I like hiking and camping. One of the safety rules that I was taught growing up is that you don’t go hiking by yourself. So at the moment I don’t do much hiking because I seldom have a friend to go with. But this is not a universally observed rule. When I do hike I sometimes see people hiking alone. Of course these are often the people who are out with no supplies other than a single waterbottle in their hand so I don’t know that they are necessarily the best people to emulate. (I may not carry all of the ten essentials but I have 7-8 of them in my pack.) When I learned to hike I was in the Pacific Northwest where it’s possible to get truly lost in a wilderness area the size of, say, Rainier National Park. Maybe my safety standards need adjusting now that I’m in the Northeast and most of my hiking options are not so remote from civilization. So am I being ridiculously cautious with my never go hiking without a buddy approach or are the people I see out alone being foolhardy?
I think they’re being foolhardy. Even if you get cellphone reception everywhere you hike, and even if you keep your phone charged, you just don’t know…there’s a risk of dropping your phone, and not being able to reach it. Or smashing it. Or falling and severing an artery in a place you can’t place a tourniquet yourself. Even if you’re on a trail where people pass you every hour, a lot could happen in that hour.
Hiking with a buddy won’t eliminate all risks, but it does better your odds.
Is there a Meetup group for hikers you could attend to get to know more hikers in your area?
It’s all about what risk you are willing to accept. I kayak solo all the time. There are people who think it is a horrible thing to do. I enjoy it. I have decent life insurance so my beneficiaries will do OK, and people who know me will understand if anything were to happen.
To me it really depends on where I’m hiking. I always prefer to have a partner to go hiking with in the first place but not having someone I’d choose a more traveled(to me usually translates to less interesting) place to go.
I think if you are hiking on frequently hiked paths in an area with cell phone reception, you could forgo the buddy.
I think it depends on how far out you go, and whether you stick to clear, clearly-marked trails. If you would have to be brain-dead to get lost, you’d probably be okay. If you’re planning an 8-hour trek deep into the mountains, not so much.
Injuries can happen however, whenever, but if you’re on a trafficked trail during the day you’ll probably run into someone. If you’ve only gone an hour out, worst-case scenario is that you spend 2 or 3 hours dragging yourself back to the parking lot. Not fun, but it won’t kill ya. Clear trails are usually groomed well enough that getting pinned under a falling rock isn’t a likely scenario.
Of course this is all sort of “wilderness light,” so if that’s not your deal, find yourself a buddy.
Me too, and I’m a skinny little girl. I get my husband to drop me in the water on his way to work every chance I get. Long trips, too. I take a first aid kit, extra paddle, extra PFD, food, water, cell phone, GPS, and mace.
When I hike alone (usually) I carry water, cell phone, mace. And that’s it.
I wish I could find the recent study that found that victims of crime were more likely to experience a repeat episode; something about their posture/body language/ appearance that led criminals to choose them over others, but needless to say that preparation and confidence are some of your best survival tools.
Your didn’t mention the common threats in your location. Mountain lions? Coyotes? Creepy people? Muggers? Bears?
I carry an extra paddle, my cell phone in a drybag, a snack, a few beers and a camelbak of water. PFDs are confining (IMO) so I carry one if the law requires it. I’m not a skinny little girl, I’m a scary looking older guy with piercings and tattoos. I imagine you reach for your mace when you first see me, but I’m harmless.
I like doing stuff solo, too. I make sure someone knows when I go out, and when to expect me back.
Yeah, don’t have to wear one in my state/s, so I don’t either. But I have one PFD behind my seat, and a throw bag/float on the back deck. Couple beers in my cooler, too. My dry box with cell and mace is within easy reach. Alone on the river I couldn’t be more relaxed, and even if I do encounter a scary looking person (and tattoos and piercings aren’t on the scary list) I figure they assume my husband or other male companion is coming down behind me. By the time anyone figures out I’m traveling alone, I’m long gone.
Ah, this. Left this out. I always let someone know when I hit the river or trail, and when I’m home. I send updates periodically on long trips. A fully charged cell phone and sticking to areas with service are a plus.
Really, a lot of your safety is tied to your posture/attitude as well as having confidence that you are prepared for changing weather, strangers, bears/cats/coyotes/off-leash dogs. If you know what you are doing, and look like you know what you are doing, you are one step ahead of obstacles.
You’re overly cautious. Obviously the safety level is higher if you have a friend with you. But the safety level is still pretty darn good if you’re by yourself (assuming that you are experienced and know what you’re doing).
The most dangerous part of going on a camping trip is the highway driving to the national park, not the trail walking after you arrive.
The problem isn’t the safety/ lack of rescue. The problem is your (and your family’s!) reaction to bad news if something happens. We all accept it as normal if you die in a car accident…we bury our loved ones, grieve for a a while and get over it.
But most families don’t accept it as normal if you die from a bear attack or disappear after falling off a cliff. They might not find your body to bury, so they’ll grieve a lot longer, and it will be harder to get over it.
But the chances of that are so slim that it’s not worth giving up a favorite activity that you enjoy.
Yeah, this is what I was considering changing to. Get a friend to be my safety buddy by phone even if I can’t find someone to come play with me.
I think the key is the huge difference between eastern hiking areas and the huge western wilderness. You can hike the Appalachian Trail through PA and NJ and never be in a place where you can’t hear car traffic, while out west it’s possible to get scary-panicky lost in half an hour.
I hike to be alone. When I hiked in Oregon, California, Nevada and Utah, I did indeed go well prepared, even for a short day hike. Now that I’m back in PA, I take off for a day in the woods with some water and a sandwich … my survival kit consists of a small pocket knife and a lighter.
IMHO, if you are experienced at hiking the Pacific NW wilderness you are more than capable of taking care of yourself in the wilds of New Jersey. I suggest you spend about the same amount of time worrying about falling down and breaking your neck in the woods that you spend worrying about doing the same thing in your bathroom.
I used to go on solo tredks in Tibet without a real map back in the 1980’s. I think you’re being overly cautious. Sounds like you’re hiking for at most a couple of hours in a non-serious wilderness area that probably has cell coverage. That said, Going with a hike buddy is certainly a good idea though.
If you want to be cautious going solo, file a a pre-planned route, stick to it, and make sure someone you trust that will get a search going if you’re overtime.
I’m in this camp. Where you go and how long you plan to be there are factors that weigh in favor of being alone if it’s not overnight and not too remote from civilization.
My experience is not to go by, but I limit my “hiking” these days to city and state parks and for 10 miles or less at a time. I don’t like company on such walks.
If I were going to be overnight or on a longer walk I’d want company. A friend and I might have died on a backpacking trip in the Smokies back in the 70’s when I was in much better shape but far from being in good shape. Had it not been for each other, we would have gotten hypothermia and probably not survived a late October night.
ETA: If you want excuses not to go solo just see 127 Hours! 127 Hours (2010) - IMDb
I think somewhere in the middle is probably the right place. If you do go out and get lost, even if you’re not concerned about yourself, you WILL be causing a lot of trouble for a lot of other people who will be out looking for you. We’re an hour away from the Canadian Rockies here; I can go out and hike on trails that really are just a walk in the woods and are very well-travelled, or I can head to the back country and never be seen again. Telling someone when you’re leaving and returning is a good idea.
I solo hike all the time, rarely in winter but often in spring/summer/fall. I’m comfortable hiking alone and I enjoy the solitude. But on the trails around here it’s hard to go too far without running into someone. Still, I’ve gone for hours without seeing anyone.
I’m equipped and trained well enough to take care of myself for most emergencies. Yes, it’s possible that something could happen where I would need a second person but that’s a small risk I’m willing to take. The further I am from assistance the more risk-averse I am, but everyone has their own comfort level.
Cell phones are nice but they often won’t get reception where I go. I carry a first aid kit, extra food and water, and some limited overnight gear depending on the route and weather.
:rolleyes: Don’t forget to wear a helmet on the trail, you know - in case a meteor hits you on the heid.
Another one here who likes going into the mountains on their own - Scotland mainly. So the OP does sound excessively cautious to me, but that’s not meant as any kind of judgement. Depends entirely on your experience - you need good mountain craft to get out into the wilderness. The weather is the real difference-maker. The Scottish hills can be remote, and it rains a lot, but they’re very approachable in the spring and summer (midges excepted.) Winter is a different story.
So it’s sensible to recognise that you don’t fancy going out solo, but it wouldn’t hurt to dip a toe in the water given that the OP already knows the ropes of responsible hiking. Just work up to things.
Attitudes could be different for men and women as well. I’d not think anything of staying out in the hills in a bothy full of hairy-arsed Scotsmen. I know some women who’re the same - but I imagine their thought processes must be a little different.
[A bothy is a small hut in the Scottish hills, usually not explicitly identified on maps, that can be used as overnight shelter for hill walkers and mountaineers.]
I do urban hiking alone all the time. Or if I’m at a state park during a busy part of the year and the trails are easy.
But I would never hike Grand Canyon alone. I’m just not comfortable taking on that level of risk.
I know some people (male and female) who wouldn’t be caught dead walking downtown at night all alone. I do it all the time. I’d probably be more creeped out walking in a rural area at night than in a city. Not because I’m scared of a rapist in the bushes, but because walking in pitch black darkness, even with a flashlight, just doesn’t seem like a good idea for someone with weak ankles and stumbly feet.
So you kind of have to know what your weaknesses are (do you get lost easily, for instance?) before calculating the risks of doing any type of activity alone.
pendgwen, what are the factors that make you nervous? Ungroomed trails? Encounters with strangers or wildlife? Dogs?
Maybe we can suggest the best equipment to wear/carry with you.
A can of pepper spray can be found in the outdoor section of most stores like Dick’s, Wal-mart, Kmart, and gun shops. You might also find an old, discarded television, extend the antenna and bend it back and forth until it snaps near the base. (Or cut it, if you have the tool for it.) sand the rough edge a bit, and collapse it. Now you have a lightweight, telescoping whip to carry with you.
Also, if anyone approaches you with questions, you can say that your husband/friend/wife/rest of your party is behind you, dragging their feet. If a lie deflects an uncomfortable situation, do it shamelessly.