Walking mountain at night

SNAKEDOC

Whether or not you expect rescue or not im merely pointing out the fact that like in the picture people take crazy chances with their lives with little or no thought in what they are doing. I understand that people do not as you say drop like flies on the hills due to a host of ailments but that being said given the right or depending on your view the wrong conditions hypothermia can set in. At no point did i say that it would be fatal rather that someone not equiped with knowledge and gear to fight the onset would sucome to its effects rapidly and require outside help.

In the context of night walking where the person is on a mountain and happens to fall and be incapasitated only equiped for a thirty or forty minute trip could be exposed for up to ten hours of darkness this time of year and if it were to rain with no proper wet gear the person would become hypothermic within a very short period of time. No frozen lakes would be needed or sub artic conditions. The best conditions for hypothermia is a moderate wet windy climate which is in abundance here.

I dont mean to put every person off from enjoying hiking or night walking or any outdoors activities, quite the opposite in fact, but there are too many people who walk headlong into situations they are not equiped to handle.
A i said before plan for the worst. Each hike i take i am equiped for a possible overnight stay, that might be extreme to some but wise planning to others. I dont exactly pack the kitchen sink but enough to keep me fed watered and dry regardless of the location.

BarryD

SNAKEDOC wrote: »

A i said before plan for the worst. Each hike i take i am equiped for a possible overnight stay, that might be extreme to some but wise planning to others. I dont exactly pack the kitchen sink but enough to keep me fed watered and dry regardless of the location.

Quite and that's you taking personal responsibility for your own safety which is what everyone should be doing. Although each to their own, sometimes carrying too much can be as bad as carrying too little, in terms of the physical effort and the impact it might have on completing your chosen route

CardinalJ

Riamfada wrote: »

Has anyone walked an spinc in Wicklow alone at night? I walked up Montpellier and ran into a few drug addicts in the Hellfire Club, probably wouldnt walk it again at night. Ive been around the graveyard taking photos, viewable in my sig, but Ive never actually started up the trail.

Are there any walks that people would suggest or any that you would avoid?

I did the spinc in Glendalough starting at about 7am 2 weeks ago. Got bright as I went but was amazing to be up there totally on your own. Didn't come across anyone until I was back at the car park.

The ticknock area is a pretty safe area in terms of undesirables at night. Plenty of 'normal' people up there walking around and MTBing. The Hellfire would be somewhere I'd avoid at night. It generally attracts people who aren't up there for the walk!

The Wicklow way around Glencullen/Eniskerry is also fine.

Gasherbraun

I think it was David Herman who wrote in his book 'Hillwalkers Wicklow' that you can never fully know the mountains until you have experienced them at night and I think this is very true.

I particularly remember being in the Glenmacnass valley last summer from about 4.00am waiting to photograph the sunrise and the sense of isolation and feeling of really being away from civilisation is something that is well worth experiencing and rare in the modern Western world.

Obviously the enjoyment needs to be tempered with taking responsibility for your own safety but anyone considering going into the mountains at night should know what this means.

If anyone wants to experience the mountains at night but do not feel they are confident in the environment there are various companies who offer paid guided options. There is a company in Glen Imaal who offer guided walks onto Lugnaquilia via Camarahill for sunrise led by the current team leader for Glen Imaal MRT so he knows his stuff.

To Riamfada - Glendalough is fine at night and if you are familiar with the local track system navigation is very basic leaving more time to just enjoy the experience. I have not been there for a few months but I think the visitors centre car park is open 24 hours and free.

Alun

Gasherbraun wrote: »

There is a company in Glen Imaal who offer guided walks onto Lugnaquilia via Camarahill for sunrise led by the current team leader for Glen Imaal MRT so he knows his stuff.

That's Aaron Byrne from Mountain ventures I assume? Anyway, I thought Ann Fitzpatrick (also WMNP Ranger) was the current GOIMRT team leader?

Gasherbraun

Alun wrote: »

That's Aaron Byrne from Mountain ventures I assume? Anyway, I thought Ann Fitzpatrick (also WMNP Ranger) was the current GOIMRT team leader?

Yes Alun I meant Aaron Byrne - I am never sure about naming commercial operations on here :-)

I am sure you are right re the current team leader and my info is probably out of date.

Either way I would definitely trust Mountain Ventures as one of the best operaters in their field if someone was looking for a Wicklow guide.

SNAKEDOC

BarryD wrote: »

Quite and that's you taking personal responsibility for your own safety which is what everyone should be doing. Although each to their own, sometimes carrying too much can be as bad as carrying too little, in terms of the physical effort and the impact it might have on completing your chosen route

I dont consider it too much.
A light weight tarp plus a tarp as ground sheet bout .2kg total
Water proof layer
Ration pack for 24 hours
Water for 24 hours but bout two liters
My pack is normally very light i can easily run with it on my back. I just rather have it and not need it...................