Black Diamond ReVolt Headlamp Helps Hiker Survive Owl Attack

by Brian Schwarz

Trail-testing the Black Diamond ReVolt rechargeable headlamp

This evening, just after dark, I was testing out some new gear near Pinnacle Rock in Washington, D.C.'s Rock Creek Park - a Black Diamond ReVolt headlamp I bought at Hudson Trail Outfitters earlier this week (using their online price match guarantee for a great deal, I might add). I'd been hanging out on the bluffs overlooking Rock Creek as the sun went down, and had started snapping some test shots to post on Twitter and Instagram as teasers for my review. Then, once the woods had pretty much turned pitch black, I started to head down the Theodore Roosevelt Trail to return to my car, eerily aware that since I'm a day hiker, I wasn't quite sure what to expect on my first hike after dark.

Testing the Black Diamond ReVolt at Pinnacle Rock, Rock Creek Park

No sooner had I had that thought than a huge bird flew out from behind a trail-side stump and perched on a low-hanging branch nearby. Wow! I was able to see all the action, thanks to the ReVolt's 130 lumens and bright TriplePower LED. At first I was startled by the burst of energy from the forest floor, but I quickly regained composure and trained my headlamp on the branch. I noticed a huge barred owl was facing away from me looking down toward the creek.

"Oh, cool!", I thought, as I took a moment to attempt to snap a photograph of this magnificent nocturnal creature not 15 feet away from me. But just as I had my phone camera trained on the owl, it turned its head around like a horror movie doll and stared directly at me, its eyes aglow in the headlamp's beam. The owl's glare was long enough to send chills down my spine. Then it twisted its head mechanically back around to watch the creek.

I clumsily shoved my phone back in my pocket, deciding I should probably move along and get back to my car before things got weird. This owl was obviously on the hunt.

Heading down the trail near Pinnacle Rock, as darkness takes over the forest

I know enough about the natural world that I quickly realized sticking around on the bluffs high above a creek just around the time the nocturnal hunters were coming out in search of prey was not a good idea. But before I'd even processed that thought fully and walked more than five steps down the trail, I heard a quick rush of wind from behind. Thwap! I was attacked!

Just like that, the talons of the great barred owl attempted to snatch onto my bald head, knocking me forward on the precariously narrow bluffs trail. Then, as quickly as it had attacked, the owl disappeared again, silently slipping away somewhere into the hushed calm of the urban forest.

I didn't stop to figure out where it had gone, or to see if it was still somewhere close and ready to attack again. I just assumed it would if I stood still. So instead, I took off my backpack and began to swing it around my head as I carefully sprinted down the dark trail, relying only on my Black Diamond ReVolt headlamp to guide me safely to the trailhead.

Descending the Roosevelt Trail, moments before the owl attack

As if one encounter with the wild creatures of the night weren't enough, as I was running down the trail I noticed a dark figure running briskly along the shoreline of Rock Creek, at a lower elevation than me but on a parallel trajectory. It didn't run like a deer, more like a coyote. It couldn't have been a dog; I'd been alone on the trail now for more than an hour. But could coyotes be down this far south in the park, I wondered? Sheesh, this was beginning to be too much to think about on my first ever nighttime outing!

The dark figure disappeared, and I kept flailing and making a bit of noise as I carefully but quickly hopped rocks and roots along the Roosevelt Trail with one goal in mind - reaching the safety of my car, parked across the creek along Broad Branch Road.

When I made it down to Beach Drive, several cars were passing by, though no runners or bikers were anywhere to be found. Maybe they knew something I didn't about the kinds of animalistic activities that go on in Rock Creek Park after the sun goes down. In any case, I darted to my car, jumped inside and began to drive.

As I navigated my way back across town to Park View, I felt a stinging sensation in the back of my head. I reached around, and it stung even more under the touch of my salty hands. I knew I'd been scratched at the least. But it was too dark in the car to tell if I was bleeding. When I got home, I realized that I was in fact bleeding, but only slightly. So I administered first aid, took a few photos of the back of my head to see what the talon marks looked like, and decided to go online and research owl attacks, since before tonight I can't say I recall ever hearing that owls attack humans.

Talon marks from the barred owl that attacked me (with Remy photobomb)

It turns out, it's not normal for owls to attack humans. However, according to a Washington Post article from 2012, several runners were reportedly attacked by owls that fall. National Park Service Ranger Ken Ferebee was consulted on the matter, and he directed the question to the Global Owl Project to find a very probable explanation for why such owl attacks might occur.

According to the Washington Post article, on occasion, people have been known to come across a baby owl before it can fly and, believing it to be abandoned by its mother, they "rescue" it. As a result of such novice intervention, Global Owl Project Director David Johnson said, "rescued" owls soon grow too big to be cared for by novices, and so these ignorant do-gooders release the now domesticated owl back into the wild where they lack the skills to hunt and survive on their own. Not knowing how to hunt, the owl then mistakenly turns on humans, the only animal it grew up having any knowledge of.

So there you have it! I was attacked by a barred owl in Rock Creek Park, and I learned a few things as a result. The most salient lesson of all is that if you are going to be hiking at night, you need a quality headlamp that will not only show you the way but be able to help you respond quickly should an unexpected emergency arise. Now, I haven't trail tested any other headlamps, but I can tell you that the ease of use of the Black Diamond ReVolt headlamp - notably the ease at which I was able to redirect the beam while being chased by an angry owl down a narrow bluffs trail - made me extremely happy with my purchase.


Brian Schwarz is a freelance writer and outdoor leader based in Washington, D.C. He often leads hikes in Rock Creek Park and the surrounding areas, which are posted on the Facebook page Hiking Megalopolis. Contact Brian via the comment section below, and for links to his social media activity, refer to his splash page at about.me/brian.schwarz.

Hiking DC's Rock Creek Park - Southern Bluffs and Rapids Section

by Brian Schwarz

Rock Creek Park is a swath of preserved parkland located in Northwest Washington, DC. Managed by the National Park Service with hiking trails maintained by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, Rock Creek Park is a haven for urban hikers. Still, despite being well within the urban core of the nation's capital, Rock Creek's trails offer hikers a surprising amount of solitude.

This hike in the rocky southern section of Rock Creek Park begins at historic Pierce Mill. From the Pierce Mill parking area, take the green-blazed Western Ridge Trail north along the Rock Creek flood plain. Carefully cross Broad Branch Road and continue to follow the green blazes up a steep hill to cross Glover Road, soon after which you will reach Equitation Field. 

View from Rapids Bridge of Rock Creek, along the Fall Zone

Keep going on the Western Ridge Trail until you reach the signed Picnic Area 17. Here, cross Glover Road and find unmarked horse trail, identified on the PATC Map N Rock Creek Park map as CT7. Cross trail 7 joins CT6 after you traverse Ross Road at the picturesque Ross Road Bridge. Soon you will reach the flood plain once again. Turn left when you see Rock Creek and walk to Rapids Bridge, where you will cross the bridge to enjoy one of the most scenic views along Rock Creek. This is the Fall Zone, where the Piedmont physiographic province yields to the Atlantic Coastal Plain.

After enjoying views of the boulder-strewn waters, continue across the bridge, and then cross Beach Drive to join the blue-blazed Valley Trail. Turn Right. Stay on the Valley Trail as you pass by Boulder Bridge, where president Theodore Roosevelt once lost a precious gold ring that was never recovered, and climb to the precipice known as Pulpit Rock, a great place to rest and refuel.

Continue on the Valley Trail and soon you will cross Blagden Avenue, then later Park Road and Beach Drive once again. As you once again reach the banks of Rock Creek, turn left, to the end of the Valley Trail at Bluff Bridge.

Cross Bluff Bridge and turn right to join the Western Ridge Trail, at the base of a hill topped by Klingle Mansion, which houses Rock Creek Park Headquarters. Several yards on, you must choose the strenuous or moderate route to continue on the Western Ridge Trail.

The strenuous route is more scenic but requires some light bouldering (grabbing onto boulders to navigate obstacles in the trail). Along the moderate route you will find a spur trail that leads to Klingle Mansion. Just beyond the point where these two routes converge is your starting point at Pierce Mill.

Trailhead: Find the Pierce Mill parking area along Park Road, just west and across Rock Creek from Beach Drive. This hike is also accessible via the Metro Red Line. From Vann Ness - UDC Station walk south on Connecticut Avenue to Tilden Street and walk east. Also, You may take H2, H3, or H4 Metrobus to the corner of Klingle Avenue NW and Park Road NW, then walk north on Park Road to Pierce Mill. Each of these public transit routes add approximately one mile, round trip.
Distance: Approximately 3.5 miles round trip
Elevation Gain/Loss: Approximately 400 feet, spread out between several hills
Map: A free map is available from the National Parks Service here. However, for a more enriching experience hiking Rock Creek Park, I recommend purchasing Map N: Trails in the Rock Creek Park Area, from the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, available for purchase here.
Hiking Time: 1.5 to two hours round trip, depending on your personal speed and how often you take breaks to enjoy the views.
Best Times to Hike: This hike can be done year round.
Difficulty: Easy

For more information on this hike or other hikes discussed in the blog HikeyHikey, feel free to leave a comment below. Also, check out my other blogs Man of Merit and MyFitLife2Day and HikingMegalopolis. Or contact me via my splash page at about.me/brian.schwarz