Forum Index > Trail Talk > Multi day backpack alone. #Just got back#
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Ski
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PostMon Jul 31, 2017 1:08 pm 
Ski, in my previous post above wrote:
Leave the cell phone, PLB, GPS, headphones, and all that jazz in the car.
kiliki wrote:
For years I poo-pooed the idea of a PLB but I now think differently and in fact before my husband's more recent solo trip I asked that we get one and he use it.
The difference there is that I'm not likely to get lost... I'm pretty familiar with the areas where I go, and there's only two ways to go: back down the trail to the trailhead, or farther out into the boonies. I enjoy the disconnect from all of those things that connect one to the rest of the world, and not having them with me puts me in the position of needing to take great care that I don't do something stupid (although invariably I manage to do so anyway.) I always let other people know where I'm going, when I'm going, and when I plan on coming back. Backcountry permits always have the necessary information on them should somebody need to locate me. Those things are no-brainers. Go with what your comfort level allows. As a couple others have mentioned just above, once you discover that you can do it on your own you become more self-reliant. ==
HermitThrush wrote:
1. You're unlikely to see a ghost unless you converse regularly with the spirit world, so to speak. And if you do, my guess is you wouldn't be as scared of ghosts.
No better place to commune with the spirit world than far away from those sights and sounds (and people) which would serve only as distractions.

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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williswall
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PostMon Jul 31, 2017 1:23 pm 
Ski wrote:
I enjoy the disconnect from all of those things that connect one to the rest of the world, and not having them with me puts me in the position of needing to take great care that I don't do something stupid (although invariably I manage to do so anyway.)
Most of us who use SPOT or InReach do so for the peace of mind of our families, not as a crutch for ourselves. My spouse is much more at ease with me going out for days with occasional position reports attesting to my good health. I got an InReach when my daughter and I were out of touch in the Pasayten for upwards of 10 days. The additional benefit of summoning rescue in the slim chance that that situation arises could mean the difference of bleeding out in the backcountry from a freak immobilizing accident, or living.

I desire medium danger williswall.com
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Navy salad
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PostMon Jul 31, 2017 1:57 pm 
Being 67, there aren't too many of my friends interested in even coming along with me on a day hike, much less an overnight hike! (Although I can occasionally recruit my youngest son). So I've been hiking solo for years and have never been spooked (well, except for one time I decided to go for a little walk after dinner and it got dark WAY quicker than I expected and I had a surprisingly hard time finding my way back to my tent). Like others have mentioned, I love the solitude and peacefulness of solo hiking and think it's "good for the soul". And it's a big plus to "go where I want" at "my" pace!

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Pyrites
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PostMon Jul 31, 2017 2:41 pm 
You'll find yourself being more careful of your footing crossing creeks. If you're a heads-up hiker, and not a look at your feet hiker, you'll see a lot more critters. Expect to get startled by grouse at least once a day. A lot of people who haven't solo'ed think not being able to split up shared resources like tent and stove makes hiking harder. Wrong. Always going at exactly your own pace, with breaks never longer or shorter than you'd prefer, more than makes up for two or three more pounds in the pack. Camp by a creek for white noise? I know some have been bothered by that 'babbling' you can hear if you are near, but not right next to, a creek. Go.

Keep Calm and Carry On? Heck No. Stay Excited and Get Outside!
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Gil
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PostMon Jul 31, 2017 9:57 pm 
Go ahead and get out there! Just use common sense and don't take chances you wouldn't normally take and you'll be fine. Things will go bump in the night, but that's part of the fun. Our 22-year-old daughter is spending the summer in Colorado. Last week she spent three days solo in the Grenadier Range of the San Juan Mountains. She had planned to do five 13,500-plus-foot peaks but was beset by thunder and lightning storms and wound up summiting only West Trinity. She says despite having to modify her goals and the repeated drenchings, she had a blast and saw some fantastic country with very few other people around. You will too!

Friends help the miles go easier. Klahini
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Jordan
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PostMon Jul 31, 2017 10:49 pm 
Thanks for the advice everyone. Makes me feel a bit better knowing others do the same and come back alive. I'm excited for sure.

none
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pasayten
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PostTue Aug 01, 2017 4:44 am 
RandyHiker wrote:
If you've got money to spare , a satellite messenger or PLB would allow you to explore a bit more freely, with less,risk that you'll bust an ankle a hundred yards off trail and never be found. Satellite messengers also let you send an "I'm OK" message daily to people back home so they don't worry.
+1 I hike alone most of the time and I got a PLB for safety to comfort both me in the hills and my wife at home! :-)

Happy Trails... pasayten
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fairweather friend
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PostTue Aug 01, 2017 6:29 am 
When you hike or paddle with a group, your relationship with everyone else is usually the first thing on your mind. How is everyone doing? What did so-and-so mean when she said THAT? I hope I don't slow the group down because... In short, your relationship with the wilderness takes a backseat to and is filtered through the group. Nature comes second. When you hike or paddle solo, there is nothing between you and Nature. It's just you and the Wild. Your senses are heightened and you observe more of the world around you. So many sights and sounds and smells you probably never noticed when your mind is filled with so much clutter. And you are so much quieter than a group! And that means you'll get to see much more wildlife than you're used to seeing. You are also more approachable to other humans. That's usually a good thing. I meet WAY more cool and interesting people when I am solo than when I travel with a group. On the rare occasion I am overrun by a large group, I simply move somewhere else. On the even rarer occasion I meet someone who gives me the creeps, I just rely on my intuition to give me warning. When you are solo, your intuition becomes as important as cognitive thought. You will learn to trust your gut! As has been mentioned, your mind is free to roam when you're solo, which, in the beginning, means that it will bounce all over the place and dwell on a variety of "What if's?" and boogeymen. This is normal. It's hard to leave your fears behind. But after a while, your mind settles down and you grow comfortable with your own company. This is the best part of being solo: to really get to know yourself. To accept yourself and all your shortcomings. I agree with the advice to stay on trails when you're solo. Unless and until you've acquired years of experience going solo you should not venture far off-trail by yourself. Don't leave the safety net that is available through other hikers in the vicinity. It takes years of experience to appreciate the myriad ways that things can go wrong in the wilderness and learn how to truly assess your risk level in any given situation. Going solo requires that you become a better leader. That may sound like a paradox, but it's true. Your "group of one" is, by definition, a very limited one, with limited skills and experience and limited abilities to problem-solve and overcome difficulties. Group decision-making is superior to solo decision-making and teamwork can overcome obstacles that can stop a soloist dead in his tracks. Accept that fact! Make it part of your risk assessment. Above all, enjoy your time alone. It's not as easy as it sounds, but it will become a huge addiction if you learn to do it right. Good luck!

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wanderwild
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PostTue Aug 01, 2017 3:15 pm 
I love overnighting solo. The willies are never totally behind you, but I think you get better at avoiding certain triggers, such as the suggestion of camping near running water. Personally, night time in camp doesn't bother me much, but being caught out on the trail after dark (especially below treeline) alone always gets to me. I can know it's coming and mentally prepare for it, and do things to combat it, but it's nearly impossible to avoid some sort of unpleasant vibes. On a good day, it's just a sense of uneasiness about mundane things in life such as work, social life, bills. On a bad day I'm sweating bullets, head on a swivel, and thinking about wolves and cougars. But I always survive and laugh later wink.gif Definitely bring the whiskey. There are few things better in life than aimlessly exploring an alpine landscape by your camp at sunset with a flask of single malt.

"Whatever your mountain, climb on."
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CarriesNineFires
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PostTue Aug 01, 2017 7:40 pm 
For the budding solo backpacker: If you've hiked, then you know there's the exertion of the hike with which to deal. I think that's the hardest part, and by now it's one of my favorite parts. So you've got that down: keep up the will to continue and you'll get there, and you'll be mighty glad to have arrived. That pack's probably heavy. You find a place to camp. Having done pre-trip research, assiduously followed your map and managed your time, you will have plenty of daylight remaining and will know exactly where you are. Get that tent set up so it's ready for you and spend those pre-dark hours getting to know your home. Establishing a cooking rock, a sitting log, a food-hang rope, a place to poop with a pre-dug hole: these chores make the place your own and make you feel like you belong there. Which you do. If it's the nighttime experience that causes the most trepidation, remember that Washington isn't Alaska or Borneo or anywhere else with serious man-killers. Those twigs you hear snapping are almost certainly under the hooves of deer, and it might just be the wind. But if getting out of the tent in the middle of the night to pee is something you're trying to avoid (and I'll admit it's sometimes spooky out there for no apparent reason) then stop drinking water or whatever else a couple of hours before you hit the sack. Being alone you'll want to keep your mind occupied; that was the whole point of the original post, I think. Bring a book, one that's long enough to last as long as you need it to. Bring a small notebook and a pen (good idea always, I'd say) so you can document this awesome new experience and make lists, etc. that help to put it all into perspective. Some are recommending weed or booze; that's for you to decide based on how well you know you can handle those things. When I get high in the mountains I generally get lost or think I'm lost and it's sketchy for a while then I figure out the obvious. It's fun for me in retrospect, but if you're new to it all, stay on top of your game. Then do your best to wake up early and get out of the tent and you'll know why this was a good idea.

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Chief Joseph
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PostTue Aug 01, 2017 8:08 pm 
If no other hikers around who might be annoyed, play some loud music...I suggest Rage against the Machine, that should scare pretty much anything away.

Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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CarriesNineFires
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PostTue Aug 01, 2017 8:25 pm 
If other hikers are around who may be annoyed, I'd crank that Rage even louder, except it would be Slayer's Angel Of Death.

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CarriesNineFires
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PostTue Aug 01, 2017 8:54 pm 
I think the whole point of solo backpacking is to really get away from it all. And I mean ALL of it. Schedules, compromises, distractions, rules. You get to live in your own time, as you feel is right at any given moment, and have the freedom to make every choice on your own terms. This is, for most of us, a rare way of life and one to be discovered with a great sense of revelation when it's a new thing. You might only get to do it a few times a year but the feeling lasts through the dark days of winter and sustains you as you think about the hiking season to come. Pay attention to the details of the land. Lie down and study the flora. You will want to have someone to share it all with but you will do that when you get back. In the meantime, look at everything and see how it all fits together and revel in the fact that you're the only person there and you're in a world that is only yours for a while. When you're alone you can appreciate these things at your own pace, and that's valuable.

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KekistaniProphet
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PostTue Aug 01, 2017 8:55 pm 
Jordan wrote:
Anyone go out on multi day backpacking trips alone. Both my partners dropped out and I still want to go but have never been out by myself. Any advice? I'm doing it but I know I will get the willies when I am out there by myself. Trying not to leave after the first night or in the middle of the night. paranoid.gif
Advice? Reach down, find your balls and do it. ]

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KekistaniProphet
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PostTue Aug 01, 2017 9:00 pm 
CarriesNineFires wrote:
But if getting out of the tent in the middle of the night to pee is something you're trying to avoid (and I'll admit it's sometimes spooky out there for no apparent reason) then stop drinking water or whatever else a couple of hours before you hit the sack.
Penis meet gatorade bottle. My preferred method though is make lots of noise and burst out of tent at 2am with flash light and 9mm in hand!

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