Full Moon Walking: do it right
CHOOSE YOUR LOCATION Pick a lumpy hill or a route with few precipices, or areas of steep, thickly banked snow that could avalanche. Your assessment skills won’t be as good in the dark and cold nights can solidify snow, so you will need an ice axe, crampons and the skills to use them (see pages 58 and 60).
SORT YOUR GEAR Think warm and dampresistant. Make sure you have spare layers that are dry; pack extra gloves and hats; throw in a spare headtorch and ensure you have a map. Check everything before you go – including your sleeping mat! A lot of heat is lost through bad insulation between you and the ground.
SORT YOUR FOOD If you’re making an ‘alpine start’, you will be cold and low on energy. So make sure you are fuelled up before you set off.
BEWARE PHOTOGRAPHY If you’re taking pictures and using flash it could be misinterpreted as a distress signal. Avoid six consecutive flashes and try to keep activity to a minimum.
CHECK THE MOON Pick a clear night with a full moon. Check moon phase, rise and set times at www.timeanddate.com/ moon. Upcoming full moons are 2 January, 31 January, 2 March and 31 March.