 16 nights and never had a problem. even the parts where the AT and LT are the same.. by that point the NOBO's are a) tired b) pretty respectful. The kids that came in that one night were quick about getting their food hung up and into bed.

WalksInDark
10-06-2012, 22:41
My trail name says it all.

I have done quite a bit of solo backpacking...and night hiking.

For me, the most important thing about hiking at night is to have a headlight which has lots of illumination settings...plus a red "night light" option. When I use the red night light while hiking in the dark...I see animals (mostly small, occasionally large) throughout my hike.

Big issue with night hiking, you are never going to see the toe stub-er rocks that you could see quite easily in the daylight. If you slow down a little, you can accommodate the "whoopsies" much better. Much more problematic problem with night hiking is if you get injured (been-there-done that, during a solo day hike I fell down hit my head after a whoopsie, lost consciousness for a few minutes and then woke up with a large laceration on my face and nose...plus blood running everywhere...then had 3 hour hike to get out of woods) while you are alone at night. Pretty much what you have to be prepared for is being able to do whatever first aid may be required; then be prepared to just lay in the middle of the trail until someone comes by....hopefully first thing the next morning.

Being afraid in the dark...and hearing "dangerous animals" everywhere? Happens on a regular basis but during multi-day outings becomes less of an issue.

Funny solo backpack story: I was supposed to meet up with some folks for a weekend trip. My problem began when I downloaded the trail head parking and general trail info. Next issue was "transmission trouble;" I had trouble getting my as* in gear and did not get on the trial until very late in the day. Arriving at the trail head parking area I was surprised that no one else was parked there. When I started my trek up the +3,000 elevation I was shocked by how poorly the trail was maintained. Within about 30 minutes of heading up the trail I was convinced something was not right, but I did not want to lose time by going back down the mountain and trying to figure out what was wrong.

After literally bushwhacking, swatting mosquitoes, and bleeding from multiple thorn bush injuries for a couple of hours, the sun started to set and I knew that I had to stop for the night. Luckily I am a hammock camper, so I was able to put up my hammock even though I was on a 30 degree slope. In complete darkness but wearing my headlight, I put my rear end on the side of the hammock and prepared to slip inside.

No sooner had my butte hit the nylon than there was an incredibly loud scream directly behind me! I nearly slid down the mountain side flying out of my hammock. Okay, feet on the ground...prepared to run....headlight now on its brightest setting, check, full scan of perimeter, check, nothing visible, so recheck perimeter...still nothing visible. Stand perfectly still and listen to my heart pound and me sucking air for all I am worth, check. Wait a few minutes while spinning around like a top, check.

Full scan of perimeter, check, nothing visible, so recheck perimeter...still nothing visible, take two: put my rear end on the side of the hammock and prepared to slip inside. Take two, no sooner had my butte hit the nylon than there were several incredibly loud screams somewhere behind me....A G A I N!

Nearly losing control of my bladder I began a R E A L L Y S L O W perimeter, check, nothing visible, so recheck perimeter...still nothing visible. Now I am beginning to get really scared.

Before I can make another move, I hear big movement in the pine tree behind me....and out drops this mega mother-sized great horned owl...and off he/she glides silently into the night.

It took me almost 5 minutes to stop laughing and, truth be told, get my heart rate and breathing back to normal!

Yep, solo backpacking brings its own adventures.

Papa D
10-07-2012, 21:40
I like both solo hiking and night hiking - - you learn a lot about yourself - - I've done both for a lot of my hiking life. Would I suggest this to a newbie - no - - but for someone that knows what they are doing and feels confident in their abilities and skill set, it's good to go. - - I've also done night rock climbs in the moonlight (not solo though) - that can be pretty spooky.

10-K
10-07-2012, 21:51
Almost always hike solo for convenience and because the way I hike would probably drive somebody nuts. .... "Ok.. we've been resting 5 minutes.. you ready to go yet????" :)

When we're off daylight savings time in the Winter I almost always hike into the "night" - around 8:00 or 9:00 PM and I'm usually on the trail before 6:00 AM.

Papa D
10-07-2012, 21:56
Almost always hike solo for convenience and because the way I hike would probably drive somebody nuts. .... "Ok.. we've been resting 5 minutes.. you ready to go yet????" :)

When we're off daylight savings time in the Winter I almost always hike into the "night" - around 8:00 or 9:00 PM and I'm usually on the trail before 6:00 AM.

10K - I'm doing the Art Loeb in a day on Thrursday - camping on Wednesday night and shuttling and camping Thursday night afterward - want to go? - - hope to be neither solo or night hiking but both are possible - - I'll be gone if you rest 5 - minutes :cool:

SpottedCow
10-09-2012, 22:01
Big issue with night hiking, you are never going to see the toe stub-er rocks that you could see quite easily in the daylight. If you slow down a little, you can accommodate the "whoopsies" much better.


This is true, but I have found that the combination of a headlamp and handheld flashlight works fairly well. I've run a lot of longer distance ultra marathons in the dark and am able to run over technical terrain with the right lights.