View Full Version : first time hiking solo
quinn122
10-19-2012, 10:12
im taking a one week, thru hike of the nj section of the trail on nov 3rd.im doing it solo, and i plan on sticking to the campsites along the way.i have concerns about bears, coyotes, snakes, n such. im not afraid, just uneducated in these areas.any advice about the wildlife, solo hiking the area, or anything else helpful is greatly appreciated.im a vol firefighter, so i have basic emergency skills, tho not in the best shape lol...have a great day.......JIM
BobTheBuilder
10-19-2012, 10:17
For what it is worth, here is my advice - I suspect it will be too cold for snakes, but regardless, I don't hike with headphones in. I have come across a couple of rattlesnakes and being able to hear the rattle alerted me to their presence. You might see bears if you're lucky, but I'm not sure if it will be too late for them as well. I hang my food every night (not everybody does) and never had a problem. Just practice it before you leave home, as some people struggle with it. Don't know about coyotes, but it sounds like a fun hike.
quinn122
10-19-2012, 10:22
awesome, thank you much bob
hikerboy57
10-19-2012, 10:23
For what it is worth, here is my advice - I suspect it will be too cold for snakes, but regardless, I don't hike with headphones in. I have come across a couple of rattlesnakes and being able to hear the rattle alerted me to their presence. You might see bears if you're lucky, but I'm not sure if it will be too late for them as well. I hang my food every night (not everybody does) and never had a problem. Just practice it before you leave home, as some people struggle with it. Don't know about coyotes, but it sounds like a fun hike.
i was just up in harriman for a couple of days, no bears. I sleep with my food, but many prefer to hang theirs. raccoons are more of a nuisance this time of year than bears.you wont see rattlers as its a bit to cold now for them.coyotes? possibly. i did see either a dog or coyote from about 200 yds away, but ive never had any problems with aggressive wildlife.
As a precaution its a good idea to give your agenda to someone with an approximate time frame for your return and phone numbers of the appropriate authorities in cse they dont hear from you by a certain date. it should be fairly easy to get cell service in NJ so you should be able to stay in touch. keep your phone switched off or on airplane mode until you need it to conserve battery life.
happy trails.
A couple of things
Your most important piece of gear is located between your ears and not on your back aka the knowledge is everything paradigm
Check your ego at the trailhead and be really conservative about how many miles a day you plan on doing
Being rescued from hypothermia in a group situation is very doable ; However being rescued from hypothermia as a solo hiker is damned near impossible
To prevent that situation from happening you recognize and treat the signs of hypothermia early and you avoid pushing yourself and your gear to the wall
As far as wild animals go ; I've always suscribed to the stupider animal principle which says that in order for me to have trouble with what's essentially a very stupid animal I have to be the stupider animal so again knowledge is everything
I haven't lived in the NYC area in a while so I'm not sure if it's hunting season in NJ But if it is take all the necessary precautions that you can
Enjoy your hike
quinn122
10-19-2012, 10:54
thanks hiker boy.
quinn122
10-19-2012, 10:56
very true bear. as a firefighter, safety first is my main rule...hiking solo, it has to be.
quinn122
10-19-2012, 15:38
another quick question for anyone familiar with the nj section. is worthington state park campsites open in the beggining of nov? if so r there any amenities like shower or anything...any info is greatly appreciated...so excited for this trip!
another quick question for anyone familiar with the nj section. is worthington state park campsites open in the beggining of nov? if so r there any amenities like shower or anything...any info is greatly appreciated...so excited for this trip!
+1 about the snakes in Nov. It will PROBABLY be getting too cold for snakes to be that active. If a warm spell occurs when you hike keep your senses alert for possible snakes or other things on the trail . Give rattlesnakes and Copperheads, or any other snake you can't positively identify a wide berth and walk around them. The 3 poisonous snakes in NJ, are those two already mentioned, and the Cottonmouth which usually occupies wet marshy environs or in creeks or ponds.
Coyotes do exist in NJ. They will be a non-issue for you. Be glad if you hear or see one.
NJ has a sizeable population of Black Bears per square mile. They are not as aggressive as blk bears in some areas such as in National Parks but you might hang(bear bag) all your food, toiletries(toothpaste, sunscreen, etc) to be safe. Remember: foodbag should be 10 ft off the ground and 6-8 ft from the tree. If you can reach the hung foodbag good chances a blk bear can too.
Get The AT Companion. It will be a good start to finding out what amenities exist along the AT NJ section.
Silent Bob
10-20-2012, 08:13
im taking a one week, thru hike of the nj section of the trail on nov 3rd.im doing it solo, and i plan on sticking to the campsites along the way.i have concerns about bears, coyotes, snakes, n such. im not afraid, just uneducated in these areas.any advice about the wildlife, solo hiking the area, or anything else helpful is greatly appreciated.im a vol firefighter, so i have basic emergency skills, tho not in the best shape lol...have a great day.......JIM
I hiked DWG to Greenwood lake a few weeks ago. If your staying at shelters they all have bear boxes. We had to hang our food the first night since Mohican was to short of a day and brinks shelter was too far. As for wild life we saw 3 deer , 1 snake, salamanders , a few chipmunks and squirrels. My partner said he heard a bear near privi at Glen Anderson shelter. If you have any other questions feel free to pm me. It was a great hike you're going to love it.
Forgot to mention it is bow season in NJ. We saw one hunter walking the trail..
It may be small game [squirrels,rabbits,etc] season so I would recommend wearing an orange hat or vest .
Blissful
10-20-2012, 22:35
If memory serves me, you must camp in designated areas in NJ. Which all have bear proof lockers.
quinn122
10-21-2012, 09:20
i lucked out for hunting season, it says it starts nov 17th in nj...ill be done by then...yea bliss, i plan on sticking to the sites, no reason to do otherwise for my first time...ill def be using lockers, or hanging my bag
swjohnsey
10-21-2012, 10:06
If I remember correctly, water was a problem in that section. Water sources listed as dependable in trail guides were dry. Some (one) of the shelters had gallon jugs of water in the bear box provided by volunteers.
quinn122
10-21-2012, 10:22
ill prob end up getting water from a stream and boiling it...im gonna have to pick up an AT book.
swjohnsey
10-21-2012, 11:59
That's the problem, streams are dry. Boiling ain't the best solution, either.
quinn122
10-21-2012, 12:07
That's the problem, streams are dry. Boiling ain't the best solution, either.
Im open to any suggestions/advice. On a budget, or id get filters
That's the problem, streams are dry. Boiling ain't the best solution, either.
Im open to any suggestions/advice. On a budget, or id get filters
Aqua Mira costs about $12
quinn122
10-21-2012, 12:50
forgive me for sounding ignorant, but to what extent do they work? like can i take water right from sunfish pond, filter it thru a sheet, and filter it, and then its drinkable? like i said, this is my first time doing this alone.im super excited, and want to make sure im prepared, and i do it right..im out there for 1 week before i get picked up at greenwood lake. again, ty for ur time and knowledge.
quinn122
10-21-2012, 12:50
i made a couple of cool hobo stoves, and a few burners from coffee cans also
forgive me for sounding ignorant, but to what extent do they work? like can i take water right from sunfish pond, filter it thru a sheet, and filter it, and then its drinkable? like i said, this is my first time doing this alone.im super excited, and want to make sure im prepared, and i do it right..im out there for 1 week before i get picked up at greenwood lake. again, ty for ur time and knowledge.
It's a two dropper bottle system. 7 drops of each part get mixed together and allowed to react for five minutes. Then add to a quart of water. Then wait 15 minutes and your ready.
Dont think you will see any cottonmouths
Range and Habitat: Cottonmouths range throughout the Southeast, north to southeastern Virginia. In our region cottonmouths are generally restricted to the Coastal Plain but are found in a few Piedmont locations west of Atlanta, Georgia. They can be found in nearly all freshwater habitats but are most common in cypress swamps, river floodplains, and heavily-vegetated wetlands. Cottonmouths will venture overland and are sometimes found far from permanent water. Cottonmouths often congregate around drying pools in wetlands to feed on trapped fish and amphibians.
o hiker guy
10-21-2012, 15:23
I made my first ever one week hike by myself the first week of Oct and had a great time and met a lot real nice hikers. I done the Ga section. I tented the first night then it rained the hole next day hard. So I sheltered the rest of the week, first time in a shelter too. Can't. Wait for my next section.
quinn122
10-21-2012, 15:29
hopefully the weather is good, so far it looks like it..yea i cant wait to go.wanna get to greenwood in less than a week, maybe i can do a little of ny also
NJ is a fun state, not too difficult, with good weather plenty of vista's / overlooks..........and many places to resupply.
Forget boiling water, take another route there.
Challenge this time of year is the short days, many try to get up and hiking at or around the break of day, easier said that done. Will be CHILLY in the early am.
............oh yeah, on the hiking alone part...........its all a walk in the woods, enjoy the privacy and solace, rare air...........running into people will be that much more enjoyable.
bubonicplay
10-21-2012, 17:47
As long as you are semi prepared then just have fun, go fast, and get a good workout.
rich5665
10-27-2012, 17:55
Water wasn't issue for us on the trail, all the streams were flowing, but you should have a filter or Aqua Mira as suggested. The primitive campsite on the AT in Worthington State Forest has a Bear Box as well as a place to hang your food, I don't know if the Public Camp Ground itself is open. My recommendation would be to skip the primitive camp site and hike to Mohican Outdoor Center if you intent to hike short days. If you intend to push a few extra miles to the camp site just beyond Catshish Tower, remember the days are going to be getting shorter so you won't have much light and hiking by headlamp gets tricky. When Ohoulihan and I did this hike we pushed for 15 1/2 miles the first day and camp below Catfish Fire Tower. The next day we hiked another 16 miles and made Gren Anderson Shelter in the dark. If Gren Anderson is to much hit Brinks Road, just realize you won't make High Point in three days which is optimal. Delaware Water Gap to High Point is going to be the toughest part of the hike. Everything past High point was easy hiking with the exception of the climb up to Pochuch Shelter, there is a side trail on the way up that leads to a house with a spigot, I suggest filling up before continuing the climb. If you need water, Murray's Shelter has a spigot and heat if you decide to stay the night. Resupply in Unionville NY, a 1/2 mile walk up Lott Rd. Also there's a seasonal Farmers Market a short walk north on Rte 94. It's an opportunity to fill up your water and pick up a snack before making the trip to Wawayanda Shelter. From Wawaynda the trail was a nice hike, before you hit the NY/NJ line there is a Blue Blaze trail heading down to Rte 210 (Jersey Ave) along Greenwood Lake. As Ohoulihan stated, we didn't see any dangerous wildlife. Dress warm the nights are gonna be cold, enjoy your hike.
quinn122
10-27-2012, 21:01
im def bringing a filter with me, no point in playing games.im gonna check out worthington sites, and the thru hiker site south of sunfish pond, just in case i dont hike far my first day.im giving myself a week to do nj.hopefully i pull it off.im new to doing this alone, so my only concern was from nightly wildlife visitors. i plan on hanging my bag, and not keeping any type of food in my tent.that is alot of useful info rich, i do appreciate it.my other main concern is, are all the at campsites along the trail clearly marked? im gonna check out the ones u mentioned, stay at as many as i can. have a great night...jim