View Full Version : Solo hiking safety tips
I think most of us would agree that solo hikng (on the AT at least) is relatively safe.
With that in mind, I was wondering if you would like to share any solo hiking safety tips with other hikers who may be reticent of hiking alone.
Here's what I keep in mind as I hike:
Never step on anything I can step over or around.
Next?
Mongoose2
08-08-2010, 13:14
I hike alone fairly often. I provide my planned hike and timelines to my wife, along with emergency contact numbers. I also carry a cell phone (turned off while hiking).
kayak karl
08-08-2010, 13:33
ALWAYS prepare to hike alone. partners are known to bail, hike ahead or fall behind :)
but most of all carry a map and learn to read it.
onesocktwin
08-08-2010, 13:34
1. Trust your instincts. If something/someone makes you feel uncomfortable...keep on moving.
2. Do not camp close to road crossings.
johnnybgood
08-08-2010, 13:37
Step carefully when walking over rock scrambles, making sure the rock you place your foot on isn't loose.
Step carefully when walking over rock scrambles, making sure the rock you place your foot on isn't loose.
blew my MCL in 2008 coming down into Deep Gap. mossy, loose rock + foot was not a good combination
Hikes in Rain
08-08-2010, 14:00
1. Trust your instincts. If something/someone makes you feel uncomfortable...keep on moving.
2. Do not camp close to road crossings.
I'll be bold enough to give a number to "close". For me, it's don't camp within a mile of a road crossing. Seems a good round figure.
Also, make sure someone knows your itinerary, including where you plan to camp (even if it's a range).
Kerosene
08-08-2010, 14:07
Don't stray off-trail (or at least off-route if you're bushwhacking) without a lot of forethought. The risk of injury increases exponentially in an untravelled area unknown to you, plus the challenge of rescue finding you increases dramatically.
It can be remarkably difficult to find your way back to the blazed trail if you've gone deeper into the woods (say, to find water, gather firewood, check out a land feature, find a place to poop, whatever). Keep track of your path so you can easily backtrack, and even think about leaving "breadcrumbs" to show you how to get back.
When crossing a road, I make every attempt to do so without calling attention to myself from passing cars or locals.
Don't be caught in the dark, in a storm, without light to find your way to a viable campsite.
If uncertain of where the trail goes, take the time to pull out the guidebook/map and figure out which way to go.
If uncomfortable with a situation, just move on.
since I was almost hit by falling tree, I watch out for that.
When passing by a standing dead tree never put your hand on it because it mght just be enougt to push it over on you. If you're alone this would not be a good thing.
Panzer
Old Hiker
08-08-2010, 14:54
ALWAYS prepare to hike alone. partners are known to bail, hike ahead or fall behind :)
but most of all carry a map and learn to read it.
This past week, I was with a group of Scouts and adult leaders (14 total). Since I rolled my ankles 3 times in 15 minutes the second day, I was always last coming in to camp by at least an hour. I was first out in the morning, but was passed by noon. I made sure to have my maps of the trail with me, to make sure everyone who passed knew how far we were going and that if I was found face down on the trail, to grab my wallet first! As long as I could grab glimpses of the surrounding terrain (sort of hard from Standing Indian to the NOC), I knew about where I was.
I also kept an eye out for places to camp, just in case I couldn't make it as far as the team. I had all the gear I needed and wasn't sharing with anyone, so I had food, water and shelter.
garlic08
08-08-2010, 15:16
Give your itinerary to two people: One you love, and one you trust. :D
Stick to your itinerary.
Take every step as if your life depended on it. In some places, it does.
Keep your insulation dry at all costs.
If/when things go wrong, stop and think about it before you act. Your brain is the most important tool you have.
Shutterbug
08-08-2010, 16:38
I think most of us would agree that solo hikng (on the AT at least) is relatively safe.
With that in mind, I was wondering if you would like to share any solo hiking safety tips with other hikers who may be reticent of hiking alone.
Here's what I keep in mind as I hike:
Never step on anything I can step over or around.
Next?
Everyone has their own "essential 10" list. Mine is:
1. Water -- You can survive a long time without food, but not long without water. I got dehydrarated once to the point of passing out. Since then, I always carry more water than I think I will need.
2. Clothing -- In additon to what I wear, I carry an emergency poncho. It is enough to keep me dry in a sudden rain storm.
3. Map -- I usually memorize the map, but don't actually carry paper. There have been a few times I wished I had the paper map.
4. First Aid -- I always carry a first aid kit.
5. Knife -- I always have a small swiss army knife in my pocket.
6. Fire starter/matches -- Because I often fly to where I hike, I can't carry matches or a lighter. Instead, I include a flint/steel /magnesium fire stick in my first aid kit.
7. Headlamp -- even if I plan to return before dark, I carry a headlamp and I keep fresh extra batteries in my first aid kit.
8. Spot - When I hike alone, I carry the Spot Satellite Messenger. It allows my family to track my progress and compare it with my plan. I have never had to use the "911" feature, but it is a comfort to know it is available.
9, Sun Protection -- What I do for sun protection depends on where I am hiking. When I hike in the Grand Canyon, I use lots of sun screen. When I hike in the Northwest, I generally just wear a hat with a brim.
10. Compass -- I have a button compass in the 1st aid kit, but I rarely use it. My survival training taught me to navigate without a compass. Still, it can be useful to verify. One time I really needed it -- snow storm.
Extras:
1. Tyvek sheet -- I usually cary a 3X6 sheet of tyvek. I provides a clean, dry place to sit down.
2. Camera -- I never hike without a camera. One of my motivations for hiking is to get pictures of wildlife.
BigHodag
08-08-2010, 16:48
Just finished a 2-week solo section hike, so here's my take:
1. Sign the log books. Take time at every shelter and the other spots where trail logs are found to sign the book. I always put the date and time. If someone needs to find you, log book searches are one of the first things rangers and others will do. With a known location and rate of travel, you can be found reasonably quickly.
2. Read the log books. Often if there is a hazardous situation the details will be in the log book.
3. Use TrailNote. This clever utility will alert others if you don't report in and turn off your trip plan. For a thru-hike, you could set serial TrailNotes.
4. Use TrailPhone. I used TrailPhone mostly for my spouse's sake. I also had an experienced hiker monitoring my updates to ensure that a critical/safety update was not misunderstood, etc. Each TrailPhone update is shown on a Google Map so damily and others know your approx. location.
5. Carry complete emergency info on you. I carry a small notebook for trail journaling. Inside the cover is my emergency contact information, blood type, allergies, meds, and other personal info including the address and phone of my preferred funeral home, should I do something really stupid or have really bad luck. [Note: I'm a former military emergency manager]
The advice of the others is also very good. On my way up Raven Rock, I noted a solo male hanging around a parking area near a trail crossing. May have been nothing, but I decided to hike up the trail and listen for sounds of anyone coming behind or cutting through the woods. Enjoyed much piece of mind minutes later when I had some distance and a good view of the trail below.
The AT is fairly safe, but pay attention.
Be willing to slow down or turn back or stop and make camp when sober reflection tells you that an unhappy choice like that is really the right choice --- that even if you overriding goal is to do more miles that you'll more reliably do those miles by making the more sane choice. For me this year that included bailing and hobbling back down to town last month when I strained my quad muscle in the Whites. My inner 18-year-old was urging me to "just deal with it" and push on albeit at a slower pace, but bailing and resting in this particular case was the right choice.
For me perhaps the highest trail wisdom is knowing when to listen to your body and when to tell it to shut the hell up !
When in doubt, stop and have a cup of tea.
crazyonelost
08-08-2010, 19:53
Make sure you know how to read a map and make sure you are heading in the right direction. I thought I knew a trail and walked 8 miles in the opposite direction. Thank goodness, my wife was close by with a car.
johnnybgood
08-08-2010, 19:57
Make sure you know how to read a map and make sure you are heading in the right direction. I thought I knew a trail and walked 8 miles in the opposite direction. Thank goodness, my wife was close by with a car.
Is that how you got your trail name ... just sayin'
crazyonelost
08-08-2010, 20:06
I been known to do alot of stuff without thinking,but this was mild compared to what i usually do.right trail started on wrong side from the road.
Lots of good suggestions here. I can only add this:
1. Know your abilities and hike within them.
Don't eat out of anyone's food bag........
.....care for some GORP?
A lot of good advice in here. Some of which I hadn't thought of. When I first went solo I took a detailed photographic inventory of everything I carried. That way if something did happen no one would be wondering if things I left on the trail/dropped/etc. was from me or not. I e-mailed this to two or three people.
I also would never hike alone without a good pair of sticks, a cell phone in a waterproof sack with the battery out of it and without having a good look at some topography maps before I took off and an awareness of where I would go if something were to happen. I hiked the DRT alone earlier this year and the entire time I could see farms down off the Ridge. If worst came to worst I would head downhill.
At the end of the day hiking alone is dangerous. When I came off my Smokies hike alone this older couple chatted me up and when I told him I was out alone he says, "Isnt' that dangerous? What if you fall and break something?" and all I could say was, "Isn't driving in a car dangerous?"
jersey joe
08-10-2010, 20:16
The most dangerous thing out there in my opinion is getting caught in lightning storms on a high ridge. Especially on the grassy balds in the south in the afternoons.
hailstones
08-10-2010, 20:57
I can back up jersey joe's claim to lighting and hailstorms on ridges,lol
I can back up this a third time but without a funny username. Nothing like getting halfway up Coosa Bald when the lightning comes.
Kerosene
08-11-2010, 09:48
My first backpacking trip in 12 years was solo in southeastern Michigan in late-October at the peak of fall colors. I heard the rumbling of a T-storm as I broke camp the second morning, and sure enough it doused me before I could get to shelter. I holed up on the porch of a park service building for half an hour before setting out again, only to have a squall line pass directly over me with trees on all sides of me. Scary, especially since I had a soccer buddy die from a lightning strike.
The second time was just before I summited Mt. Moosilaukee. I had started from Glencliff just before 3 pm in mid-September 2006 and was going to meet my hiking partners at Beaver Brook Shelter about 8 miles NOBO (they had parked at Kinsman Notch). There are been scatter T-storms all afternoon on the drive up, and I was hoping to avoid them as the rumble of thunder came steadily closer. I finally decided to slow down to avoid getting caught at the summit, when soon after a bolt hit a tree less than a tenth of a mile away, almost blinding and deafening me. That got my heart moving! Fortunately, that was the last bolt from the storm, but the swirling clouds and impending darkness made it interesting crossing the open summit.
Old Grouse
08-11-2010, 09:56
It's worth remembering that if you're within hearing distance of thunder, you're also (at least possibly) within striking distance of lightening.
Speak softly and carry a big stick:D. Seriousely, eat good, take plenty of breaks, stay well hydrated.
garlic08
08-11-2010, 14:20
I read a Backpacker Mag article a few years ago, which tabulated hikers' fears vs actual rescue causes.
Up real high in the "fear" column were animal attacks and lightning. Down at the bottom were slips and falls.
At the top of the actual rescue column were slips and falls. At the bottom were, you guessed it, animal attacks and lightning.
Chenango
08-11-2010, 14:52
Be willing to slow down or turn back or stop and make camp when sober reflection tells you that an unhappy choice like that is really the right choice --- that even if you overriding goal is to do more miles that you'll more reliably do those miles by making the more sane choice. For me this year that included bailing and hobbling back down to town last month when I strained my quad muscle in the Whites. My inner 18-year-old was urging me to "just deal with it" and push on albeit at a slower pace, but bailing and resting in this particular case was the right choice.
For me perhaps the highest trail wisdom is knowing when to listen to your body and when to tell it to shut the hell up !
I have that inner 18 year old, too. Don't listen to him.
Here's a couple more
* Check your ego at the trailhead
* For a solo hiker there is no such thing as a minor accident
* Start your day early and end it early
*If you don't have the right gear with you nobody is going to lend it to you
*The most important piece of equipment that you have is your brain and the vast amount of knowledge that it contains
If you lose the trail, don't panic. Study your maps and backtrack to the last point where you saw a blaze. Use a compass or GPS. Avoid bushwhacking.
If seriously lost, don't waste energy going in circles. Either try calling for help on a cell phone or wait for help.
earlyriser26
08-17-2010, 12:54
1) trust your gut, if someone seems not right avoid them
2) Hitch hiking is something that is almost unavoidable at times, but remember this... strange people hitch hike, stranger people pick them up! See point 1.
3) weather is the most deadly thing on the trail, heat, cold, lightning, etc.
4) don't worry about bears. I believe that only 3 people have been killed by bears in the eastern untited states since world war II.
1) Don't take your feet for granted! If you feel a hot spot then stop and treat it.
2) If you are prone to chafing; carry a small, trial size of Gold Bond powder. It can save your morale and sanity on a multi day hike.
3) Don't wear a "new outfit" on an overnight hike. Make sure new clothing fits properly and doesn't "rub funny" at seams, necklines or waistlines. Walk a couple of miles in them with your pack on. Same goes for new socks and for the love of God... break in your boots.
4) Don't get chilled. If you are cold, stop immediately and layer. If possible, remove and replace damp or wet layers. A "boggin" and gloves go a long way. Cook a hot meal and get a fire going. If worse comes to worse find a safe spot, put up shelter and get in your sleeping bag. Once you are in trouble it is too late.
sixhusbands
08-20-2010, 11:24
Take a look back from time to time to see where you have come from and what the trail looks like going "that' way. So if you get lost , you will have some familiar landmarks to help you find your way back.
It is amazing what you will see when you are hiking solo. that deer lying still under that tree...the loon calling from the lake.... butterflies....chipmunks....the morning sunrise or the evening sunset... the sounds of the brook...
and you are on your own time and pace...enjoy it!
dcmidnight
08-20-2010, 13:12
Lots of good advice here. I tend to overthink/overprepare but maybe thats the old Boy Scout in me - here's some more random stuff.
One of the things I do is carry way more food and water than I need. If I'm going for two days I carry 3+ days of food and plenty of water. Worst case I end up bringing it home. I'm in good enough shape that carrying around an extra 6 oz of food doesnt break the bank for me. I've given it away to people before or most of the time just brought it home. Water is tricky in the SNP where I do most of my hiking there are plenty of water stops but there is just no telling most of the time how it will be. So extra food and water.
Always prepared for bad weather. I dont care if the online forecast says its a low of 65 that night - bring pants, bring a jacket, be prepared.
Prior to leaving I email a Google map of where I'm going to two people with GPS coordinates attached. Here's where I'm starting, end of day 1 etc. Then I call them at whatever pre-arranged time. They also have a picture of what my pack setup looks like. Takes abotu two minutes to put together and email out.
I wrap a yard or so of duct tape around one of my hiking poles.
I'm still amazed at people who dayhike and bring absolutely nothing with them. Even on good trails, even on well marked good trails near a major road - it does not take a lot to say hop off the trail to go to the bathroom, get spun around and suddenly be totally lost.
Since I enjoy hiking alone and then meeting people on trails when I want to meet them on my terms I almost always hike alone, on less hiked trails, or hike off-trail. All of this means higher risks. Solo hiking, in general, means accepting higher risks.
When hiking solo in remote areas I've learned to accept the higher risks and prepare for those higher risks as much as I know how. I'm now comfortable with that. Took some time though. I'm always trying to gather as much usable info and assessing the risks in relation to my abilities or lack of them. Hiking solo means I need to be comfortable in my own ability to continue on as a self sufficient unit. I think it wise to soberly access your own abilities and see if solo hiking is right for you. As much as I like to push the envelope I've learned how to step back, slow down, access, and THEN either continue, or, as much as I might not like it, retreat! Same if I get lost. Sometimes, especially as a thru-hiker, it can be so difficult to get out of that "I must push on, I'm invincible menatality" that thru-hikers often adopt.
Rocket Jones
08-20-2010, 20:02
Not just a solo tip, but as you walk away from any break, take a look back at where you were, just in case you forgot something you took out or some gear fell off your pack.
I have a friend who stood on the downhill side of the trail shaking a pebble out of his shoe; the shoe fell and slid only about ten feet but it could have been a lot worse. I learned my lesson.
One tip not mentioned (I do a lot of these already mentioned) is to spend time on the trail thinking up ways to deal with things that might happen. If you lost or broke some item, what do you have you could use instead? Doing this builds your improvisation skills. It's also a part of taveling light.
For example, I brought some bad esbits on my last trip. I used a half a box of matches lighting one cube. Now I didn't have enough matches. I wondered what I could do instead. Could my reading glasses light the cube at mid-day? (Never tried it, so I can't tell you.) I went through my inventory of food. Way too many almonds and dried fruit. I could eat that for dinner if I couldn't light my stove. I could also build a little stick fire to cook my dinner. I could also walk out to a near-by resupply place and purchase some lighters. (This last one is what I ended up doing.)
Also, being female, I found that one mile from a major road wasn't far enough. Make that 5 miles and then I felt safer. 10 miles and I knew there'd be nobody around me for at least 5 miles.
One tip not mentioned (I do a lot of these already mentioned) is to spend time on the trail thinking up ways to deal with things that might happen..
Hey - I do this too... Playing "What if?" is one of the ways I occupy myself while I'm hiking.
Harrison Bergeron
08-23-2010, 18:32
My biggest fear when hiking alone on trails not heavily traveled (unlike the AT) is a serious injury that would make it hard to hike to safety, like a badly sprained ankle or broken leg. So I carry one of those new-fangled sticky ace bandages. It would also be handy to stop bleeding. Best part -- a full roll of the stuff only weighs .9 oz.
When in doubt, stop and have a cup of tea.
George Harrison-style, preferably. This is the best tip ever!