Alone in the dark...
- Thread starter Jay H
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Tim Seaver
Well-known member
Pete_Hickey said:
Sounds familiar!
First night in Big Bend National Park.
Book Choice: "Posionous Dwellers of the Desert"
Not recommended!
Guinness
Active member
Interesting thread....I stay in lean-tos solo a lot, mostly in winter. Due to my long drive I would hike in late at night and just crash. Two eventful nights I was the object of fascination for little rodents. Back at Wardbrook, the fearless creatures would burrow under my sleeping bag, jump on top and even when I threw something at them, they did not leave. Made for a long night.
Another time at Avalanche #2, I could hear a mouse scratching the outside of my sleeping bag right next to my ear. Then the little S%#t ran across my face. That made me turn around. I’ve had martins and porcupines and even a Pete Hickey enter the lean-to after dark. Probably more that I don’t even know about.
Otherwise I love lean-tos and plan on being in them for years to come.
Another time at Avalanche #2, I could hear a mouse scratching the outside of my sleeping bag right next to my ear. Then the little S%#t ran across my face. That made me turn around. I’ve had martins and porcupines and even a Pete Hickey enter the lean-to after dark. Probably more that I don’t even know about.
Otherwise I love lean-tos and plan on being in them for years to come.
CrisisBill
Member
About 15 years ago I was spending a winter night in the Terrace Mt lean-tos in the middle of the night I felt a little nibble and warm breath in my ear. In my slumbered state I started thinking that my partner was getting a little amorous, till I came to my senses and remembered I was camping solo! I very slowly turned away from my late night lover and reached for my flashlight, when I turned to shine my light on my visitor I came face to face with a very large skunk; he / she turned and left without leaving me any perfume.
After it was gone I had a craving for a cigarette, and I don’t even smoke!
I much prefer sleeping in tents these days.
After it was gone I had a craving for a cigarette, and I don’t even smoke!
I much prefer sleeping in tents these days.
Lawn Sale
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That's why I sometimes carry the Bug Bivy in the winter, and I have had mice scamper up and over the top of it numerous times.
The woods don't scare me, but once a few years ago I had the feeling I was being watched while solo hiking a section of the AT. The night in the shelter was uneasy and what little sleep I did get was very restless. I never did see anyone/anything though, just had the 'feeling'.
The first night anywhere is usually a restless night for me, even if it's in a hotel. I also usually only sleep about 4 hours a night at home as I cannot get to sleep, no matter how tired I may be when I go to bed. It's usually more than I seem to need, as even the cycling, running, and working out I've been doing all summer hasn't increased the amount of time I need.
While on the 100 Mile Wilderness this August, I had to take sleeping pills to get more than 4 hours of sleep each night. I just couldn't sleep more despite hiking all day with a 45 pound pack. Most of the time in the winter I'll get 2 to 3 hours of sleep, then drive 3+ hours to the Whites, hike all day, and then drive home. I've been like this for about 4 years now, and I think it started with the divorce and never went away for some reason. It doesn't seem to have any negative side effects, but on the converse, sleeping more than 8 hours messes me up for the whole day.
The woods don't scare me, but once a few years ago I had the feeling I was being watched while solo hiking a section of the AT. The night in the shelter was uneasy and what little sleep I did get was very restless. I never did see anyone/anything though, just had the 'feeling'.
The first night anywhere is usually a restless night for me, even if it's in a hotel. I also usually only sleep about 4 hours a night at home as I cannot get to sleep, no matter how tired I may be when I go to bed. It's usually more than I seem to need, as even the cycling, running, and working out I've been doing all summer hasn't increased the amount of time I need.
While on the 100 Mile Wilderness this August, I had to take sleeping pills to get more than 4 hours of sleep each night. I just couldn't sleep more despite hiking all day with a 45 pound pack. Most of the time in the winter I'll get 2 to 3 hours of sleep, then drive 3+ hours to the Whites, hike all day, and then drive home. I've been like this for about 4 years now, and I think it started with the divorce and never went away for some reason. It doesn't seem to have any negative side effects, but on the converse, sleeping more than 8 hours messes me up for the whole day.
sierra
Well-known member
scary
I had just moved to San francisco and headed straight for the Sierra's. I drove up to the base of White Mtn peak ( you can drive to 12,000ft) and set up camp. Looking out my tent window as dusk fell, I saw a flash of movement, I saw it again. I found my knife as I had no gun at the time and took a watchfull eye into the night. The movement became closer and closer, I had heard that mountain lions had been seen in the area so I was, well, nervous. I decided the best defense was a good offense, heck Im a mountain man, Im going down fighting. I grabbed my headlamp (halogen) and burst into the night my fixed blade at the ready, when I shined my light, I was surrounded by huge rabbits everywhere, there must have been 30 or so, all around my tent bounding back and forth. I dont know if I felt more of relief or more like a fool.
I had just moved to San francisco and headed straight for the Sierra's. I drove up to the base of White Mtn peak ( you can drive to 12,000ft) and set up camp. Looking out my tent window as dusk fell, I saw a flash of movement, I saw it again. I found my knife as I had no gun at the time and took a watchfull eye into the night. The movement became closer and closer, I had heard that mountain lions had been seen in the area so I was, well, nervous. I decided the best defense was a good offense, heck Im a mountain man, Im going down fighting. I grabbed my headlamp (halogen) and burst into the night my fixed blade at the ready, when I shined my light, I was surrounded by huge rabbits everywhere, there must have been 30 or so, all around my tent bounding back and forth. I dont know if I felt more of relief or more like a fool.
woodstrider
New member
Why I avoid Leantos-
Especially when I am alone
Leanto mice
people who show up at 2 am/ nutty people
hanta virus
hard woods floors
smelly leanto ordours
nasty grafitti
Why I like leantos
great shelter
getting my ass off the wet/ snow covered ground
A sheltered place to cook a meal
great cover to bird watch
amusing leanto registers to read
interesting people sometimes showup
Especially when I am alone
Leanto mice
people who show up at 2 am/ nutty people
hanta virus
hard woods floors
smelly leanto ordours
nasty grafitti
Why I like leantos
great shelter
getting my ass off the wet/ snow covered ground
A sheltered place to cook a meal
great cover to bird watch
amusing leanto registers to read
interesting people sometimes showup
critter
New member
A few years back I was doing a 30+ mile trip in two days so I was traveling light. When I stopped to bed down for the night I laid a cheap poncho down to lay on and covered with a fleece sleeping bag. Sometime during the night I woke slightly out of my light sleep and heard the sound of something moving around pretty close to me. The more I listened the louder it seemed to get. I thought I was a goner for sure. After I listened for a while I got up the nerve to pick up my head and look and see what was there. When I picked up my head the sounds were gone. I looked around with my flashlight and saw nothing. I laid my head back down and I instantly heard it again, and than it dawned on me. The huge ferocious beast I had been hearing was my ear moving around on the poncho, and with it being so close to my ear it sounded pretty loud. After the realization I breathed a sigh of relief and than had a quick laugh before I fell back to sleep.
On another trip I was with a friend of mine and we were staying at he Bradley Pond lean-to. I know this a about solo trips but I have to tell this one. We had went to sleep and in the middle of the night I woke up to two or three big bangs. They were really loud and again I had lost all hope to survive. I said "Matt did you hear that?" and he replied "yeah there's something in the lean-to with us!" Just than my heart began to race a whole lot more. Than I picked up my head and did not see anything. Than he says "I heard it moving around so I pounded the floor with my feet as hard as I could". Maybe sometimes having someone with you can cause more freaky feelings than being alone, I know my wife makes me think of things when she gets scared and starts asking about things that may be lurking just outside the tent.
On another trip I was with a friend of mine and we were staying at he Bradley Pond lean-to. I know this a about solo trips but I have to tell this one. We had went to sleep and in the middle of the night I woke up to two or three big bangs. They were really loud and again I had lost all hope to survive. I said "Matt did you hear that?" and he replied "yeah there's something in the lean-to with us!"
Just than my heart began to race a whole lot more. Than I picked up my head and did not see anything. Than he says "I heard it moving around so I pounded the floor with my feet as hard as I could". Maybe sometimes having someone with you can cause more freaky feelings than being alone, I know my wife makes me think of things when she gets scared and starts asking about things that may be lurking just outside the tent.Strange Noises in the Pemi...
Last spring while camping in the Pemi with my wife near the intersection of the Wilderness and Thoreau Falls Trail we had just finished cooking dinner after dark when we heard what sounded like "thunder". It was a crescendoing rumble followed by a bang. This continued to go on for about an hour. We convinced ourselves it was thunder or fire works in Lincoln. After the trip we searched for events in Lincoln with fireworks and found none. And we also looked at the previous days weather reports for thunderstorms any where near the Whites and found none.
Could it be that these were the railway sounds of a long gone logging camp? I'm interested to see if anyone else has had similiar experiences?
Last spring while camping in the Pemi with my wife near the intersection of the Wilderness and Thoreau Falls Trail we had just finished cooking dinner after dark when we heard what sounded like "thunder". It was a crescendoing rumble followed by a bang. This continued to go on for about an hour. We convinced ourselves it was thunder or fire works in Lincoln. After the trip we searched for events in Lincoln with fireworks and found none. And we also looked at the previous days weather reports for thunderstorms any where near the Whites and found none.
Could it be that these were the railway sounds of a long gone logging camp? I'm interested to see if anyone else has had similiar experiences?
Last edited:
cbcbd
Well-known member
Not that same experience, BUT while hiking the loop one day last year I came out of the Bondcliff trail onto the Wilderness Trail and I swear I saw a ~6' man in all black walking away from me about 50 ft up the trail. I looked down for a few seconds and when I looked up again he was gone.prana78 said:
