[Snowkeeper]

Just out of curiousity. What time do you like to be on the trail in the morning? Are you up before the sun and on the trail soon after? Or do you like to linger around camp a bit? I was just curious what its like on the trail with some of you folks... Smiles! Snowkeeper ~May your feet be planted firmily on the way.~

[MCaver]

I am so not a morning person. I do tend to get up earlier when I'm camping because I usually go to bed a lot earlier. But if I'm starting the day from the house, forget it. I'd love to be up and at a location for sunrise pictures, but it's extremely rare for me to get out of bed early enough to do that. The trick is to just sleep there.

[Dayhike Mike]

As a dayhiker, I like to make the most of my day -- I prefer to be on-trail as early as 5:30-6am if it's a lengthy hike, like the Enchantments, 7-8am for more typical length scrambles, and rarely, if ever, later than 10am. Part of it has to do with spending as much time midday in the places I want to get to, part of it has to do with leveraging the cooler temps in the morning. Some routes have large areas of exposed rock or clearcut that are just dry and hot, and I'll try to time it so that I'm through those sections before the sun is directly overhead. I pity the fool heading up Aasgard Pass with a full pack around 1-2pm. Michael

[Stefan]

If I am with my climbing buddies I try to be at the trailhead at first light. That even means waking up at 3:00a.m. Why so early? Plans usually go different when reality hits, or your expectations are usually not met for your goals so I like to take advantage of as much light as possible. Backpacking with the wife is different. People ask, “Why don’t you spend the night at the trailhead?” Because I would rather sleep in my bed…..and get a better night sleep. If you think about it, you get the same amount of sleep if you drive to a trailhead the night before and wake up in the morning compared to getting up early at your home and drive to the trailhead. Rebuffet(sp?) a French climber said, “You will never regret an early start.”

[skookum ouzel]

If I am doing a dayhike and leaving from home, I'll often get up at 4:00 AM to hit the trail at first light - so much easier to do in the winter! If I am doing an overnight trek, then I usually crawl out of my bag sometime very soon after first light, then putz about camp until I feel ready to go - an hour or two at the most. Basically, I think my rule is that if I have to drive, it gets done in the hours of darkness, while if the driving is already out of the way, I'll enjoy my morning a bit. There is nothing like morning in the camp!

[catwoman]

Oh my. I've certainly regretted one of those reeeeeeeally early starts! Just ask Lead Dog! He's with you guys on the starting at first light thing! I did that with him once and won't again. I felt I could have enjoyed and appreciated the hike and destination a whole lot more had I been rested.

[salish]

If I'm day hiking I like to get an early start, but if it's an overnighter or weekend trip I like to linger around camp in the morning. I'm one of the few people I know who actually brings an old coffee pot with me to sit around in the morning and drink coffee and linger, while I observe the world. Like most I live my life by schedules, alarm clocks, and timetables, so I love to just wing it in the mountains and take each moment as it comes.

[skookum ouzel]

Salish, I know exactly what you mean - mornings should not be rushed while out in the wilderness. I have an old beat up coffee pot that I make tea in - the ritual of relighting the fire, putting on the teapot, enjoying 2 or three (or more!) cups of tea while the birds sing, the fog drifts through camp, the sun comes up, and the day gets underway... there is nothing more grounding for me. Of course, many of the places where I hike, campfires are not allowed, but the ritual is no less satisfying for using my little stove. If only all of life could be (un)structured like that - no alarms, no bells & whistles, no schedules, no phones... ahhh!!!

[salish]

[Backpacker Joe]

the first day of a hike I like to hit the trail with a headlamp! If I can get a 3-4am start that's what I'll do. Dante and I once got a HL start at Dutch Miller. We were at Crawford lake by 10am! The corresponding days out on the trail I wake up at 05:45 regularly and am on the trail by 0630-0700. The earlier the better! TB

[Newt]

I usually like to take my time in the morning. To me, hiking is getting away from it all and not being in a hurry. Sooo... usually 8:00-10:00. I like to wake up first. Sometimes if I want the solitude I'll leave between 10:00-2:00 for a shorter local hike. NN

[polarbear-]

I usually get in the car between 7:30 and 8:30. I'd like to leave earlier, but I'm tired because I stayed up so late the night before packing As has been said, there are some trails that just aren't fun doing in the hot noon day sun.

[Backpacker Joe]

Another great point from the Bear! Earlier equals cooler! "O" dark thirty is the word of the day! TB

[polarbear-]

BPJ, early means you have time to see the mountain and the lake.

mtn lake

[Backpacker Joe]

I saw the MTN and or the lake the day/night before! Or in the case of the trailhead, I've seen my car many times! You're BURNIN daylight Mr.!!!! John Wayne, The Cowboys! P-Bear, that looks like SnowKing lake there??? TB