Night hiking and camping solo

[WalksInDark]

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]

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]

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]

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

[SpottedCow]

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.