Are there any advantages while backpacking to hike during the night and sleep during the day?
This is something I have pondered on multiple occasions, when the light of the full moon and the altitude induced insomnia kept me awake long into the night.
I realize that this would be an unusual strategy, but I have heard of people doing it, such as Jedediah Smith while crossing a desert on his explorations or this person who was going to try to break the unsupported and without resupply speed record on the John Muir Trail.
Would there be any advantages to hiking during the night and sleeping during the day?
Lapland in the spring We are going on a 2-week trek in Finnish Lapland 27th may. As it turns out, there's more snow thi …
7y ago
The main advantages are: You don't need sunscreen Even with a full moon, the night sky is awesome Things look (and sou …
7y ago
Something I've done in the Sierras where it can get quite hot at lower elevations during the day is to use the "siesta" …
7y ago
Some types of wildlife might be easier to see (with flashlight) at night than by day: odd as this sounds I have seen thi …
7y ago
A disadvantage to be wary of is that nocturnal predators such as mountain lions are active during the night.
7y ago
Better sights In some situations, there might be some beautiful things that can only be seen during the night. This in …
7y ago
This is an edge case, but I'll add it nonetheless: If you are hiking above the polar circle during summer, hiking durin …
7y ago
Done it, in all seasons. Usually because I worked late and still wanted to camp. Depending on the time of the year bugs …
7y ago
There are several reasons, though not all of them would apply for one's usual holiday trip. Remaining unseen Obviously …
7y ago
9 answers
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Better sights
In some situations, there might be some beautiful things that can only be seen during the night.
This includes Northern lights (Aurora Borealis), but also some places might brag about the great view of the night sky or moon. Of course you can always watch during the night even if not hiking, but since you have to sleep you'd appreciate it for a longer time by hiking during the night.
Weather
Sometimes, the weather could be better this way, if it ends up raining during the day and not raining during the night, but that's a specific situation and not a general case.
Temperature
In very hot locations, it might be hard to hike during the entire day, or make you use up a ton of water, while sleeping would save that water and energy under the burning sun, and allow you to walk during the more comfortable night.
Fewer other people
You obviously could prefer to hike when there are as few other hikers as possible, to enjoy the nature more, and in that case night would be your best bet.
Keep in mind
Of course, in certain places or situations, all those advantages could apply to the day instead, so it really depends on where you are going, when you are goin, and what the weather will be.
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The main advantages are:
You don't need sunscreen
Even with a full moon, the night sky is awesome
Things look (and sound) weirdly and wonderfully different in moonlight
In summer, the temperature will be much more conducive to brisk hiking than during the heat of the day
The OP did not ask about disadvantages, but the main disadvantage is #3 -- that things look weirdly different. If you are hiking cross-country, this could cause you to become disoriented and even lost, even in territory that you know well.
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Lapland in the spring
We are going on a 2-week trek in Finnish Lapland 27th may. As it turns out, there's more snow this year than on average. If the snow won't melt before our trip, we're planning on traveling at night when the temperature freezes the surface of the snow which makes it possible to travel on snow. During daytime it melts and won't carry you. At those latitudes, the sun won't set even at night so there won't be any problems with visibility. Added bonus is that potential mosquitoes will be hibernating when the temperature drops.
Lapland in the summer
The sun won't set so visibility is not an issue. It's also cooler than during the daytime.
Lapland in the fall
You're better off by traveling during the day as it's getting really dark and cold in the night time.
Lapland in the winter
Wind tends to calm down as the sun sets. Even in northern latitudes when the sun won't rise in the middle of the winter it is possible to travel in full moon if the sky is clear. Added bonus is the potential auroras which are just frickin awesome!!!
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A disadvantage to be wary of is that nocturnal predators such as mountain lions are active during the night.
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Done it, in all seasons. Usually because I worked late and still wanted to camp. Depending on the time of the year bugs attack your headlamp, so carry it in your hand versus on your head. It's cooler usually, but easier to get lost.
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Some types of wildlife might be easier to see (with flashlight) at night than by day: odd as this sounds I have seen this first-hand hiking in Borneo. During the day I spotted relatively few animals, however hiking at night I was able to see many strange insects, birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates. My guess is this advantage is more pronounced in tropical rainforests. In other locales it might be that you just see different wildlife rather than different & more.
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This is an edge case, but I'll add it nonetheless:
If you are hiking above the polar circle during summer, hiking during the 'night' will give you the rare chance to experience the wonder that is the midnights sun in the endless nordic summer.
There is nothing quite like starting a climb after dinner, summiting a mountain and having a snack in the midnights sun.
Of course the same applies for hikes in the far south (those are not quite as easily reachable though, as you need to be on Antarctica).
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Something I've done in the Sierras where it can get quite hot at lower elevations during the day is to use the "siesta" method.
Get up early and hike until about noon. Wait out the hot hours of the day (roughly 1pm - 4pm) and start hiking again as the day cools off.
As far as hiking in the moonlight, even with the brightest full moon, it can be extremely disorienting. Without color vision your depth perception can be off, even relatively tame terrain can unnerve you.
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There are several reasons, though not all of them would apply for one's usual holiday trip.
Remaining unseen
Obviously, during night its dark and this gives you a fair bit of cover if you want to remain unseen. This reason for traveling at night is common for many hunters in the animal kingdom (and sometimes also their prey), has been used by humans in insecure or hostile territory for centuries and remains a standard technique for some military operations even today.
Evading the elements
Hiking throughout the night and resting in the day can be especially useful in hot, arid conditions. For example in deserts, extreme heat during the day and severe cold in the night often come together. Hiking during the night here serves the double purpose of keeping you active and warm when it is cold while allowing you to save water resources during the day.
Boosting morale
When conditions get worse (cold, moisture), getting up during the night and starting to hike will not only make you feel warm again, it will also boost your morale. Being active, and actively coping with a bad situation rather than staying miserable in the tent for the rest of the night will make you feel better.
You want to avoid tourists
No, seriously, this is a real case in point. Most people travel during the day and one of the reasons we (or at least, I) get outdoors is to enjoy some quietness in the wild. Depending where you are, hiking at night is your best bet to fulfill this dream.
Navigation (only very theoretical)
Consider a situation where it is all cloudy during the day (so you do not see the sun), you lack a compass and currently have no sense of direction: if you are capable of navigating with the stars, you might consider waiting until dark and hope that the sky will clear up until then.
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