W.K Merril - Time Until Sunset
Partly inspired by Mike Clelland's excellent Ultralight Backpacking Tips and partly inspired by Aaron Draplin's tweeting philosophy, 'Tips from the Archive' is an open ended compilation of my favorite backpacking tips from hiking history.
Tip 001 - How to tell how soon the sun will be setting.
“Face the setting sun. Extend your arms at full length toward the sun, your wrists bent inwards, your fingers just below the sun. Count how many finger widths separate the sun from the horizon. Allow fifteen minutes per finger. If four fingers fill the space between the horizon an the sun, with your arms fully extended sunset is an hour away; six fingers would mean an hour and a half.”