Sue,

Well, if you're in trouble and it's safe enough where you are, there's probably no good reason to travel at night.

But... I LOVE wandering at night. The world - woods, mountains, lakes, desert - is all different at night. I've been traveling at night without artificial illumination as long as I can remember. First my dad, then Boy Scouts, then the Army - heck, I don't need NVGs to own the night; I've owned it since I was a little boy. Day, night - white chocolate, dark chocolate - I like them both. Nighttime is sensually richer than daytime because vision is less dominant and my awareness of other senses expands to fill the input void.

However, I've been practicing that all my life and it does take practice. Some good instruction helps, too. And there is the matter of eye color - 1/2 our kids and I have brown-hazel eyes and we rule the night. Wife and the 2 blue eyed kids have to work a little harder when it's really dark, although they are pretty darned good with 20% or more illumination (training and practice).

Being night capable has been very important in some of my "adventures" over the years and was literally life-saving on one occasion, without question - one of those move-or-die situations. Using a flashlight probably would have injured or killed me and my dad... anyway, long story, and the short version is that it really paid to be able to move safely in terrible terrain with only low ambient light.

Our scouts have a "secret" name for themselves: "Night Hawks" - every outing includes a silent, non-illuminated night hike, just like when I was a scout. The boys rock as a group - they silently adjust for each other's inate ability and stay together nicely.

What I am getting at is that practice in traveling at night can really alter your ability to safely manage in a bad situation. Heck, it's a great help in routine situations as well. We rarely see any lights come on (and only red photons at that) if setting up camp after dark. I never need a light to find something in my pack - I know where it all is by feel. I could go on...

Practice in relatively safe terrain is good and honestly, it is a hugely enjoyable experience. If you cannot practice and gain skill, it's just as you wrote - best to stay put if feasible.

My $1.02 worth

Tom