View Full Version : first night alone
barefooter333
10-26-2014, 12:27
how so u prepare for the first night in the woods
12trysomething
10-26-2014, 12:30
Just do it. Bring ear plugs, don't go too far from your car, get there early enough to get fire wood as most find comfort in fire and most important, just do it.
Have fun.
Second Hand
10-26-2014, 12:34
A lot depends on where you are hiking. I once read that you are only as alone as you want to be on the AT. During peak season, thats pretty much true. You may be hiking alone, but your often sharing shelters with many people.
As for being truly alone in the woods the biggest thing that helps me is bringing reading materials. Something to keep my mind busy on these long fall nights. The hardest part is getting yourself there. Once you get there, you'll be fine.
johnnybgood
10-26-2014, 12:47
Once you get set up camp and relax you'll wonder why all the apprehension. Happy hiking !
brian039
10-26-2014, 12:59
The first time I camped alone I set up right next to a Forest Service road crossing which ended up being a mistake because there were a few trucks that came by in the middle of the night. Set up close enough to your car that you have that as a safety net but not too close. Make sure you take bear precautions so you have that peace of mind. It was scary for me at first and took a few times before I got comfortable with it.
After dinner, and before sleep, is a good time to preview the next days trail on your map or guides.Can also journal for the day. Then cut some Zzzz's and enjoy the fresh night air!
I'd recommend against sleeping too close to a road or trailhead. Not just for the first night out. That "rule" applies always. Having your car as a bailout is unrealistic and serves no purpose.
Hikes in Rain
10-26-2014, 16:06
Be prepared to not sleep too well your first time. It's all new and exciting, and even though you know there's nothing to be afraid of, that darned little hindbrain never seems to get the message. There'll be sounds you're not used to, and new smells to keep your mind working. That's ok; to be expected, and nothing to worry about. Just relax and enjoy. If you're not in a tent and can see the sky, see if you can spot a satellite. Bring a flashlight and play with it, especially if it gets a little foggy. Light saber time! Sooner or later you'll doze off, likely without realizing it (and you'll probably swear you weren't asleep). Happens to me the first night of every trip.
saltysack
10-26-2014, 16:13
Hike long and late you'll sleep fine....
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I've never really been out "alone". All my trips have involved groups, so about as "alone" as I have been is 100 yards from the next person. I would say - make sure the fire is out. Don't drink too much right before bed, so you don't have to wake up and pee. Make sure your food bag is hung at least 200 feet from you. Relax, stay up and watch a movie on your phone, listen to music, or whatever in the tent. If you hiked long enough during the day you should be plenty tired. I never can sleep much the night before a hike - usually only a few hours, so by 10pm on the first hiking day I am DEAD to the world.
I much prefer rainy nights, by the way. The animals we would worry about don't like rain any more than us, so they'll hunker down, too. Plus, the rain masks anything that might sound like footsteps (branches falling, small animals hopping about). Try to pick a moonless night, or at least one less than half full. I spent a hell of a night once with a full moon slowly making its way across my rainfly. It was like a spotlight boring a hole in my brain, all night long. You will not sleep as good as normal. It's something completely different, but your body will adjust sooner or later.
Try to pick a moonless night, or at least one less than half full. I spent a hell of a night once with a full moon slowly making its way across my rainfly. It was like a spotlight boring a hole in my brain, all night long. You will not sleep as good as normal. It's something completely different, but your body will adjust sooner or later.
+1 on the Moonless night. This past summer I spent two night hanging in the same spot but two weeks apart. The 1st night was a full moon and between the light, the coyotes, and the Whipperwills - very little sleep occurred. Two weeks later, moonless and slept like a log. Althought, any night sleeping on a trail is a great night.
Slo-go'en
10-26-2014, 17:36
how so u prepare for the first night in the woods
Umm, first you get some camping gear... :)
Okay, so you got some camping gear. Put it all in your pack, put the pack on and walk into the back yard. Then "make camp" and spend the night out there, pretending your deep in the wilderness. If you can set up your tent, make your bed, cook a meal and sleep for the night in your own backyard, you can do it anywhere. And if you can't, you can make changes before their a problem for real.
JumpMaster Blaster
10-26-2014, 18:27
A lot depends on where you are hiking. I once read that you are only as alone as you want to be on the AT. During peak season, thats pretty much true. You may be hiking alone, but your often sharing shelters with many people.
As for being truly alone in the woods the biggest thing that helps me is bringing reading materials. Something to keep my mind busy on these long fall nights. The hardest part is getting yourself there. Once you get there, you'll be fine.
My first night out alone I was apprehensive, but was comforted somewhat by there being a group of hikers (about 7-8) within yelling distance of my campsite. Far enough away to not be loud, but close enough to be able to call for help if needed.
Since then I've only had 3-4 nights where no one else camped near me. Maybe more like 3.
Furlough
10-26-2014, 18:45
Once you get set up camp and relax you'll wonder why all the apprehension. Happy hiking !
+1 to this advice. Get your camp in order. Eat, and hang your bear bag if you are so inclined. Then just relax, look around, take in the sights and sounds.
saltysack
10-26-2014, 19:51
I guess I'm a loaner.....I prefer having solitude while out.....my dog usually goes with me so guess I'm really not alone...I much prefer to solo stealth camp over shelters and large group sites...hyoh
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rocketsocks
10-26-2014, 19:51
Bring ear plugs, no sense in sweatin' every little twig break.
scrabbler
10-26-2014, 20:56
Setup. Eat. Look around. Get set to sleep. Realize there's a train crossing miles below in the valley, and train will let you know ever 30 minutes. Listen to the twigs crackle. There goes the train again. Decide you're tired enough, put in the earplugs, and go to sleep.
Spirit Walker
10-26-2014, 23:07
The first year I backpacked I was always hiking alone. I only slept near another hiker once out of about 8 trips. I usually went on full moon nights so that I could see the source of the odd noises near me (i.e. once a skunk got into my cook pot.) Trouble is, it made it harder to fall asleep. OTOH, I enjoyed watching the moon slide across the sky. I learned I didn't need as much sleep as I thought. It took about three trips before I was able to fall asleep easily. I had awful gear that didn't work at all well so had a lot more sore muscles than I expected. I learned to take Advil before bed to soothe those sore muscles. I brought a book to while away the late afternoon and evening hours. I also just enjoyed watching the world around me and listening to the sounds of the desert. I really enjoyed solo camping.
OTOH, if you're hiking on the AT, you probably won't be alone unless you work at it.
Bring ear plugs, no sense in sweatin' every little twig break.
I beg to differ Socks, our sense of hearing is an important 'sense'. If lounging in a crowded shelter, by all means install ear and nose plugs. But solo camping I have always enjoyed hearing the sounds of Mother Nature, them crickets have sung me to sleep many a night...:)
Think about that first "middle of the night" trip to a nearby tree. Two things to consider. Bring a small LED type light and attach that to a Ridgeline in a hammock OR near the top inside the tent. Turn that on when you need to exit, and take your head light (always have that in the same place inside the tent or hammock). Now as you stumble over to a tree, glance over your shoulder to see the LED light you turned on......HOME.
I use a hammock and I got a foot of reflective material from a neighbor who works for the highway department. I tie that up to my tarp line. I can hit that from around 40 feet away and STILL see it. (I was out on a hammock hang once and had trouble finding my hammock at like 10 PM on a moonless night after I left the bofire). It is a comfort knowing you can exit, go a little ways away from your sleep area, and still find it.
Think about that first "middle of the night" trip to a nearby tree. Two things to consider. Bring a small LED type light and attach that to a Ridgeline in a hammock OR near the top inside the tent. Turn that on when you need to exit, and take your head light (always have that in the same place inside the tent or hammock). Now as you stumble over to a tree, glance over your shoulder to see the LED light you turned on......HOME.
I use a hammock and I got a foot of reflective material from a neighbor who works for the highway department. I tie that up to my tarp line. I can hit that from around 40 feet away and STILL see it. (I was out on a hammock hang once and had trouble finding my hammock at like 10 PM on a moonless night after I left the bofire). It is a comfort knowing you can exit, go a little ways away from your sleep area, and still find it.
Being a Tarper myself, I just roll over stretch it out and piss, no need to get up and rumble around.:)
It helps to be tired. I find also that I sleep well in the rain. A bright moon can definitely be an impediment to sleep. But otherwise beautiful and spectacular.
As for the sounds... well, there will be some, but take comfort in knowing that you're pretty high up on the food chain, and most critters in the woods aren't interested in dining on you. They may be very interested in the contents of your food bag, but that issue is manageable.
I'd suggest that your first night in the woods not be a stealth camp -- make it a proper campsite or tent site near a shelter.
MuddyWaters
10-26-2014, 23:57
There's nothing in the the woods to be afraid of except the occassional deranged inbred hillbilly drunk on corn liquor, and if he wants to kill you in your sleep, there's probably not much you can about it, so relax.
rocketsocks
10-27-2014, 00:58
I beg to differ Socks, our sense of hearing is an important 'sense'. If lounging in a crowded shelter, by all means install ear and nose plugs. But solo camping I have always enjoyed hearing the sounds of Mother Nature, them crickets have sung me to sleep many a night...:)
Yup, then there's that, for the brave and unaffected. I personally don't use ear plugs, just a watch cap and stay up all night. :D
Yup, then there's that, for the brave and unaffected. I personally don't use ear plugs, just a watch cap and stay up all night. :D
What Group r u from
rocketsocks
10-27-2014, 01:23
What Group r u from
The group "W" bench. Litterin'
The group "W" bench. Litterin'
Me too cuz, lov ya...
rocketsocks
10-27-2014, 01:33
Me too cuz, lov ya...
Ah shucks...
Old Hiker
10-27-2014, 07:40
1. First time: just be prepared for a LOT of unexplained noises. I don't use ear plugs because I WANT to hear that occassional deranged inbred hillbilly drunk on corn liquor sneaking up on me. And if he's/she's drunk and can still sneak up on me, kudos to him/her.
2. Set up camp BEFORE dark STARTS. You can look around, find where your nighttime bathroom will be (straight line shot out the tent door preferably), look for tripping hazards, get a good meal in, pack up everything you won't need, have a full container of water ready, get the flashlight(s) ready, set up your sleeping bag, hang the bear bag up, etc. etc. I have two lights: a single AAA that stays in my shorts pocket during the night and my headlamp. My headlamp seem to migrate from where I've put it in the tent.
3. IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE those noises. Trust me. It's a branch falling. It's water dripping. It's your beard scratching your sleeping bag. True story - woke up, heard a bear sniffing outside the tent. Turned out to be my beard.............. I actually had mice playing in the leaves one night, which was interesting until I thought: well, what if an owl decides to drop in? Owls are extremely loud, by the way, esp. right OVER your tent.
4. IGNORE - IGNORE - IGNORE that sudden bright light. It's the moon coming out from behind the clouds and is making really pretty patterns on your tent with the rhododendron leaves.
5. I fully expect the first night or 5 to be full of waking up, wondering why I woke up. After the first few nights, I'm out and don't care.
Think about that first "middle of the night" trip to a nearby tree. Two things to consider. Bring a small LED type light and attach that to a Ridgeline in a hammock OR near the top inside the tent. Turn that on when you need to exit, and take your head light (always have that in the same place inside the tent or hammock). Now as you stumble over to a tree, glance over your shoulder to see the LED light you turned on......HOME.
I use a hammock and I got a foot of reflective material from a neighbor who works for the highway department. I tie that up to my tarp line. I can hit that from around 40 feet away and STILL see it. (I was out on a hammock hang once and had trouble finding my hammock at like 10 PM on a moonless night after I left the bofire). It is a comfort knowing you can exit, go a little ways away from your sleep area, and still find it.
+1 on the small LED in the tent. Model 6, we'll leave the light on for you.
My suggestion is to find a way to be very tired at the end of the day. So hike enough miles that day to be physically tired. I wouldn't advise ear plugs camping alone in the woods since it is important to be aware of your surroundings. A shelter or hostel is where ear plugs are needed.
MikeyPooh
10-27-2014, 09:35
Ah, finally a thread I can chime in on with some authority! I just did my first ever night-out-alone-in-the-woods September 10th and 11th.
Prior to finding White Blaze a few months ago, I never once did any sort of hiking at all - I was strictly an ultimate car camper. I had a friend once describe what I did as "going outside to eat," lol.
I have one camping buddy who always goes with me, so I had never been alone. After reading here for hours, and other places, I started realizing a lot of my fears were basically just mythical things combined with an overactive imagination. Also, in hindsight, I think me and my buddy would always egg each other on - "what was THAT!?" "Did you hear something!?"
So now that I am seriously entertaining the thought of hiking the AT it hit me I needed to start getting over some of these phobias... and I always tend to do things in baby steps...
So the first night out alone I went to my favorite campsite up in Bald Eagle state forest in central PA (heck I hadn't even been car camping for 5 years, it felt so good to get out there again) and I set up camp as normal, but I slept in the back of my mini-van the first night.
And it was totally fine - by 10pm it felt like 1 am and I was ready for bed, any noises suddenly didn't seem so scary - in my case I think when I am forced to rely solely on my own wits I become quite logical instead of giving in to the whole "holy crap is that a bear or the blair witch!?" lol So I was hanging out and thinking "ok that's just the wind in the trees, that was just a dead branch falling about 100 feet away, that was just two branches rubbing together and creaking..."
The second night I slept in my tent, and by this time, it was totally cool, and better than the back of the van. The cool fresh air, the breeze making the tent "breathe."
I've seen lots of people saying take earplugs; I was in my camp thinking about that and I decided no way, if it ever goes down that a bear actually does start sniffing at my tent, I want to hear him, lol. I think after awhile you get used to whatever sounds are happening around you and then you can sleep anyway.
So that's my 2 cents, get out there and do it and you'll feel so much better afterwards.
Ground Control
10-27-2014, 09:59
I also don't use earplugs; agree with Old Hiker: I WANT to hear the noises around me. I do, however, use benadryl if I'm having a hard time sleeping. It works double, as it helps with bites, welts or other itchy things.
I guess you can camp near your car if you are doing a loop, but most traditional trails are not loops. I'm usually walking TO my car after being dropped off some distance down the trail. Agreed with the former posters who advised against staying near road crossings - why make it easy for the bogeyman hopped up on mountain meth to enter your space? Hearing a car door in the middle of the night freaks me out a lot more than a twig breaking or even a male deer snort.
Highly recommend setting up camp well before dark. For me, setting up camp and eating takes more than an hour, and it's not a good thing to be rushed. Best to enjoy this time. Since I'm normally in my hammock, the food goes up in the tree before sundown. If I give myself enough time, I can have one cocktail as I explore the perimeter of my space. This is one of the few relaxing times.
Some won't like this, but there is truth to the idea that building a campfire helps your morale. It's not worth the calorie expenditure to do it nightly. If around other hikers, I might not just to avoid rustling feathers. (And it goes without saying that you should only do this if fires are currently being permitted, and only in permitted spaces.) But if the circumstances allow, such as being alone, having a safe fire-space, and enough available firewood, I find this a worthwhile activity. While gathering wood you discover game trails that will help explain the sounds of the night. You learn about your new temporary neighborhood, understand your immediate surroundings. Plus, lighting your small fire just as dark sets is empowering and morale-boosting. It is particularly satisfying if you can pull it off after a hard rain. I'm always reminded of Tom Hanks and his primal reaction to finally lighting the fire in Castaway - "Look what I have created!"
importman77
10-27-2014, 12:45
I was worried about my first night alone and oddly it wasn't as bad as I expected. What's interesting to me is that it turned out I spent my first night alone in the woods IN A CEMETERY. I was doing Springer to Neels last year and I got a late start so I only made it as far as Hickory Flats. So, I hung my hammock under the shed there and made camp. I did have to get up a couple times and walk through the cemetery for a nature break but otherwise the only bad part was the sound of the military aircraft flying over for a good part of the night. Looking back I feel like I would be afraid to do it again, but at the time it really didn't bother me.
Umm, first you get some camping gear... :)
Okay, so you got some camping gear. Put it all in your pack, put the pack on and walk into the back yard. Then "make camp" and spend the night out there, pretending your deep in the wilderness. If you can set up your tent, make your bed, cook a meal and sleep for the night in your own backyard, you can do it anywhere. And if you can't, you can make changes before their a problem for real.
And try to pick the worst weather night (rain, winds or snow and cold if you plan to hike in winter) - that way you know that your gear will work no matter what you encounter and you will be happy every time in the future that at least it's not as bad as that night.
Its obviously a mental thing, alone in the woods is alone in the woods, in the great, great majority of cases the sounds we hear are small critters just going about their lives, as we encroach.
We are at he TOP OF TH FOOD CHAIN ..........ON LAND.
Enjoy your dominance.
freightliner
10-27-2014, 21:05
For as long as I live I'll never forget my first night out. I decided to hike the Greenway in southern New Hampshire and my first night ever was at moose lookout campsite which is now a shelter. Back then it was just a small tent platform and I got there well after dark. It was all good got my tent set up had a little dinner relaxed a little bit then I crawled in my tent to sleep. I was laying there feeling pretty proud of myself when I started started to hear something. I was not alone there was something walking towards me in the woods. I froze I didn't know what to do just sat there listening to it come closer and closer. Then the worst thing happened it stopped right outside my tent and began to sniff it. Luckily it started to walk away that's when I grab my flashlight turned it on the see what it was and it turned out to be a moose. That wasn't the only moose that night apparently I wasn't smart enough to know I was on a moose path. When I saw the name for the campsite I thought it was a place where you could look out and see moose. I now know it's because of the amount of moose in that area you might want to look out for them.
Oh by the way you wouldn't believe what it sounds like being sniffed by a moose. Horse x2
Remember the rule of nighttime sounds in the woods that states the animal you hear is always 1 size smaller than that you are convinced it is. Very roughly:
Sounds like a saskwatch? It's a moose.
Sounds like a moose? It's a deer.
Sounds like a deer? It's a fox.
Sound like a fox? It's a squirrel.
Sounds like a squirrel? It's a vole.
Sounds like a vole? it's a beetle.
But here is the real secret. The above only applies after you have spent a whole lot of nights in the woods. Years. If you are new, then the actual size of what you hear is a minimum of two orders smaller than what you think.
Remember this when you hear something in the dark. The rule never fails. That said, if it sounds like Godzilla you are screwed.
+1 on the small LED in the tent. Model 6, we'll leave the light on for you.
Motel - one day I'll learn how to spell.
BuckeyeBill
10-27-2014, 22:50
Motel - one day I'll learn how to spell.
You do better than most of them.
Old Hiker
10-28-2014, 11:29
Its obviously a mental thing, alone in the woods is alone in the woods, in the great, great majority of cases the sounds we hear are small critters just going about their lives, as we encroach.
We are at he TOP OF TH FOOD CHAIN ..........ON LAND.
Enjoy your dominance.
Yeah. Right. Go explain THAT to a Kodiak bear or a polar bear or a lion or a jaguar or a.......................:rolleyes:
Take away our toys (technology) and we're just a bunch or psychotic apes who shoulda stayed in the trees. :p
Think about that first "middle of the night" trip to a nearby tree. Two things to consider. Bring a small LED type light and attach that to a Ridgeline in a hammock OR near the top inside the tent. Turn that on when you need to exit, and take your head light (always have that in the same place inside the tent or hammock). Now as you stumble over to a tree, glance over your shoulder to see the LED light you turned on......HOME.
Agreed! It's amazing how lost you can get just a few feet from the tent half asleep at 2am.
I bought a set of Twilights by ENO. Awesome six foot long led light string, runs off AAA batteries. You can see them a good ways off. I really want to do some long exposure photography with them too...
JumpMaster Blaster
10-28-2014, 23:32
1. First time: just be prepared for a LOT of unexplained noises. I don't use ear plugs because I WANT to hear that occassional deranged inbred hillbilly drunk on corn liquor sneaking up on me. And if he's/she's drunk and can still sneak up on me, kudos to him/her.
2. Set up camp BEFORE dark STARTS. You can look around, find where your nighttime bathroom will be (straight line shot out the tent door preferably), look for tripping hazards, get a good meal in, pack up everything you won't need, have a full container of water ready, get the flashlight(s) ready, set up your sleeping bag, hang the bear bag up, etc. etc. I have two lights: a single AAA that stays in my shorts pocket during the night and my headlamp. My headlamp seem to migrate from where I've put it in the tent.
3. IGNORE, IGNORE, IGNORE those noises. Trust me. It's a branch falling. It's water dripping. It's your beard scratching your sleeping bag. True story - woke up, heard a bear sniffing outside the tent. Turned out to be my beard.............. I actually had mice playing in the leaves one night, which was interesting until I thought: well, what if an owl decides to drop in? Owls are extremely loud, by the way, esp. right OVER your tent.
4. IGNORE - IGNORE - IGNORE that sudden bright light. It's the moon coming out from behind the clouds and is making really pretty patterns on your tent with the rhododendron leaves.
5. I fully expect the first night or 5 to be full of waking up, wondering why I woke up. After the first few nights, I'm out and don't care.
At first I thought heard some town drunks hooting & hollering. Turned out to be some kind of owl. Then I heard a low grunting noise. Jury is still out on that (but I'm thinking bear). After that was some smallish mammal making some crying noise. Next up was a rustling of leaves which I was positive were the voles- saw numerous holes around the campsite.
All of that noisekept me awake, but not terrified. It was more a curiosity "okay what kind of animal was that". I was particularly pleased when I recognized a Barred Owl off in the distance.
I will say hands down the animal that disturbed me the most, bar none, were the Katydids. I'd heard them before, but at one shelter there were so many of them (had to have been several hundred) they kept waking me up out of my sleep. It wasn't relaxing- they gave me a headache. I only slept about 2 1/2 hours that night. They went nonstop from 7pm to 6 the next morning. Not even earplugs and white noise on the iPod could drown them out.
rocketsocks
10-29-2014, 00:12
Tree frogs 'll keep up all night as well...talk about a shrill.
Tree frogs 'll keep up all night as well...talk about a shrill.
What bout them Owls mating in the tree tops?
rocketsocks
10-29-2014, 00:21
What bout them Owls mating in the tree tops?
Nasty buzzards they are.
Nasty buzzards they are.zards
Them Buzzards gotta Eat 2, Just like Socks...
rocketsocks
10-29-2014, 06:24
zards
Them Buzzards gotta Eat 2, Just like Socks......where's a Zard when ya need one.
saltysack
10-29-2014, 06:39
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/29/8f5fa0f4242e221b71f4ac01c45fe3ee.jpg
These guys are very vocal at night, trust me I have several....barred owlhttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/29/19e2fcd2285cca7a46e141243699947f.jpg
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saltysack
10-29-2014, 06:41
I volunteer for a wild bird rescue
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rocketsocks
10-29-2014, 06:43
Do You have em as pets, or rehab ???
rocketsocks
10-29-2014, 06:45
I volunteer for a wild bird rescue
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Wow you must be a mind reader, how'd ya know I was typing that very question, you truly Re a wise old owl.
rocketsocks
10-29-2014, 06:45
Do You have em as pets, or rehab ???
Pretty cool
rocketsocks
10-29-2014, 06:50
I tooled into Rutherford shelter late one night, when I heard this loud swish and screach, I've come to believe over the years it was an owl that must have buzzed me, startled the bejayzees outta me.
daddytwosticks
10-29-2014, 07:05
Wait until you hear your first screech owl in the middle of the night. Better hope you are not alone! I thought some woman was getting stabbed by a creepy guy, it was so lifelike. :)
Ruffdude
10-29-2014, 07:15
After you spend some time in the woods you learn that it's not the noises to fear it's the absence of noise. When things go quiet you should be on alert, the small critters shut down when a predator enters their bubble of safety.
dangerdave
10-29-2014, 07:50
Deer make some freaky noises sometimes. They can run by your tent like a galloping horse. They can snort, scream, grunt, bleat, toot, bray, etc. Coyotes sound like Sasquatch.
Oh, and don't pitch your tent under a nut tree in the Fall---chestnut, walnut, hazelnut... They sound like bombs dropping in the quiet night. And when they hit your tent...BLAM! you're awake.
Loons and whippoorwills are very cool...for about five minutes. Then you just want them to shut the ****** up!
2015 Lady Thru-Hiker
10-29-2014, 07:55
Oh, and don't pitch your tent under a nut tree in the Fall---chestnut, walnut, hazelnut... They sound like bombs dropping in the quiet night. And when they hit your tent...BLAM! you're awake.
Stayed near a shelter with a tin roof this fall during peak acorn dropping season. Sounding like machine-gun fire through out the night. I sleep some, can't imagine that the people that actually slept in the shelter slept at all.
saltysack
10-29-2014, 07:56
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/29/f12c457cd46a18b47c0fb3d02f2fa515.jpg
My favorite owl...,great horned owl
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/29/c707be02376fd152a94071406a2ec320.jpg
Screech owl full grown
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jjozgrunt
10-29-2014, 08:52
Who gets up in the middle of the night for a leak? I have an old Nalgene Cantene that has some repair tape on it so I don't trust it with my drinkable water. Uncap, kneel, cap and back to sleep. Very clearly labeled not for drinking water so I don't get it confused. Not for the females unfortunately unless you want to try one of those standup attachments, which my wife thinks are one of the worse designed pieces of equipment ever made and obviously designed by a man.
Love being solo in the bush, but of course we have no animals that can eat you so we're pretty safe. Never use earplugs because I like being serenaded to sleep.
I have found a problem with the ZPacks tents though, they are so see through when it's a full moon it's like trying to sleep in a spot light.
2015 Lady Thru-Hiker
10-29-2014, 09:04
Who gets up in the middle of the night for a leak? I have an old Nalgene Cantene that has some repair tape on it so I don't trust it with my drinkable water. Uncap, kneel, cap and back to sleep. Very clearly labeled not for drinking water so I don't get it confused. Not for the females unfortunately unless you want to try one of those standup attachments, which my wife thinks are one of the worse designed pieces of equipment ever made and obviously designed by a man.
Actually one was designed by a female thru-hiker. The prototype - a salad dressing bottle !!
Ear plugs are my best friend while sleeping along in the woods. I also pack some advil pm if i need a little help dozing off.
bangorme
10-30-2014, 11:06
I can't remember the first time I slept alone in the woods, so I can't give any tips except that, if you think about it, there are 100,000 times more people injured or killed by people than are injured or killed sleeping in the woods. So, if you are alone in the woods, you are exceptionally safe.
About the scariest moment I had in this situation was when I heard this first time ever noise and it kept repeating itself. I discovered later that I had forgotten my cell phone on and it was the warning sound that it was shutting down.
jjozgrunt
11-01-2014, 05:29
I can't remember the first time I slept alone in the woods, so I can't give any tips except that, if you think about it, there are 100,000 times more people injured or killed by people than are injured or killed sleeping in the woods. So, if you are alone in the woods, you are exceptionally safe.
About the scariest moment I had in this situation was when I heard this first time ever noise and it kept repeating itself. I discovered later that I had forgotten my cell phone on and it was the warning sound that it was shutting down.
My scariest moment was camping, with the military so not really camping, near the Thailand/Malaysia border. Me and my buddy woke to the loudest roar ever, that sounded like it was just outside our hutchie/fly. I will never forget my first wild tiger roar and didn't sleep a wink all night.
jersey joe
11-01-2014, 09:33
That said, if it sounds like Godzilla you are screwed.
HAHA, nice!
My advice would be to research how many people have ever been attacked or killed camping in the woods and figure there are tens of millions of people out there every year and then you will realize, just based on the numbers, that you will wake up just fine in the morning.
HAHA, nice!
My advice would be to research how many people have ever been attacked or killed camping in the woods and figure there are tens of millions of people out there every year and then you will realize, just based on the numbers, that you will wake up just fine in the morning.
I can help with that with regard to thru hikers.
There have been at least 5 thru hikers who have been murdered by a complete stranger on the AT itself-- each of whom was many hundreds of miles into their thru hikes. Only 1 long distance section hiker has been murdered on the AT proper.
More thru hikers have been attacked, of course. But not many.
No thru hiker has ever been killed or seriously injured by an animal on the AT.
Of course the trail has seen a lot of thru hikers, so these numbers are considered to be small by the hiking community. Reasonable people can disagree on whether that number should raise any concerns or not-- my opinion on that is in the minority. Also, it should be noted that with the possible exception of the long-distance section hiker killed a few years ago (few details have been published in that case because the killer was never caught) all of the confirmed incidents on the AT were at a shelter, and not during the contemporary NOBO bubble.
Traffic Jam
11-01-2014, 10:22
My strategies...
Sleep near a stream, the sound of the water is soothing and drowns out other noises.
As soon as a negative thought or image creeps into your mind, replace it with a positive or humerous one.
Bourbon
For me sleeping near a stream is not so great.
I not only hear voices in the water, I hear complete conversations.
Ok, just kidding about the conversations but by god some of the voices sound real.
Ear plugs help me muffle all the unfamiliar sounds out. Like the deer that bedded down 30 yds from my hammock. Got up to go to bathroom and the deer exploded out of there nearly giving me a heart attack
For me sleeping near a stream is not so great.
I not only hear voices in the water, I hear complete conversations.
Ok, just kidding about the conversations but by god some of the voices sound real.
I enjoy sleeping by a stream, but will say I know exactly what you are talking about :) Been there done that, the more intently you listen, you think, hey who said that...:)
wornoutboots
11-03-2014, 21:31
For me sleeping near a stream is not so great.
I not only hear voices in the water, I hear complete conversations.
Ok, just kidding about the conversations but by god some of the voices sound real.
That's interesting! I hear the exact same thing in the water? I wonder what that is??
MuddyWaters
11-03-2014, 21:35
For me sleeping near a stream is not so great.
Pretty much assures a damp-ish night too. At least more condensation, and unpleasant humidity in warm weather.
Earplugs give me a great nights sleep. People will ask me "aren't you afraid that ...(insert bear, mountain lion, etc..). Unless an animal is chewing on me a bit, I really don't care if its out there.