Night Hiking or Backpacking

[SuperstitionGuy]

Arizona heat often requires HAZ users to hit the trail at night or in the predawn hours of the morning. As there is no Article or Thread on this subject please share with us your experiences. The good and the bad, recommended trails and why, what you do and don't do and what you believe inexperienced night hikers need to know. I will review, assemble, plagiarize :whistle: and put all this information into a HAZ Article for future users of HAZ. Include information that you may have already posted elsewhere or what others may have posted (just give them the credit, please). Looking forward to your input. Let's help each other and the newbies to Arizona night hiking and thanks to all that will be contributing. Let's keep this thread going also as you discover new methods to make this night time travel more interesting and safe.

[Jeffshadows]

Like spelunking, be prepared with extra light or batteries if you are in need of light or on an unfamiliar trail. My batteries died on my last night hike and I would have been in some trouble if I hadn't have been hiking with somebody else. Even so, it was a challenge.

I've also made a few wrong turns at night that would have been very easy to see during the day. So I prefer to hike on trails that I've been on before, or on very-well traveled trails where route-finding is not a problem in the dark.

I prefer to hike with no light, but as Joe pointed out, there are times where it is just too dark for my eyes to adjust. Then I will sometimes hike with a red light to avoid the harshness of white light.

One thing I've always done is carry chemical "snap lights"...if you tie one to a short length of cord and hang it from your belt it usually does an awesome job of lighting up the trail without knocking out your night vision...

[chumley]

So the question is, what is the best way to evaluate stream crossings in the middle of the night and safely cross?

I had never thought about that. I don't really like water at night. Its a weird phobia I think. I'll swim under a full moon (cliff jumping at Saguaro Lake, the ocean at Rocky Point both come to mind), but if it's truly dark, there's something unsettling to me about unknown water. Maybe it's my fear of the abundant Apache Piranha?

Seriously, there's the Man v. Wild technique of tying a rock to a string and throwing it in to see how far it sinks. But that only gives you depth in one spot. Perhaps a chemical light stick under water if its clear enough? Good for fishing too!

Or you could hike in those kids sneakers that have flashing lights with every step. That would surely complement your nighttime wilderness experience. ;)

[PaleoRob]

Or you could hike in those kids sneakers that have flashing lights with every step. That would surely complement your nighttime wilderness experience. ;)

Better yet, hike with kids and send them in first. If one gets washed away, its probably too deep there, so send in another kid at another spot. Repeat until appropriate crossing is found or you run out of children...

[te_wa]

ive night hiked a few times. doing the Maz. divide trail under a full moon is spookey, bears bears everywheres.
road walking is a good way to stay found. I did the cabin loop and when nightfall came, used 139 and 300 to return to Gen. Springs cabin.
one dude in a truck insisted that I needed help, its funny to see how others react when they dont know what to expect (what are you doing out here at night? are you crazy? are you serious?) I finally had to tell him at least 3 times that im hiking, its what I do, and I dont need a ride. sheesh.
doing a night hike without a headlamp can be done on familiar trails, I wouldnt try it out of my comfort zone. But then whats the worst that can happen? wait till morning and hike out. no big deal (right? )

[Sun_Ray]

Totally agree with those who have stated it's best to be on trail you are familiar with or a wide 'can't miss it' type of trail.

On a resent night hike of 6 miles both my wife and I noticed, that night while lying in bed, our feet, ankles and shins were sore from the hike. A six miler is not a big deal to us and we got to thinking the only thing different was the visibility. We wondered if our depth perception was off a little bit causing a different foot plant. We did not notice it hiking but were unusually sore from that night hike.

[snakemarks]

In response to Sun Ray:
"We wondered if our depth perception was off a little bit causing a different foot plant. We did not notice it hiking but were unusually sore from that night hike."

Yes, that would do it, allright... especially for those of us (a-hem) over 40! You bring up a good point.

[nobert15]

Peralta Canyon during monsoon season. Position yourself so you'll be on Fremont Saddle before sunrise. Eat breakfast and enjoy!

[te_wa]

Position yourself so you'll be on Fremont Saddle

yeah, thats a good one. Hoffmaster and his fiancee, Eseraglio showed me the way up there to the lone Pinon tree overlooking Pauline Weaver's needle. Nice thing to see when you wake up. We took the cave trail back to the lot.

[SuperstitionGuy]

For some reason the rule of snakes being out predominately at dusk/dawn is hobble wash during monsoon season. Once on a late night sojourn to Black Top Mesa in August following an evening storm we witnessed more active snakes along First Water than seemed feasible. With cloud cover blocking the starlight and a new moon in cycle it was as pitch dark as I ever recall. In those conditions several reliable light sources are your only hope.

Well, it is monsoon season and if your going to hike amongst the snakes what experience have you all had with snake proof gaiters, if any? My SAR buddys in Utah wear them all the time but those in Arizona don't? Don't understand that, given the greater chance of snake bites in the Superstitions?

Did an internet search on night hiking and discovered a number of sites that cover the subject. Found a lengthy article on the need for vitamin A to keep your night vision working. Interesting read. Had a female assistant Scoutmaster once that couldn't see a thing at night. We had to lead her by the hand wherever we went. Caused a lot of rumors at Camp Geronimo when the other adults saw our Scoutmaster and male assistant Scoutmasters walking hand in hand with her every night!
:bigth:

[joebartels]

I stepped on one at night and survived. Like the ones you see out in hundred degree heat I believe they're less aggressive.
http://hikearizona.com/TLOG-PF.php?NV=366

Still wonder what the minimum amount of light is the threshold for humans. I'm sure certain things can improve your chances just don't go thinking carrots will do the trick.

While carrots are a good source of vitamin A (which is important for healthy eyesight, skin, growth, and resisting infection), eating them won't improve vision. The purported link between carrots and markedly acute vision is a matter of lore, not of science. And it's lore of the deliberately manufactured type.

In World War II, Britain's air ministry spread the word that a diet of these vegetables helped pilots see Nazi bombers attacking at night. That was a lie intended to cover the real matter of what was underpinning the Royal Air Force's successes: Airborne Interception Radar, also known as AI. The secret new system pinpointed some enemy bombers before they reached the English Channel.

British Intelligence didn't want the Germans to find out about the superior new technology helping protect the nation, so they created a rumor to afford a somewhat plausible-sounding explanation for the sudden increase in bombers being shot down. News stories began appearing in the British press about extraordinary personnel manning the defenses, including Flight Lieutenant John Cunningham, an RAF pilot dubbed "Cats Eyes" on the basis of his exceptional night vision that allowed him to spot his prey in the dark. Cunningham's abilities were chalked up to his love of carrots. Further stories claimed RAF pilots were being fed goodly amounts of this root vegetable...

[PaleoRob]

Neat info there Joe!

[Nighthiker]

No problems with feet or legs from nighthiking. I use different types of artifical light sources including LED and the chemical sticks. I have a red light and use it and I also have some red wrap that I can cover up my lens. I also take a black light out into the desert a check for scorpions. Water crossing its not how deep but how swift, just be prepared if you need to cross. I do not do places at night where you have to d a lot of wading/swiming. No problems night navigation, may use a compass, GPS or terrain landmarks.

[SuperstitionGuy]

Batteries, batteries, which is best? Size, type, recharable etc. Stopped at a SuperWalmart today to look over the selection of small flashlights and headlamps and which batteries they used. Lot more devices that now use AAA batteries than in the past. Many of the lights were to heavy for backpacking but now there are many more options than in past years. Colored lenses that are built in (twist the end cap), snap on or with headlamps built in red leds. Whats your experience with the more recent devices and what about using recharable batteries?

What are the pro's and con's. And can you really use the same type and size batteries in your choice of electronic devices to help save some pack weight? Such as in your headlamps, flashlights, GPS, camera, and for Preston your portable DVD Player ;) .......

[Jeffshadows]

I've personally moved everything over to AA and now have a small solar charger available. The car-sized one charges a lot faster...