There is a growing trend towards hiking in the evening—something that can be an enchanting experience
Writer Lilia Menconi, whose brief essay on the subject was published recently in The New York Times, is an aficionado of night hiking in part because she lives in Phoenix, Arizona, where summer temperatures soar. But that doesn’t prevent her from being an authority on the dos and don’ts of night hiking whatever the weather.
Her first principles of night hiking are:
- Trek after hours only on trails you know well.
- Choose wide, easy-to-navigate paths.
- Let someone else know where you’re going and when you plan to be back.
- Walk/hike with at least one other person.
- If you feel unsafe being out at night, go with a larger group.
Adds Ms. Menconi: “Check the weather forecast; you don’t want to get caught… in a storm. Always carry a headlamp, a backup flashlight and extra batteries. The light on your phone will do in a pinch, but it’s best to have your hands free in case you fall.”
All solid, if fairly obvious, advice.
“If you pass other hikers, cover your headlamp so as not to hurt their eyes. Some evenings your vision will adjust and you won’t need a light at all. Full-moon hikes are absolutely stunning,” Ms. Menconi observes.
Lilia Menconi’s advice on night hiking – especially night hiking in winter – was further expanded upon by Linzay Davis, a communications professional with the online platform Hike It Baby.
Ms Davis observes:
“Winter can be tough for people like us who love the outdoors. When the sun sets early and temperatures plunge, it can be tempting to cuddle up inside by the fire rather than bundle up for an outdoor adventure. But the shorter days and longer nights of winter do offer something that warmer, longer days don’t: night hikes. Since the sun starts to dip behind the horizon well before bedtime during the winter, a night hike could be the perfect way to spend the evening.”
6 More Night Hike Tips
As with Lilia Menconi, the tips for night hiking offered by Ms. Davis are studiously practical and safety oriented:
- Time your hike just right. Make sure you time your hike so that when you hike out, it’s light; and when you hike back, it’s dark. This way you’ll get to know the trail on your way out. Bonus if you catch the sunset at a lookout.
- Bring extra layers. As the sun goes down, so do temperatures, so make sure you’re prepared. It’s better if your layers have reflective elements. Dress for the weather.
- Pack (a few) lights. Make sure the batteries used in your flashlight(s) or headlamp are charged before you hit the trail, so you don’t have to worry about batteries going kaput halfway into your hike. Glow sticks won’t exactly help you find the trail, but they definitely can make the hike more fun.
- Keep an extra close eye out. You never know what you might see, especially the nighttime critters.
- Choose a trail you know well. Exploring new trails by daylight can be fun, but to make sure you don’t take any wrong turns, stick to trails you are familiar with when hiking by moonlight.
- Bring a compass – most iPhones have one built in. (Check under extras: utilities)
Hiking Is for Everyone
Young or old, thirty-something-year-old professional or pre-retiree or retiree, hiking is for everyone. Hiking equipment is relatively inexpensive and easy to find. And hiking is, or ought to be, pleasantly social. It’s a great way to meet people and stay in shape. Night hiking simply adds an often-overlooked variation on a well-established pursuit. And while you’re out, don’t forget to stop once in a while and do a little star gazing! You never know what you’ll see.
BC Bonus:
If you live out in the Vancouver area and you’re looking for a fun night out hiking, why not get the family together or a few friends and participate in a Vallea Lumina night hike experience in Whistler, BC. It looks like a lot of fun.