Hiking at Night

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That reminds me of a funny circumstance. Did I tell you this one?​

I was directing DYC - a youth conference. Since the youth were up we/staff decided to take them on a night hike...err make that a morning hike because the time was about 1:30ish. We took what we thought was a well known trail near the conference centre and didn't think to take flashlights. After awhile Dave, a colleague, asked if I knew where we were. "No'" I said, "I thought you knew where we were." "No," in an exasperated voice we both said at the same instant, "We're lost!"

The group sensed that we didn't know where we were going either. ​

Anyway, we found ourselves at a paved road and congregated to decided which way to go. I didn't take any notice and neither did anyone else but we were adjacent to a rather large home set in the back of a long drive way. Like flashing stars in the midnight dark there were red lights all over the place. Red lights of several police cars. Instantly (as you might expect as youth leaders we were well trained for these eventualities) our hands went up over our heads.

"Who is responsible for this group", said a youngish police officer. "That would be me," I bashfully confessed. "You scared the hell out of the homeowner - he thought it was a home invasion!" "I really...we really are sorry, it wasn't our intention to frighten anyone - we lost our way," I said in the most humble and apologetic voice I could muster.

It all worked out but I was warned by Constable Beers of the Ancaster Police Detachment, "If it happens again..."

 

There is some time lapse here to keep the story down to a minimum. We will not even get into the discussion I had with the Bishop.

 

That would be my superior. (As in boss.)

 

Carry a big stick. I always have a walking stick. Not able to upload a pic, unfortunately, as it seems the file is too big for the server.

 

Actually - I don't hike at night - it is not recommended by the best in the field. Sometimes I have sauntered down a short trail but nothing serious. I use a hiking staff too @actadh.

 

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It seems to me that I recall doing something like that.

NOW CANOEING IN THE MOONLIGHT that's something different.

 

...more like this.

 

Thanks for the tips! Although I hardly ever hike at night, it great knowing these tips! Thanks again.

 

Another problem with night hiking involves animals. You have to look out for bears, snakes, and wolves. The worst might be snakes, because they're hidden in the grass and brush. Anyhow, the addition of artificial light is a help, but it's still tough to spot animals.

 

Night hiking is dangerous for a number of reasons, most of them you have listed them and debated them above. Animals can be a situation too, even if I have never had such an issue. The only time I did night hiking was from Azeitão to Serra da Arrábida (maybe 10 miles by night), it's an event that happens once per year. We go in groups of 10 and we are tied to each other with ropes and the guy at the front has a flashlight. It's a good experience, but we need to go with people who really know the ground in order no to get lost or injured.

 

From what I remember, I had experienced hiking at night only once. And it was not really night but after midnight. I was 12 and was a rookie in the community scouts who are high school students (I was the youngest). We left the city before midnight and had some sleep in the town near the campsite. We were wakened by the scoutmaster and started walking by 4 am. There were so many flashlights (torch) that made the hike a bit comfortable even if the pathways are so grassy. Our scoutmaster told us not to think of snakes and other predatory animals so we would not be afraid. The sun showed itself after 5:30 am so that was more than an hour of walk in the darkness. I’d say it is still more pleasant to hike in the daytime because you can see the beauty of nature around you.

 

I've learned over the years to know where I am AND to be clear about things like "predatory" animals, snakes, bears and the like. I know the habits of the creatures that inhabit my neck of the woods. I am familiar with animal behaviours, know how to avoid confrontations, reverence wildlife, respect the forest, and admire breathless beauty. There are humans out there who are incredibly ignorant about nature and wildlife and totally freak me out.

 

Yeah @Northern Dancer, if we don't know the nature and wildlife around us, we are better off not camping at night or any time of day, because we will put ourselves and those around us in danger. Camping is suppose to be fun, but it requires some knowledge or else we can mess it up.

 

@7update...one of the questions I ask myself, "Do I want to camp with this guy and have him be part of the company?" And then there have been times we have taken along a green horn deliberately. It's good for him and it's good for us. Strange as it sounds - I get a kick-out-of a guy who suddenly gets enthusiastically excited about discovering canoe/camping or an outdoor skill for the first time.

Experienced or not - the qualifications always remains the same -

"Do you have a good sense of humour that can be counted on?"
"Do you have a yearning for a life style that is different?"
"Can you make perked coffee,
because you will be on for the first breakfast."
It's a good start don't you think?.​

 

This is one where you really have to have a good sense of where you are and what you are doing, and just take those extra precautions. It is more exciting though, and I would say that some of my favorite memories have been at night.