Next summer I am going to be hiking the west coast trail. I am trying to decide if I want to do it alone or with a partner. The one and only reason I want a partner is because it might be a little scary doing it alone. There are other benefits to having a partner as well, like sharing the load/camp chores and knowledge. But those things don’t matter to me that much.
I live on Vancouver Island already and go hiking every day into the forest and regularly see bears but I have a large German Shepherd with me so I don’t feel too worried. On the WCT, as a luxury item, I would take bear spray which would help me to feel somewhat protected.
Any through hikers here? Any opinions about solo hiking/camping?
If Aaron Ralston had any friends, he’d a been out of Blue John Canyon by nightfall instead of five days. They might have been able to save his hand as well.
I had not known what the West Coast Trail was until this thread. Looks completely awesome!
I have done some bike tours alone and you end up meeting a lot of people along the way. I would suspect that depending on when you did this, there may be a fair number of people also hiking it as well. You may not hike with people during the day, but if you stay at the official campsites it is likely that you will be around others at night.
I have been eyeing the Tahoe Rim Trail in my area, and I am inclined to go alone if necessary, but would prefer to hike it with a buddy. A big challenge for me would be sleeping alone out in the woods. I know people do it all the time, but I would need to overcome that.
Safer…and more fun, too…with a friend. Having someone to talk with makes the miles fly by. And you can take pictures of each other, rather than having to rely on selfies. But, seriously, it’s the safety aspect that clinches it.
I used to go on extended trips in Tibet by myself. It was freaking awesome, but chalk it up to the immortality of youth. I would recommend a hiking partner for the safety aspect.
Yeah I will definitely see people along the trail as I’ll be going during the busiest time but there will be many hours where I don’t see anyone. I would camp near others for sure.
The menu would have more variety with two for sure. I haven’t decided if I’ll do it in 6 or 7 days. I might take a zero day at Tsusiat Falls if it’s great weather when I’m there.
Sounds like the general consensus is that it’s safer with a buddy. While I do agree I just am not liking the idea of having to consider someone else. There are lots of little stops along the way and I want the freedom of stopping or not as I wish.
A friend here at work has just come back from doing the Pacific Crest with his wife. He’d tried it in the past solo and not finished (for reasons unrelated to soloing) but he says partner is better.
Although he also said on a popular trail, if you’re solo, you won’t really want for company, the trails can be quite busy.
Not the whole thing, just a week? Summer weather? Just trails, nothing technical?
No real reason not to go for it alone.
You might, or might not, want to head for a relatively well-traveled area, just in case you take a tumble or something, but as long as you’re not doing crazy things (such as climbing down unstable rock walls, like Aaron Ralston) when you’re all alone, the chances are pretty slim. Personally, I wouldn’t camp alone in below-freezing conditions, or anything technical, but the PCT isn’t going to take you over cliffs or even much above treeline. I’ve done several multi-day trips alone.
Now, whether you want to be alone or with someone, that’s a separate question.
It all depend on your preference really. That is, except the safety aspect. How experienced a hiker are you should be the driving force behind the safety issue.
I LOVE hiking alone. For me, it is a zen thing, I love not having to accommodate someone else’s pact, wants, quirks, desires. If I want to stop at this rock outcropping and take a nap, I do so. If I want to push on another 4 miles before a rest, I do.
I’ve hiked over half the Appalachian Trail solo, and have done a few segments with other hikers. I prefer the solo. Actually I would really prefer hiking with my dog, but I only do that on day-hikes.
I couldn’t count the number of backpacking trips I’ve made over the past 50 years. Very few of them have been with other people – I go to be alone with nature, to travel at my own pace, to enjoy peace and quiet, to get away from social pressures.
On popular trails I usually “stealth camp” away from the designated shelters and tenting areas. In bear territory I follow local procedures, hanging food or using a bear canister where it is required, never preparing food at my campsite (I’ll stop, eat, and hike on a bit before stopping for the night.) and I never eat or keep food inside my tent or hammock.
My safety device is a very loud whistle hanging from the strap of my backpack – never had to use it.
Advice: Buy the lightest equipment you can afford; you’re gonna be carrying it all, all day, every day. Don’t over-pack; hikers stink, they don’t carry clean clothes for every day – best defense against stink is to wear wool; you can wear a Smartwool (or other brand merino wool) shirt for a month without washing it and it won’t stink if you let it air out overnight. Do a couple of overnight shake-down runs, even if only overnight in your back yard, to become familiar with your equipment.
I am a moderately experienced hiker. The WCT is moderate to advanced. There are a ton of ladders to climb and the trail can be very slippery and muddy if there is lots of rain. It can rain nonstop here for days. I go hiking every day with my dog in somewhat similar conditions to the WCT. We usually go about 6 miles.
I’m leaning more and more to going solo. I think it would be fun with a friend, if it was the right friend. Taking the wrong person and not realizing I’ve taken the wrong person until I’m out there would just be such a huge disappointment.
For my bike trips when I am going with someone, we agree before the trip that we don’t need to spend every mile riding together. In fact, I prefer everyone just ride at their own pace and we meet at selected spots along the way (e.g. bakery, lunch), or before entering a particularly hazardous area, so we can keep an eye on one another. Everyone has a route plan and knows were to meet-up at the end of the day’s ride, so we can go at our own pace. We are usually only separated by a few minutes/miles anyway. Sometimes we ride together, and sometimes not. Either needs to be OK with everyone. If someone expects to be together all the time, or prefers to be alone all the time, this can cause friction. If you go with someone, be transparent about your expectations in this area.
There are designated campsites along the way. They are mostly on the beach where people are allowed to have small fires with driftwood. I will sleep better knowing that there are other people near by.
I have done solo runs at Yosemite and Alaska and love it. Longest run has been 4 days I admit. Easy enough to manage food, keep everything light, consider one of the hammock tent rigs to stay dry, and use trekking poles for the mud.
I have never done that trail - and now it is on my list!
I agree, except for when a branch or twig gets snapped in the dark within hearing distance. That’s when the whole “safety in numbers” instinct kicks-in.
