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  1. #1
    Registered User Pink's Avatar
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    Red face How safe is it for a female alone

    I was planning on hiking a section of the AT in April by myself. I've never hiked before, but plan on training and educating myself as much as possible prior to leaving.

    One of my biggest concerns is about the safety on the AT. I'm 25 years old. Is this a bad idea for me to do this by myself? I'm not just worried about the bears and other wildlife, but the people (the men) hurting me. Is this a valid concern? Should I bring some kind of protection (I was thinking pepper spray)?

    What are the chances of me finding other people to buddy up with on the trail? How safe are the shelters at night? I am just trying to be as realistic about this hike as possible. I want to cover all of my bases before going. I really want to make this a memorable experience.

  2. #2
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    Hi Pink- I'd put all those worries aside. There will be hikers everywhere in April. Your chances of trouble are far greater in just about every other aspect of life. The trail is about as safe as it gets. Get out there and ENJOY!!!

  3. #3
    Registered User Ladytrekker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pink View Post
    I was planning on hiking a section of the AT in April by myself. I've never hiked before, but plan on training and educating myself as much as possible prior to leaving.

    One of my biggest concerns is about the safety on the AT. I'm 25 years old. Is this a bad idea for me to do this by myself? I'm not just worried about the bears and other wildlife, but the people (the men) hurting me. Is this a valid concern? Should I bring some kind of protection (I was thinking pepper spray)?

    What are the chances of me finding other people to buddy up with on the trail? How safe are the shelters at night? I am just trying to be as realistic about this hike as possible. I want to cover all of my bases before going. I really want to make this a memorable experience.
    I have not hiked the AT, I will do my first section in May, I hike alot in Florida. But I have followed many trail journals of women hiking alone last year. Most of the journals I read made life long friends on the trail and had more company than they could keep up with I would do it in a heartbeat if I could quit work. I would just keep eyes and ears open and trust your instincts. Good Luck and many happy trails to you.
    If you can’t fix it with duct tape or a beer; it ain’t worth fixing

  4. #4

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    I've thruhiked the AT twice as a solo female. My first thruhike I never did get a partner. I hiked with people for a week or two at a time, but never did formalize a partnership - though some of the people I met in Tennessee I hiked off and on with all the way to Maine. On my second hike, I started solo, met up with a group around Pearisburg that I hiked with until Duncannon. Then Jim and I split off from the group and hiked the rest of the trail as partners. Both hikes were good ones.

    If you are starting in April, you will meet many other hikers. Most are really good people. Chances are you will find somebody you want to hike with, who is fun to talk to and who hikes at a similar pace/style. If not, you will meet many interesting people whom you will leapfrog all the way up the trail. You won't be lonely. In fact, you are more likely to complain about the lack of solitude than too much.

    As to safety - most female hikers do end up with partners or a trail family. If not, the other hikers loosely look out for them. Thanks to the registers, we generally know who is around.

    There are things you can do to help keep yourself safe. Most important, pay attention to your instincts. If you meet somebody (e.g. at a shelter) who makes you uncomfortable, move on. Find a place well off the trail to camp. Don't tell strangers where you plan to go for the night or that you are hiking solo. Don't camp near roads. If hitching to town, try to get a partner. If not, (sometimes you may get in a void where there are no other thruhikers around you for a day or two), again, pay attention to your instincts. You don't have to accept a ride if you don't feel right about it. You can always say, "Oh darn, I left my hiking stick/waterbottle/hat behind at the last rest break. I'll have to go back."

    That said, I've never had a really bad experience while hiking solo. A few wierd encounters, but nothing scary.

  5. #5

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    you are way to scared. fear attracts evil. be confident and loose the spray. each year i beat to death many hikers. but allways in fair bacon cookoffs and last mile runs to the shelter races. my favorite way to intimidate newbees is to cook steak at night and bacon and pancakes in the morning. this leaves them demoralized and happless. ill choke the occaisional hiker with bourbon of the highest potency but i dont belive in beering folks. beer has no kick. i like kick like a mule. most nights i tease my pray by being in my 20 below down bag as they shiver in georgia in feb. then finnish them off in the morning with real coffie. all in all. the appalachian trail is a place for me to freely stalk and menise under fed hikers with gourmet delicacys.
    matthewski

  6. #6

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    As a male who had often thought about doing a thru-hike solo, this is also encouraging. Cheers for everyone's advice on this subject!

  7. #7

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    as a male who had allways thaught of doing a thru hikeing woman, this is all so encouraging.
    matthewski

  8. #8
    Springer - Front Royal Lilred's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mweinstone View Post
    you are way to scared. fear attracts evil. be confident and loose the spray. each year i beat to death many hikers. but allways in fair bacon cookoffs and last mile runs to the shelter races. my favorite way to intimidate newbees is to cook steak at night and bacon and pancakes in the morning. this leaves them demoralized and happless. ill choke the occaisional hiker with bourbon of the highest potency but i dont belive in beering folks. beer has no kick. i like kick like a mule. most nights i tease my pray by being in my 20 below down bag as they shiver in georgia in feb. then finnish them off in the morning with real coffie. all in all. the appalachian trail is a place for me to freely stalk and menise under fed hikers with gourmet delicacys.
    Pink, don't mind mweinstone, he's harmless. If you can make sense of his words, he's usually pretty funny.

    I section hike each summer and never have a partner. You're safe. You'll find the guys really watch out for us ladies alone on the trail. It's cool. You mentioned safety at the shelters, they're safe, but I'd plan on tenting if you want privacy.

    Again, don't camp near roads, don't hitchhike alone if you can help it, and know your gut instincts. You'll have no problem.
    "It was on the first of May, in the year 1769, that I resigned my domestic happiness for a time, and left my family and peaceable habitation on the Yadkin River, in North Carolina, to wander through the wilderness of America." - Daniel Boone

  9. #9
    aka -OvertheEdge- :)
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    I have told a couple of parents whose kids are planning AT hikes. Do a little research and you'll see you are safer on the AT than most college campuses.
    Alcohol was involved!

  10. #10
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    Your going to meet great new friends that you'll remember the rest of your life. Everyone gets to know each other in the shelter at night, so you'll know a lot of people. If you wanted you could leave the shelter earlier than some others. That way you have friends ahead of and behind you.

  11. #11

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    safer with a monkey is a film i highly suggest.
    matthewski

  12. #12
    Registered User Pink's Avatar
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    Your post really put me at ease. Thank you!

  13. #13

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    Pink, even though I'm a male, the fears associated with thru-hiking, and specifically thru-hiking solo as a female, are greatly exagerrated and misundertsood and are often perpetuated by those who have little or no thru-hiking experience. Heed the solid advice the ladies on this thread have given and you should be fine. Additionally, enjoy your hike behaving in an intelligent informed consciously aware fashion and by not giving into debilitating fear.

    Enjoy the Journey!

  14. #14
    kicking around ideas for the next adventure 1Pint's Avatar
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    Pink -
    I followed the advice of Spirit Walker and many other women about not camping near roads, moving on from a shelter when there's a guy that gives you the creeps, etc. and truly felt like I was among brothers and fathers out there. Not in a patronizing way, but in a friendly, everyone is looking out for everyone kind of way.

    Before my first section hike I was planning on hiking solo the whole way. Well, without trying, I found myself hiking similar mileage as some other hikers day after day. We all enjoyed each others company at night even though we hiked different paces during the day. So I was solo but not really solo. The same happened this year. Unless you are determined to hike solo, you will find enjoyable company and therefore an extra layer of safety if you're on the southern section of the trail in April.

    Best wishes,
    Laura/1Pint
    "It's not just a daydream if you decide to make it your life." Train

  15. #15
    Registered User GGS2's Avatar
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    I just looked at your gallery. If that beagle is the dog you intend to hike with, he may need some training and/or dieting. An unfit dog could end up limiting your mobility, could end up having to leave the trail before you want to. There are a number of dog hikers on this list who would be able to advise you. I'd post an inquiry about that and see what they say.

  16. #16

    Default Useful link

    Here are some more in-depth tips on how you can prepare yourself and stay safe:

    http://www.appalachiantrail.org/safetyawareness.

    Laurie Potteiger
    ATC

  17. #17
    Dreamin of Katadin wudhipy's Avatar
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    Trust your instincts....one of the wonderful things about the trail is it puts you in touch with abilities that have been given to you thru eons of evolution. These instincts served our distant ancestors well, otherwise we wouldn't be here right. Pinky, relax and enjoy your hike, you will be fine.

  18. #18

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    First, I have never set foot on the AT.

    Second, I have day hiked and backpacked solo in the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Yosemite. I am currently "training" solo in the national forests near my home. Day hiking and overnights, mostly to try out new equipment. I have never been fearful of other people I have met on trails. If I am uncomfortable with some one (male or female), I hike on.

    I decided long ago not to hike with fear. I decided to be smart about hiking.

    I do not carry pepper spray. I do carry a whistle, analog compass, and maps when in unfamiliar territory. I want to be as independent as possible and not need to depend on anyone else for anything.

    As part of my AT preparation I have read many journals of AT hikers, mostly women, of all ages. Here is a list of trailjournals.com that I found valuable as well as entertaining, hilarious, serious:

    five-leafed aka Marta
    certain, yes I read the whole thing without peeking at the ending!
    persistent
    loon
    gangsta
    red hat

    And there are many other journals that others here can add to. Look for sbhikes journal. All of these journals have inspired and encouraged me. Look for journals of women your age, experience and condition.

    Another hint - if you keep a web journal, do not reveal your immediate location. Wait a few days.

    Certain experienced an incident in her first few days of her AT hike that is a precautionary tale for everyone about camping near a road. A must read for newbies.

  19. #19
    Registered User Pink's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GGS2 View Post
    I just looked at your gallery. If that beagle is the dog you intend to hike with, he may need some training and/or dieting. An unfit dog could end up limiting your mobility, could end up having to leave the trail before you want to. There are a number of dog hikers on this list who would be able to advise you. I'd post an inquiry about that and see what they say.

    Haha! My dog will NOT be accompanying me on this journey. He could barely make it through a trail on Crowder Mtn. I ended up carrying him over most of the rocky parts.

  20. #20
    Registered User Pink's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AzWildflower View Post
    First, I have never set foot on the AT.

    Second, I have day hiked and backpacked solo in the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Yosemite. I am currently "training" solo in the national forests near my home. Day hiking and overnights, mostly to try out new equipment. I have never been fearful of other people I have met on trails. If I am uncomfortable with some one (male or female), I hike on.

    I decided long ago not to hike with fear. I decided to be smart about hiking.

    I do not carry pepper spray. I do carry a whistle, analog compass, and maps when in unfamiliar territory. I want to be as independent as possible and not need to depend on anyone else for anything.

    As part of my AT preparation I have read many journals of AT hikers, mostly women, of all ages. Here is a list of trailjournals.com that I found valuable as well as entertaining, hilarious, serious:

    five-leafed aka Marta
    certain, yes I read the whole thing without peeking at the ending!
    persistent
    loon
    gangsta
    red hat

    And there are many other journals that others here can add to. Look for sbhikes journal. All of these journals have inspired and encouraged me. Look for journals of women your age, experience and condition.

    Another hint - if you keep a web journal, do not reveal your immediate location. Wait a few days.

    Certain experienced an incident in her first few days of her AT hike that is a precautionary tale for everyone about camping near a road. A must read for newbies.

    I am hooked on these trail journals! One of my friends suggested I read Wags' journal. It was very good too. I think she may have hiked with Gangsta for a little while. I'll definitely read some of those that you mentioned. Thanks!

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