Why You Shouldn’t Hike Up Mount Beacon in the Snow and in the Dark

I'm not an experienced hiker and I learned a pretty lesson the hard way this week.

If you know me you know that I'm pretty big in to running. During the summer I tried to run around 60 miles a week but as the weather gets colder and my knees get more sore I've had to alter my fitness plans pretty dramatically. One thing that I've started to do is hike on trails more often through out the Hudson Valley.

One of the more frequent spots that I've been hiking has been up and down Mount Beacon but I think I may have to wait to go back. I've mastered the getting up part of the hike and I thought that would be the hardest part. This past week I learned that it's getting down that I have a problem with.

My typical hike begins at about 4pm. It usually takes me about 40 minutes to get up and down Mount Beacon. I know I'm cutting it short at that time but I've been up and down the main trail on Mount Beacon so many times that I know it like the back of my hand. Well, at least I thought I did.

Weeks after a hard snowfall there was still quite a bit of snow and ice halfway up the mountain. On the way down I was trying so hard to pay attention to my footing so I don't fall I must have walked off the main trail. I ended up on private property and getting lost for about an hour after dark.

Luckily, I didn't fall an hurt myself and I had my phone as a flashlight. I just started walking towards the road using my map app. I got lucky as things could have been so much worse.

I have no idea how but I ended up in someone's yard over a mile and a half away from where I parked me car.

Any experienced hikers have any advice on how to no get lost?