Tips for solo backpacking

[Aldaron]

I once had a skunk walk across my back when I was camping without a tent. That was fun.

 

[Yvonne]

Hahahaha....bear? humans? lions? No big deal for Yvonne. Spiders though.

It's simply the arachnophobia I have.
I slept for quite a few night on a tarp, but some areas had so scary long legged big and fat spiders that I was way too scared. I know it's crazy but I freak out when I see these hairy eight legged critters being too close for comfort.
Everything else really is no big deal for me.

 

[pstm13]

It's simply the arachnophobia I have.
I slept for quite a few night on a tarp, but some areas had so scary long legged big and fat spiders that I was way too scared. I know it's crazy but I freak out when I see these hairy eight legged critters being too close for comfort.
Everything else really is no big deal for me.

Then don't click on this link

 

[Udink]

LIke being woke up in the middle of the night by the sound of a giant runny cow shit hitting the ground three feet from my face.

Hah, this reminded me of a very ridiculous cow story of mine (not as bad as cow pudding to the face, though). I was car camping in the Henrys, planning on summiting Ellen the next day. In the middle of the night I kept hearing some footsteps and something brushing up against my tent. I assumed it was a moose or elk, and I smacked the side of the tent and yelled a couple of times trying to scare whatever it was off. No luck--I kept hearing footsteps nearby. So, I unsteadily unzipped the tent, .40 cal in one hand and 4D Maglite in the other. I stepped out, shoes untied and shirtless, to find some freaking cows just moseying around! I was relieved and angered at the same time. At least I slept very soundly the rest of the night.

 

[DAA]

I've had the exact same thing happen - right down to shoeless and shirtless, magnum in hand .

Dumb cows!

- DAA

 

[NateGeesaman]

I have held off on this thread for a long time, but just for my 2 cents I wanted to say that solo backpacking is an opportunity to get to know yourself and get deep into your own mind in a way that solitude and beauty can greatly help facilitate. The greatest benefit of solo backpacking in my mind is the freedom and introspective mindful time in beautiful places.

As far as what to be scared of, I have found nothing worth giving too much attention to in the areas I like to backpack. I have learned some good basic bear safety from @langutah , but rarely enter their territory. The odd bump in the night might elevate my heart rate, but I really like what @slc_dan said, "Embrace the fear. It makes you feel alive." Mostly, I am scared of all the people that carry guns. Please don't shoot me. I am a nice dude and likely have whiskey to share. Let's have a quick chat, no need to show your piece. I wander around looking for good places to squat and take photos and would hate to come up on a jumpy, paranoid, or blasted drunk gun toter. Cheers.


Capitol Camp 1 by NateGeesaman, on Flickr

Capitol Camp 2 by NateGeesaman, on Flickr

 

[NateGeesaman]

also, I carry a SPOT in case I get injured or run into trouble.

 

[andyjaggy]

For some reason the type of terrain seems to influence how jumpy I am when alone. For example in the desert I seldom feel scared when alone. On my solo hikes that I sometimes do before sun rise, hiking in the thick forest really freaks me out, but once I break out above the tree line my anxiety drops significantly. It's obviously a subconsciousness thing with not being able to see my surroundings and what might be lurking in the brush. In an open meadow where nothing could sneak up on me I'm not nearly as jumpy.

I've decided I'm going to give it a go this summer and try Amethyst Lake solo, a nice popular spot where there are other people should I require help. The only problem is convincing my wife to let me go alone, she's convinced I won't come back alive.

 

[Yvonne]

I really enjoy going solo, those solo trips were often some of the best trips I had.

 

[Duke]

This may be buried a bit deep in this thread for an answer, but can I get some feedback from hammock users out there? They would seem to be a good possibility for a single person tent alternative and perhaps a good solo choice. Anyone have input? I have never used one.

 

[Dave]

This may be buried a bit deep in this thread for an answer, but can I get some feedback from hammock users out there? They would seem to be a good possibility for a single person tent alternative and perhaps a good solo choice. Anyone have input? I have never used one.

I started using an ENO Reactor last year and really enjoyed it, with some caveats. The Reactor's designed to take an air mattress, which really does help insulate the underside. I know other designs require the use of under quilts if you don't want a frozen rear end. I also paired it up with an ultra lightweight silnylon tarp for weather protection.

The setup is great when you have sufficient space and reasonable anchors. There are minor to moderate weight savings over a full-on tent, depending on your setup. On a few trips, I carried it in the car but opted for a tent instead due to the likelihood of not having a solid place to set up (i.e. in desert flatland or above tree line). In the future, I'd like to try using a down quilt with a foot box instead of a sleeping bag in the hammock.


Reactor by ashergrey, on Flickr


Baker Lake camp by ashergrey, on Flickr


Improvise by ashergrey, on Flickr

 

[Duke]

I started using an ENO Reactor last year and really enjoyed it, with some caveats. The Reactor's designed to take an air mattress, which really does help insulate the underside. I know other designs require the use of under quilts if you don't want a frozen rear end. I also paired it up with an ultra lightweight silnylon tarp for weather protection.

The setup is great when you have sufficient space and reasonable anchors. There are minor to moderate weight savings over a full-on tent, depending on your setup. On a few trips, I carried it in the car but opted for a tent instead due to the likelihood of not having a solid place to set up (i.e. in desert flatland or above tree line). In the future, I'd like to try using a down quilt with a foot box instead of a sleeping back in the hammock.

Thanks Ashergrey. It looks like it was definitely the thing for the Bear Lake shelter and would seem to be a quick set up for that situation too.

Generally I don't worry too much about being on the deck in a tent and am not trying to get up high. Exceptions would be in areas with no flat, level area and I do run into those often but I don't think any more often than not having solid trees and a good location.

Every now and then I hear about or see a hammock and always wonder how I would like it. Seems like it would match some situations great and some not so much. I think one problem for me would be that I can never stay warm when it is freezing, even in a tent. I buy a series of cheap to medium quality sleeping bags and never have a good, warm one so buying a hammock would likely require that I spend more money on a real sleeping bag too.

 

[Riggs]

This is a fun thread to read. I'd agree with a lot of the benefits of solo trips pointed out in here. I did a bike (bicycle that is) touring for almost 5 months one year, in Mexico, US, and Canada. Included several backpacking trips after stashing the bike. I didn't have a tent, and a lot of it was in bear country. Great trip, never had a problem with humans or animals although I saw lots. I've backpacked solo and with others a lot in the Bob Marshall Wilderness here, and other places, without issues. It really is a great experience. I've had bear spray, but have yet to pull the trigger with one. We've seen lots of bears and tracks, but as somebody else said, they've always run the other way.

I haven't done it as much since becoming a dad, as there is some risk to it, and I have added responsibility. I still remember the story of a guy who had a boulder roll onto his leg while solo backpacking, too far in to consider cutting it off. He died there, would have been no biggie if he hadn't been alone. But the Spots should solve that too, even though I've never had anything like that.

 

[Jimmy Olsen]

This may be buried a bit deep in this thread for an answer, but can I get some feedback from hammock users out there? They would seem to be a good possibility for a single person tent alternative and perhaps a good solo choice. Anyone have input? I have never used one.

I use a Blackbird hammock from Warbonnet Outdoors when I know I'm going to have trees to hang from. It's fully enclosed to keep the bugs away and a tarp keeps the rain out. Unfortunately most of the places I go I'm going to for the first time and opt for my 1P tent to be safe. The hammock is much more comfortable for me, however.

 

[Duke]

I still remember the story of a guy who had a boulder roll onto his leg while solo backpacking, too far in to consider cutting it off. He died there, would have been no biggie if he hadn't been alone.

Hmmmmm...... @Riggs , I read a Bob Marshall article in Outside mag back around 2000 or so where they found a boot/sock with broken tibia and fibula bones sticking out and even had that pic in the mag. It was guessed to be some soloist that disappeared in the late 60s. is that the one you are talking about?

 

[Laura]

I still remember the story of a guy who had a boulder roll onto his leg while solo backpacking, too far in to consider cutting it off. He died there, would have been no biggie if he hadn't been alone. But the Spots should solve that too, even though I've never had anything like that.

So does telling at least 3 people where you're going and when you should be back.

 

[Nick]

So does telling at least 3 people where you're going and when you should be back.

Generally yes, but not always. The guy in the winds got stuck on I think his second or third day. He wasn't due back until like 8 or 9 days and even then they had a massive area to search. They didn't find his body until the season was almost over.

A little discussion on it here:
http://backcountrypost.com/forum/threads/backcountry-deaths.989/#post-10601

Story here:
http://www.backpacker.com/june_2002_feature_survival_hiker_mike_turner_wyoming/articles/4585

 

[Riggs]

Duke, no, Nick has the one I meant. I hadn't heard about the story you're talking about.

I would have been like Mike Turner in the couple of years I was traveling if I'd had a problem. I was single, travelling alone a lot of the time. It would have been too much to try to let anybody know my itinerary, which I never really had. It changed daily. A risk I was willing to take, which I think is OK, as long as you accept it as your responsibility and don't expect some massive search party if something goes wrong. I sure had a lot of fun!

 

[Riggs]

Speaking of animals, like Grizzlies, and dangers of them, I know of only one death by Grizzly in the Bob Marshall complex. That's over 1.5 million acres of Grizzly habitat. And that guy was a hunter, by himself, and was cutting up an elk, probably with blood all over. I'm surprised about how many folks even here in Montana who are freaked out about the dangers. We've had our kids up there countless weekends. We're cautious, but not that worried about it.

 

[DrNed]

In my opinion, one of the great things about getting into the backcountry, is to get away from the safety net
that modern life provides. To take risk and beat it. That's winning! My biggest fear in the wild? Other people. Animals are mostly predictable - humans are not. That and snakes.