When I’m not climbing higher mountains, I’m fortunate enough to have a 3300-ft mountain just three miles away, which I climb almost every day. It’s a typical Arizona mountain, steep rocky trail with loads of beautiful cactus and trees. While not really big, it does have a 1200-ft vertical rise in 1.2 miles, so is a good workout.
I’ve done it so often, feel as though could do it with my eyes closed, but refrained from that. I have often thought, however, that it would be great to climb during a full moon.
Finally, a few of us did it last night with the moon almsot full. I took a flashlight, but did not need it, as it was bright enough to cast strong shadows of the cacti. What was extraordinary were the city lights all around us and the distant city lights of Phoenix. It was absolutely beautiful.
You’re a lucky guy, Geoff. Used to have access to Flattop which I’d climb once or twice a week prepping for Mount Marathon in Seward July 4ths. I’m envious!
Hang-gliding under the full moon is reputed to be great. Of course since this is strictly against FAA regulations, I have no first hand knowlage as far as anyone knows.
I did much the same thing in my attempt to hike Longs Peak this summer. (I didn’t get to the top, btw, but I did make it to the Keyhole after hiking >6 miles and >4000 ft upward.)
In order to hike in one day you need to start at around 3 am in order to be off the peak by noon, when the summer storms hit the peak.
I too had a flashlight with me, but the feel of the fresh night mountain air hitting me and whistling amongst low-lying, windswept pines with no flashlight just felt extremely adventurous. Plus, I could see all around me, as opposed to when I had my flashlight on when I could only see the next 10 feet ahead of me. Unless I was coming to a very precarious point that needed examination it was just as safe since I could see all obstacles in my way* and plan ahead further than the next 10 feet.
Lest I be I accused of being hokey will not mention that it felt like I was in a Gothic Romance as a vampire or werewolf or its hunters, or that the long trail of hikers behind me with their flashlights looked like the Elves going on their last journey to the West.
Too low for Flagstaff, too high for Phoenix. Are you in Sedona, Geoff?
I’ve been doing Camelback at least once a week for awhile now to get ready for an Appalachian Trail hike next year. It’s great; a perfect mix of soft rises and scrambles with a couple of flat spots thrown in. I’ve done Squaw Peak too, but it’s kind of boring - it’s like walking up stairs for 45 minutes and then turning around and walking back down.
I did Old Rag in Virginia as a night climb, once. It was a full moon, so lights weren’t really needed. Quite a beautiful thing to do; I recommend it to anyone.
This past summer some friends and I hiked up Mt. Bierstadt (14,060 ft) here in Colorado before sunrise to witness the sun rising from the top of the mountain. It was quite breathtaking!
Henry Coe State Park south of San Jose is a fantastic place for a full moon nighthike. One of the main trails is an access/fire road that sticks to the main ridge. You can hike out to see the sunset, and enjoy the glow of moonlight of the hillsides on the way back. If you’re lucky, you’ll encounter glow worms or maybe some decent-size toads along the way.
The campground sits atop a hill with a panoramic view of rolling hills. Jackrabbits, deer, coyotes, raccoons, skunks and feral pigs (scary but harmless) frequent the area, making for great wildlife viewing. And in the morning, there are about a dozen different birdsongs to wake up to.
Full moons are also prime time to hike sand dunes–right before sunrise is the perfect time. Just last year, I hiked up to the top of the main dune at Great Sand Dunes National Monument…had the place to myself. Marvelous.
When I was in college I hiked up Camel’s Hump with a couple friends in February, at night, under a full moon. We all had lights, but we rarely used them. The moon reflected off the snow enough that we could see everything we needed to. It was about -20F at the summit and the wind was blowing a constant 40mph or so. That hike is probably my favorite memory from college - there’s nothing like having a mountain to yourself in the middle of winter.
I’ve climbed Ngauruhoe(other pics) at night a couple of times up to the saddle that you see between the two mountains. It’s a great moonlight hike – starting at about midnight and getting up to an elevation of 1600 metres a coule of hours later. One trip we considered going to the top (2200 metres) but decided to leave it til the following day. It was mid winter and there was a lot of snow. Temp was down around -10 degrees C (14F), but it was a beautiful clear and still night. The moonlight was bright enough to read a newspaper.
Nearly all summit attempts on himalayan mountains start at night – typically midnight plus or minus two hours. The goal is to be up and down before late afternoon when the storms hit. In other regions around the world the same tactic is used to avoid objective dangers such as avalanche and serac fall that are more frequent later in the day when the sun has softened the snow/ice.
About a dozen years ago I cycled the Death Valley by Moonlight century. We started in Shoshone, went west over the pass into the valley itself, then headed north. Essentially no sources of artificial light except for the sag wagon and other support vehicles passing by occasionally. I was especially awed by the soft glow of the salt pans. That’s the only time I’ve been in Death Valley – I’m afraid it may be spoiled for me now.
Not only the Himalayas - I’ve started between midnight and 2:00 am on climbs in the Andes and on Kilimanjaro as well. Even without the weather or avalanche concerns, you simply don’t function very well at those altitudes, and the sooner you can get down, the better off you are. This is a photo taken by a friend of mine from Gilman Point, the second highest point on Kilimanjaro. It was sometime around 6:30 am, and the sun was just breaking through the clouds.
A salt pan desert in the moonlight is a phenomenal sight as well. I moved to Reno a little more than four years ago, and my first weekend in Nevada was spent camping under a full moon in the Black Rock desert. If it weren’t for the millions of stars overhead, it would have seemed more like an overcast afternoon than the dead of night.
Nope, Cave Creek, north of Phoenix. I have done Humphries Peak numerous times, but never at night. I think the lower trail in the woods would be to dark.
Thanks, Enginerd, my knee is a lot better. It only hurts when I climb.
Hey** Lightingtool**, that takes me back. We used to live just south of Stowe, so I’ve climbed Camel’s Hump dozens of times, once even in January on snowshoes. Lovely mountain (also called Couching Lion).
You’re right, Cisco, Camelback (not to be comfused with Vermont’s Camel’s Hump) is a nice climb and terrific view. I hate Squaw Peak (now Piestawa Peak), as it was ruined when the “improved” it by putting in concrete steps, and it is wall-to-wall people. For a nice change, come up to Cave Creek and try Black Mountain. Email me if you want directions.
I admire you guys who climb the big mountains at night. I’ve done four 14ers in the Sierra, but take 2-3 days during daytime to enjoy the views. I did Mt Whitney when I was 73, and am amazed at those who do it all in one fell swoop, starting in the middle of the night, summiting, and going back down. Not for me! Especially as besides going to the summit, it is a 22-mile round trip!
Grrr. I don’t mind so much when there are lots of people (except when they dally too much at the good looking spots without even appreciating them,) but I can’t stand steps of any sort. I can understand putting them on trails for erosion purposes but even the smallest steps are A PAINFUL @#%(*#$er when you’re on Mile 14 of your hike – better to just have a level grade.
