Night Walking

Carrigman said:

Now that the long nights are here I'm thinking of doing a hike

during

Quoted message said:

the hours of darkness, heading up a mountain at, say, 6pm and
planning to be back around 9 or 10pm

Methinks you might only try this once, until your broken leg gets
better, or until the mountain rescue find you after you have fallen
down a gully.
Regards
oldman

On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 18:58:13 -0000, "Carrigman" <carrigman@DEATHTO
SPAMMERShotmail.com> wrote:

| Now that the long nights are here I'm thinking of doing a hike during the
| hours of darkness, heading up a mountain at, say, 6pm and planning to be
| back around 9 or 10pm.
|
| The mountain I'm thinking of is very familiar to me.

And a route with which you are very familiar.

Go out on a practice walk, somewhere less difficult first.

| I've got a headtorch for illumination (if necessary... I'm planning on a
| clear night with a full moon) and a trusty Garmin eTrex in case of the
| unexpected, navigation wise.

| Anything I should bear in mind apart from the obvious (letting people know
| where I'm going, etc)?
|
| Is a full moon necessary as well as desirable or would the headtorch suffice
| if it's a clear night without a moon?
|
| All advice gratefully received!

Conserve your *natural* night vision, full moonlight, plus the sky glow
from the nearest town should be more use than a little head torch.
Even without moonlight there is a lot of light around. Keep the torch in
the rucksack for emergencies. If anyone shines a torch at you close one
eye to maintain your natural night vision in that eye.

Get away from cars, and roads, do *not* use the torch, wait 1/2 an hour in
the dark, you will be amazed what you can see.

--
Dave F

Moonlight really helps, but have your torch as backup. Make sure the
batteries aren't flat and just be careful basically!

And watch Blair Witch just before you go!

Lewis

Moonlight on snow, makes this a very enjoyable activity. Dont worry
about the knockers... you can see quite a bit at night in good
weather. Its not such an unusual activity, and in Scotland it is
almost compulsory if doing a long day in winter, ie you start and
finish in the the dark.

I have had a few nights in the Pentlands, and its quite normal to meet
other folk out walking/running/biking I

Have fun..

Richard Webb

"Carrigman" <carrigman@DEATHTO SPAMMERShotmail.com> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Now that the long nights are here I'm thinking of doing a hike during the
hours of darkness, heading up a mountain at, say, 6pm and planning to be
back around 9 or 10pm.

The mountain I'm thinking of is very familiar to me.

// snipped //

After dark operations can be terrific fun. Care is obviously required, and
there is reason for caution about night-time visits to places where one
might get mixed up with nasty crags. And one has to be mindful that there is
a greater risk of a slip or a twisted ankle.

Whilst acknowledging the risks, there is no doubt that it can be an exciting
experience. As OP has suggested, it is best to start in places that one
knows quite well. But GPS now makes night time navigation much easier. As a
general rule, walking after dark seems simpler in snow covered terrain as it
is much brighter.

If the terrain is rough, then quality of head-torch is important. There
might be reason to doubt the prudence of going on an extended night-time
walk in demanding mountain terrain with an 80 g minimalist head torch.

It is worth noting that there are other outdoors activities that are often
pursued after dark, including skiing, orienteering and running.

--
Alan Law

On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 18:58:13 -0000, "Carrigman" <carrigman@DEATHTO

SPAMMERShotmail.com said:

All advice gratefully received!

Go for it, it's great fun :-)
Depending on where your intended location is, it might be worth
letting the local mountain rescue know so they don't come out looking
for you! eg something like Bowfell is easily seen from Langdale and
someone well-meraning could see the torch and phone for help on your
behalf.

Many thanks, guys.

Am *definitely* going to do it now.

John,
Ireland

I Always take a bivy bag and sleeping bag with me then if the hill fog comes
down you can always wait until its light. Full moon clear skies = head torch
not needed. Hill fog plus head torch = no visibility.

Roy
"Simon Caldwell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 18:58:13 -0000, "Carrigman" <carrigman@DEATHTO

SPAMMERShotmail.com said:

All advice gratefully received!

Go for it, it's great fun :-)
Depending on where your intended location is, it might be worth
letting the local mountain rescue know so they don't come out looking
for you! eg something like Bowfell is easily seen from Langdale and
someone well-meraning could see the torch and phone for help on your
behalf.

[email hidden] said...

Quoted message said:

Carrigman said:

Now that the long nights are here I'm thinking of doing a hike

during

Quoted message said:

the hours of darkness, heading up a mountain at, say, 6pm and
planning to be back around 9 or 10pm

Methinks you might only try this once, until your broken leg gets
better, or until the mountain rescue find you after you have fallen
down a gully.

Eh? Why? Walking at night, especially in the light of a full
moon, is *lovely*!

--
"The day Microsoft makes something that doesn't suck is
probably the day that they start making vacuum cleaners."
--Doc in alt.privacy

Fran <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] said...

Quoted message said:

Carrigman said:

Now that the long nights are here I'm thinking of doing a hike

during

Quoted message said:

the hours of darkness, heading up a mountain at, say, 6pm and
planning to be back around 9 or 10pm

Methinks you might only try this once, until your broken leg gets
better, or until the mountain rescue find you after you have fallen
down a gully.

Eh? Why? Walking at night, especially in the light of a full
moon, is *lovely*!

You've been watching those old black and white movies again, haven't
you?
--
Gordon

Alan Law said:

If the terrain is rough, then quality of head-torch is important. There
might be reason to doubt the prudence of going on an extended night-time
walk in demanding mountain terrain with an 80 g minimalist head torch.

There's nothing wrong with using an LED headtorch. If anything the
lack of variation in the pool of light makes them ideal for rough
terrain. Where they fail is on being able to spot something a long way
away, for seeing what's under your feet they are fine.
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"

On Mon, 1 Nov 2004 00:29:08 +0000, Chris Street
<[email hidden]> wrote:

| It gets colder than you think. Take an extra layer and some munchies.

A flask of *hot* coffee is also a good idea. At night your body thinks it
should be asleep and tries to wind your brain down and lower your body
temperature.

--
Dave F

"Carrigman" <carrigman@DEATHTO SPAMMERShotmail.com> wrote

Quoted message said:

Now that the long nights are here I'm thinking of doing a hike during the
hours of darkness, heading up a mountain at, say, 6pm and planning to be
back around 9 or 10pm.

People's night vision varies quite a bit. We used to spend time running
about the woods in the dark as kids and I was always ending up in gorse
bushes where others didn't. Note which side of the hill the moon's going to
be shining on if there is one.

Carrigman' carrigman@DEATHTO SPAMMERShotmail.com said:

Now that the long nights are here I'm thinking of doing a hike during the
hours of darkness, heading up a mountain at, say, 6pm and planning to be
back around 9 or 10pm.

Quoted message said:

The mountain I'm thinking of is very familiar to me.

Quoted message said:

I've got a headtorch for illumination (if necessary... I'm planning on a
clear night with a full moon) and a trusty Garmin eTrex in case of the
unexpected, navigation wise.

Quoted message said:

Anything I should bear in mind apart from the obvious (letting people know
where I'm going, etc)?

Quoted message said:

Is a full moon necessary as well as desirable or would the headtorch suffice
if it's a clear night without a moon?

A head torch is fine for walking, esp the LED ones which have much
smoother beams. In fact they're too bright if you're hoping to keep
good night vision so you can use the available moon light. So you
might like also to have a dim red torch, which you could use to check
things out without spoiling night vision, which takes a long time
(several minutes?) to recover fully.

You might like to take a torch with a much longer beam to check out
something distant.

--
Chris Malcolm [email hidden] +44 (0)131 651 3445 DoD #205
IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
[http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

Fran said:

[email hidden] said...

Quoted message said:

Carrigman said:

Now that the long nights are here I'm thinking of doing a hike

during

Quoted message said:

the hours of darkness, heading up a mountain at, say, 6pm and
planning to be back around 9 or 10pm

Methinks you might only try this once, until your broken leg gets
better, or until the mountain rescue find you after you have fallen
down a gully.

Eh? Why? Walking at night, especially in the light of a full
moon, is *lovely*!

Oh you don't want to be walking on the moors at night, not 'round 'ere,
not when there's a full moon....

<sound effect in the background> Hoooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwllllllllll!

cue 'bad moon rising'........

--
Dave McLaughlin

[censored] Sapiens Non Urinat In Ventum

On Mon, 1 Nov 2004 09:43:41 +0000 (UTC), [email hidden] (Chris
Malcolm) wrote:

| You might like to take a torch with a much longer beam to check out
| something distant.

Like my 4 D size Maglight Hell of a beam, but kills night vision
instantly. You can't have everything.

--
Dave F

"Phil Cook" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Alan Law said:

If the terrain is rough, then quality of head-torch is important. There
might be reason to doubt the prudence of going on an extended night-time
walk in demanding mountain terrain with an 80 g minimalist head torch.

There's nothing wrong with using an LED headtorch. If anything the
lack of variation in the pool of light makes them ideal for rough
terrain. Where they fail is on being able to spot something a long way
away, for seeing what's under your feet they are fine.

1) I did not say that there was anything wrong with LED head torches, and
the new luxeon star models are very promising.

2) I specifically referred to demanding mountain terrain. If someone wants
to make night time ascents of Bidean nam Bian using an Aurora or Tikka
(about 80 g), then the best of luck to them.

--
Alan Law

Dave Mclaughlin <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

cue 'bad moon rising'........

Credence Clearwater Revival?
--
Gordon

Chris Malcolm <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

A head torch is fine for walking, esp the LED ones which have much
smoother beams. In fact they're too bright if you're hoping to keep
good night vision so you can use the available moon light. So you
might like also to have a dim red torch, which you could use to check
things out without spoiling night vision, which takes a long time
(several minutes?) to recover fully.

You might like to take a torch with a much longer beam to check out
something distant.

Like cat's eyes? But you also need the be able top judge how far
apart they are...... =8-(
--
Gordon