ErnieW
Trail Wise!
I want to backpack
Posts: 9,219 
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Post by ErnieW on Sept 9, 2021 15:01:36 GMT -8
Most of my backpacking is solo. I read this article with very mixed feelings. I see the confidence/arrogance in myself. I don't think it will change my ways but it is something to think about:
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jazzmom
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a.k.a. TigerFan
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Post by jazzmom on Sept 9, 2021 15:53:06 GMT -8
Well, FWIW, my opinion is that newbie or experienced, sh*t happens. Sometimes it's survivable, sometimes it's not, and sometimes it's only survivable with help. So when you're solo, I think it's worth taking some measures to mitigate the risk of that last situation, so that you can summon help when needed.
I don't really prescribe to the idea that being solo or not impacts whether the sh*t happens or not. People get complacent (or over-confident or whatever) regardless and accidents can always happen.
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Post by Lamebeaver on Sept 9, 2021 16:04:25 GMT -8
If you fall and hurt yourself, a second person can go for help.
Other then that, I don't think solo hiking is inherently more dangerous.
A couple, their child and a dog recently died...they're still trying to figure out why. Were they safer because they were together? I'd say just the opposite.
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Travis
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WYOMING NATIVE
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Post by Travis on Sept 9, 2021 17:09:45 GMT -8
I haven't hiked or backpacked with another person for over 20 years, and I'm out there every week in some manner. But part of why I'm out there is to get away from the dangerous traffic on the highways.
A PLB or signal fire in the backcountry may not bring immediate rescue but neither would a cell-phone call on one of our many highways with no cell reception and no lack of crazy drivers.
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texasbb
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Hates chicken
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Post by texasbb on Sept 9, 2021 17:12:00 GMT -8
'Bout time we had this debate again! 
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rebeccad
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Writing like a maniac
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Post by rebeccad on Sept 9, 2021 17:59:13 GMT -8
I’m with Jazzmom. The main edge you have with a companion is someone to help if carp happens. So when solo, maybe take a little extra care to be sure there’s no carp. But honestly, it’s care you probably want to take in any case—I mean, even if you have help, dealing with a sprain or break or whatever isn’t going to up the fun quotient.
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ErnieW
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I want to backpack
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Post by ErnieW on Sept 9, 2021 18:38:38 GMT -8
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davesenesac
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Our precious life is short within eternity, don't waste it!
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Post by davesenesac on Sept 9, 2021 21:54:17 GMT -8
Humans vary enormously in personality, behavior, experience, skill, knowledge, and common sense. Much depends on the individual. Those on the low end of the Bell curve of those facets that hike solo are far more likely to eventually have problems than those at the high end. For them hiking with group support of others is a wiser choice. Those free spirits though experienced that eschew planning and preparation whose personality is excited by danger and challenge are also on average more likely over time to experience problems. Most experienced hikers on the high end to some degree made more mistakes when younger that they learned from, changed, and became safer. In fact solo hiking and backpacking can become an activity of great fulfilling value in a person's life and future dreams. Our human ancestors would have paid fortunes to visit some of the fantastic inspiring Earth places we modern people treat ho hum.
What is true, is some wise, experienced persons can relatively safely hike solo for years while others regardless of experience may be heading towards eventual doom. It is also true even wise careful persons are taking greater chances of having problems versus if they stayed home on the couch watching tv. But then life is short, precious, to be lived and enjoyed, and not wasted.
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Travis
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WYOMING NATIVE
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Post by Travis on Sept 10, 2021 5:07:22 GMT -8
No one died last year from standing on their head in the middle of a freeway while eating avocado-spice ice cream cones. Yet dozens of people died while hiking. Clearly, eating avocado-spice ice cream cones while standing on your head in the middle of a freeway is safer than hiking (or taking a Covid-19 vaccine, by the way.) Sorry, but that's about how much I've learned from reading some of the articles linked in this thread. But as a reasonable safety measure, I am now packing avocado-spice ice cream cones when hiking in mountain-lion country or visiting any area where people have been vaccinated for Covid-19.
Yeah, I'm being an idiot.
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rebeccad
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Writing like a maniac
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Post by rebeccad on Sept 10, 2021 6:22:47 GMT -8
Travis, you do raise the question when they look at risks, of whether they are talking per participant, per hour spent in the activity, or what. Raw numbers don’t tell much. Often, neither do more nuanced claims: more people die in car crashes than hiking. What about per mile? Or per hour? Or percentage of participants? I can think of all kinds of ways to make statistics lie for me. I believe there’s a long history of doing that…. 🙂
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Hungry Jack
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Living and dying in 3/4 time...
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Post by Hungry Jack on Sept 10, 2021 6:28:35 GMT -8
The thing that always drove me nuts about Bear Grylls in Man V Wild was him undertaking all sorts of risky acts in his "survival" situations: climbing rock walls, running and jumping over stuff, etc. I know he was only demonstrating, but people dumb enough to see these things might think that is what you could or should do. In reality, being alone in the woods should be quite boring. You are not running, jumping, etc and taking unnecessary risks. In a survival situation, you are mostly trying to stay dry, stay warm, stay hydrated, conserve energy and wait for help. If you have to self-rescue, you sure as hell aren't running around.
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walkswithblackflies
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Resident terrorist-supporting eco-freak bootlicker
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Sept 10, 2021 6:54:04 GMT -8
It's been shown that more accidents happen to people hiking in groups than solo. The thought is that individuals in groups take more risks because there's a 'Plan B'.
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desert dweller
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Power to the Peaceful...Hate does not create.
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Post by desert dweller on Sept 10, 2021 6:56:08 GMT -8
My tips for solo backpacking.
Pay attention. Use your wits. Be prepared.
Never step on what you can step over. Never step over what you can step around. The point of this little ditty is to not put yourself in situations that have the potential of causing a mishap. If you're hiking alone, then there is nothing to prove to anyone. So, just walk around the fallen tree that's blocking the trail. By stepping on it to get by, you're introducing an unnecessary variable.
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walkswithblackflies
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Sept 10, 2021 7:06:55 GMT -8
The main edge you have with a companion is someone to help if carp happens. So when solo, maybe take a little extra care to be sure there’s no carp. |
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Hungry Jack
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Living and dying in 3/4 time...
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Post by Hungry Jack on Sept 10, 2021 9:48:05 GMT -8
Whenever I go solo, I take my wife.
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