[Helix]

That is a great idea for people who insist on solo hiking. but keep it where you can reach it even if your pack gets ripped from your back in a fall.

[satyrium1975]

That's a long damn thread and I wanted to read the whole thing before responding in order to get the full message expressed by this online community. I respect the opinions spoken and the feeling behind them. Helix, I'm sorry you have to deal with hauling the bodies of solo hikers out of the wilderness. I can't imagine what that must be like. I certainly hope my fiance and family members don't read your post. Having said that, understanding as fully as I can with the knowledge I have presently, I'm still going to choose to hike solo when I can. It may seem foolish or selfish even, but I've come close enough to dying in my life to realize that while I'm alive, I want to really be alive, fully participating in the world I love, and for me, that's enjoying the peace and solitude of the woods on my own. I do take the precautions mentioned by others: always leave the directions to my chosen trail and never deviate from that plan no matter what; pack the ten essentials even if I'm only hiking two miles on my own and I know there will be others on the trail; maintain a constant awareness of the world around me, no ipods etc, in order to better anticipate any coming danger; and mostly, I listen to my gut! If I feel like something isn't right, I'm out of there. I've only been on one hike where I wished to God I'd brought someone with me (Cascade Pass-Sahale Arm in June). I made good use of the whistle I always keep within immediate reach, blowing on it at the end of every switchback to warn any animals out there I was coming. (My other favorite "weapon" is old Bing Crosby tunes, sung at full volume, repeat as neccessary. ) As far as the risk of damage to my car at trailheads, I've begun to consider putting a little non-motorized scooter in the trunk. After all, as mountains are the only thing worth hiking in my opinion, if anything happens to my car, I can just load up my pack and scoot on down the road. (I'm only partially kidding) To address the point about concealed weapons...I've considered it, and a huge can of pepper spray is as close as I've come, but I'm with several people who've responded on that one; I'd likely shoot myself in the foot or become paranoid, shooting at every snapping twig. Don't get me wrong, there's a part of me that finds the idea of having a gun very appealing when I think about someone attempting to harm either my daughter or myself on the trail or at the TH. I'm sure I wouldn't sleep much at night if I had to blow someone's head off for attacking us, but then again, if we were attacked, I know for sure I wouldn't sleep at night. Morbid, yes, but certainly a thought. Good to hear from everyone on this subject!

[summithound]

I also have considered putting a bicycle in the bed of my truck and either locking it to the vehicle or stashing it in the woods before I head out. My main concern when hiking solo is a vehicle breakdown or getting mauled to death by a cougar or bear. I've had a van that I was driving break down on me when leaving the Mount Townsend trailhead in the Olympics and I was forced to walk five miles down the forest road before somebody picked me up. Unfortunately the guy was drinking so the ride down was quite a rush and once back in Quilcene he dropped me off in front of a bar where he was quick to get out and go inside . I usually don't hike alone but no matter who is going with me I make sure to let a relative or a friend know exactly what trail I'm going to be on and where I'm going. Also, I always carry a map of the area and a GPS to aid in naviagtion.

[Helix]

I never said it didn't have value. Also don't feel bad for me. I choose to give my time to SAR if it bothered me too much I would quit. Just be aware of the risks you are putting yourself in and pay up your life insurance so you family doesn't have to go without because you made a bad choice. ... I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I wanted to live deep and suck all the marrow of life... Henry David Thoreau

[aestivate]

There seems to be a lot of preoccupation about dangerous animals and dangerous people, and advocates for guns, pepper spray, knives, to deal with these hazards. Are these in fact the biggest risks to solo hiking? I rather doubt it. I would imagine that falls, hazardous fords, having talus shift on you, getting hit by a falling branch, breaking a leg or an ankle, (dropping through a hole in the snow, say) are statistically speaking far greater risks. In short, anything that would damage you badly enough to immobilize you, or come close to it, without having to kill you outright. It's curious that nobody has yet mentioned satellite phones, which, unlike cell phones, work pretty much everywhere. It's the only device I can think of that would be likely to save you in the event of an immobilizing accident, off the trail alone in remote country. One's chances of being found in such circumstances, sans phone, are extremely low. It's really quite interesting to see how easy it is to disappear permanently even in a comparatively postage-stamp-sized wild area like Rainier NP.

[aestivate]

[Allison]

I think it's fair to say that the vast majority of us here are really not that concerned with animal or human attacks, but that those who are concerned tend to br fairly vocal about it. We've had a lot of similar discussions of this on this forum.

[Snowbrushy]

Of course been there done that here. I'll do a search of topics. It's OK to grow this forum I hope.

[mgd]

There have been a couple times in late Fall where I have been at the Deep Lake trailhead and have been the only car in the parking lot. The thought occurs to me that if it really started snowing, and that was the snow that closed the road for the winter, I might have a really long hike out, and my car might not make it out until Spring. That would mean I would be hiking every day until I got my car back. From Deep Lake to Deep Doo-Doo.

[Allison]

[Snowbrushy]

I've always loved the old guard here.

[Allison]

[JDK]

I have done the majority of my hiking/backpacking alone I prefer it that way so if i change my plans on the trail I don't have some one else to argue with I just do what I feel like. I know you should leave your planed rout with some one, which I usually do but Its a broad area where I tell them i'm going. I guess its all what we feel comfortable with and maybe what kind of training you have had or how you grew up. As far as carrying weapons I would hope everyone carrys some sort of knife. I do carry a pistole where legal but you would never know it. And some of you don't like that but you have past many who do carry and your day was probably just fine.

[Backpacker Joe]

I carry concealed if the probability of running into people is high. If not, exposed.

[summithound]

When venturing into the wilderness I always have my Buck knife belted to my waist, I'd pack a gun if I had one.