Hiking (Backpacking) by Moon light

[woodstrider]

Have you ever done it? Where and when?

Last week I went for a night hike in Harriman State Park. I had hiked all the way up to Pine Meadow Lake before I realized that I never got out my flashlight.

I have hiked- by choice- by moonlight in the 'Daks and the Catskills but no matter where I do this it is always a special hike.

 

[brianW]

Done a lot of local hikes by moon light (Monadnock, Gap, Watatic, Wachusett) and have enjoyed them all. Going solo makes it a little "creepy" though.

I really like catching a sunset and then waiting an hour or 2 then head down in the moonlight. One of my favorite hikes a few years ago on July 3rd where we hiked up Monadnock for sunset, made some cheese fondue, watched fireworks from distant towns and hiked down with a full moon.

I'll be leading a youth group on a full moon hike in May there also. The kids are very excited.

 

[Jay H]

Hiking out in moon light is great, even better with the snow on the ground.

Adding devil horns is just gravy.

Jay

 

[TheChez]

Garfield from Garfield Ridge lean-to is an easy night hike.

 

[una_dogger]

moonlight strolls

Yup. I love it. I walked in in the woods behind my old house every night by headlamp for a few miles. Everything takes on a new face in the night.

My first moonlight stroll was over Moody Mntn southbound on the Maine AT.

Sure was purty.

 

[SAR-EMT40]

Many times in the army. Most dangerous time to run a patrol. Many more times in the mountains. Especially since I can't get up here until 11PM or later when I drive up friday night and walk in for a weekend of camping. Have always loved hiking by just moonlight.

Keith

 

[Lawn Sale]

I love hiking by moonlight and have done it many times. Other than a lot in the Army, I've never hiked into Tucks during daylight due to the long drive, and also never when the ground wasn't covered in snow. When the light was right we turned off the headlamps. I've also hiked a few others, but after while they blend together. Basically if the headlamp isn't needed, then it's off. You'll be surprised at how much your eyes will adjust to the natural lighting.

Moody mountain at night? Are you nutz? The southbound side of that mountain was by far the hardest I've seen on a trail.

 

[blacknblue]

Hiking at night is incredible! I've done it numerous times, from taking a midnight hike with friends to a bald summit, or just getting a pre-dawn start on a hike.
Solo, nighttime hikes with snow on the ground is absolutely sublime - especially above treeline with a full moon!

 

[Doodles]

I have hiked under the moon several times on the AT, provided the trail was mostly rock free.

During the hot summer months hiking under the moon lets you beat the heat of the noonday sun.

During the cold months, a full moon over a blanket of snow is the most peacefull hike you can take.

 

[woodstrider]

Hey BrianW- So what greeps you out about going solo by moonlight? Afraid that the boogey man will get you?

I love hiking by moonlight solo- you really have to have a certain amount of confidence in yourself in order to do so- and no one will accidently shine a flashlight into your eyes thereby diminshing the ability of your dark-adapted eyes to see in the dark.

Also-I have never felt more in tune with the natural world or more at peace with myself then when I have hiked at night and especially by moonlight. I can let go of my self as a modern american and feel the human animal take over. And, she says thank you for taking me home. I suppose those of you with army experience may have a different take on it.

 

[Gris]

I've done a lot of night hiking, but not much in the mountains. One jaunt particularly stands out. One fine night a couple of Junes ago SherpaK and I set out to do a full moon traverse of Franconia Ridge. But, Gris Gris had way too big a night (and morning) before... We heaed up Falling Waters late afternoon receiving many strange looks from the few who descended past us. Anyhoo, by the time we came out on top at Little Haystack I was cramping real bad. So, after an hour of VFTT we headed back down, just as the sun set. But for a few toe against rock flying leaps, everything was fine until we got to the falls and the slabby section where you cross back and forth. Hey! all of a sudden there was no trail... And, the blazes were few and far between. In fact they had disappeared. It was pitch dark and misty from the falls to boot. Was kinda dangerous, yet exciting, walking back and forth across the top of the falls in pitch black (the moon was on the other side of F. Ridge). I recall a couple of "Whoaa, it's definitely not ttthis way"-s. After a few tense moments of total "lostdom" I quipped that it "has to be this way" (over SK's objection), my reasoning being "I just feel it!" Lucky for me I soon spotted a blaze on the far bank, which shut SK up (momentarily...). Soon we were down, beers were drunk and happy banter ensued. Funny how those tense awkward moments of high anxiety seem so cool and sublime after you survive them!

Another fun "night hike" was the time last May that Sherp (huddled against a rock mid-stream) grabbed me as I floated by down the Wild River in a lightning storm about 1:00 a.m...

 

[jrichard]

need an open area

I hiked some of the open trails by moonlight/starlight when I hiked the Cohos trail. As some have noted, my advantage is that I don't get headlamp tunnel vision. The disadvantage is that I need to hike on an open trail to actually use the moonlight.

I used to run by moonlight (no street lights around here). It's actually quite nice but it's very hard to see the black ice.

A full moon with snow on the ground is indeed very bright.

 

[woodstrider]

This is a great time of the year to hike by moon light as (at least up here in the North) the leaves are not fully out. After the fall leaves are down and all winter are great times too for the same reason.

In the summer it gets harder to hike by moon light as it can get pretty dark under the tree canopy, but I still like it as the black flies are not active at night (though the skeeters are) and I love that a whole new subset of animals come out at night, like frogs. The world sounds and smells differently at night. After the heat of the day, the earth exhales a cool moist breathe.

 

[kerry13]

One of my favorite hikes a few years ago on July 3rd where we hiked up Monadnock for sunset, made some cheese fondue, watched fireworks from distant towns and hiked down with a full moon.

Brian,

Hope you had a nice winter. We should get together for a day up north.

What a great idea for the fourth fireworks viewing. As the 4th approaches we should see if any VFTT Mass, S NH folks would be interested in viewing fireworks from the top of Monadnock. I suspect there is no problem with the Rangers? Food for thought anyway.