How to prepare for night hiking | Stuck in North Idaho

There’s this period of time in the northwest that lasts about four months. Most call it winter, some call it Netflix season, some call it heaven and others call it hell. While I enjoy having a couple months of snow, the longer nights make it challenging to get out and enjoy our usual outdoor hobbies. This year, we’ve tried to make an effort to throw on some warm clothes and go night hiking despite the dark and the lure of the cozy sofa. Even though we’ve turned a corner to Daylight Saving Time, the Pacific Northwest is known for throwing us weather curveballs into the early summer. For all of you suffering from the final dog days of winter, here’s a little motivation to get out and enjoy nature in its quietest season.

Gear

For me, the hardest part about going outside in the winter is staying warm and comfortable. Once the cold seeps into my bones, creating an unfixable chill, well, I’m out at that point.

What to wear

Much like any winter sport, it’s important to layer. In fact, the more layers the better if you’re like me. I start with a light, moisture-wicking layer (usually a T-shirt I’d work out in), then add on a long sleeve pullover, and then I wear my favorite fleece followed by my outer layer. My outer layer changes based on the conditions and temperature, my big waterproof ski jacket is rarely necessary. For my hands, I usually wear my light winter running gloves unless the conditions are really wet. If that’s the case, I’ll add my winter gloves or mittens on top for extra protection from the elements. And for my feet, I always wear my giant Smartwool socks that go up to my knees. Heck, I wear those most days that I’m not at work, whether I’m outside or not.

Extra warmth

In addition to warm clothes, I also always bring hand warmers. If I’m hiking or snowshoeing with my lightweight gloves, I’ll leave the warmers in my pockets. This way I can warm my hands while I’m moving, but am still able to easily grab things from my bag, or use my camera. If I have my big gloves or mittens on, I stuff the hand warmers in those so my fingers are always toasty.

Lights

Lights are important. I’m sure there are some people out there that prefer the quiet darkness of nature in the winter, but I prefer to see the trail, my surroundings, and any potentially hungry bears in my proximity. Lights can also be a good way to signal for help, track the people you’re hiking with, and help you see while digging out your car should you get stuck. We wear our headlamps for every night hike, and bring at least one with us on day hikes as a just-in-case. Make sure your dog has a light too, I’ll talk more about this in a bit. It’s also a good idea to keep an extra set of batteries in your bag in case your light dies.

Safety

I know safety isn’t the most fun thing to talk about, but when you’re out in freezing conditions at night, when there are few or no other hikers, it’s incredibly important.

Trails

Try to plan your route ahead of time, or pick trails that you’re familiar with. Even though you may know the area, be prepared to be a bit disoriented. When you take away the light, add snow, and cover the trail, things look vastly different from what you may be used to. If you are unfamiliar with the location, download a map ahead of time, or bring an old-fashioned paper map just in case you get turned around or decide to change up your route.

People

I highly recommend hiking with others, there truly is safety in numbers. Hiking with others makes it easier to make noise to ward off large animals, provides comfort in an otherwise kinda creepy environment, and ensures someone is there to help you in an emergency. Not to mention, it’s more fun to share stories and create memories with good friends out on the trail.

Protection

I don’t know that I’d advocate for bringing a firearm with you on the trail, although I know plenty of people who do. I would recommend bringing bear spray or pepper spray with you should you encounter an aggressive animal or have a bad encounter with another person. Remember, always try to keep a safe distance from wild animals. Here’s a great blogpost about wildlife safety from Bearfoot Theory.

Snacks

I’m one of those people who’s always hungry. It can be 15 minutes after my last meal, and I'm already thinking about what’s next. I try to bring enough snacks with me to cover the duration of our hike as well as several hours following. In addition to plenty of drinking water, some good, easy-to-pack snack options include:

Trail mix or nuts
Dried fruit
A canteen of soup or cocoa
Protein bars or homemade granola balls
Jerky

Car

Because we’re specifically talking about winter weather conditions, there are a few extra items you may want to consider keeping in your car.

Blankets
Extra snacks/beverages
Cat litter or gravel to help you get unstuck or navigate icy conditions
A small shovel
Tow rope
Chains

Dogs

One of the main reasons we started getting out more in the winter was to wear out Juneau and ease some of our cabin fever. There’s always some extra considerations when hiking with dogs, but even more so in cold temperatures. Booties are always helpful to protect their pads and insulate their feet. In addition to your snacks, it’s smart to bring along some extra treats and food along for your dog, in addition to drinking water. If your dog is on the lean side, or isn’t particularly built for cold environments, a jacket or other form of insulation will help ensure he/she is comfortable. I also attach a light to Juneau’s collar so I can see her if she jaunts ahead a little, and a bear bell to make sure she doesn’t surprise any wildlife. I know a lot of people have questions about dog boots in regard to fit and style. I found a couple blog posts on Ruffwear’s site that may be helpful (this post is not sponsored by Ruffwear, however, if you happen to work for them, I’d love to collaborate sometime!).

In all, it’s just important to prepare for the conditions and pack a little extra when going out at night. I know in most cases you may only be out for an hour or two, but you never know when you or someone else may need a little extra help out in the cold. If you have any questions, or any additional tips, please leave us a comment below. Hope to see you out on the trail!Andrea

How to prepare for winter night hiking

Gear

What to wear