Going Solo

I often find inspiration on social media sites when my friends ask questions that really get me thinking. Near Christmas, a question was asked about holiday memories and I wrote a post about some of my favorite holiday memories.

Recently a female hiking friend of mine asked when any of her female outdoorsy friends decided to do their first solo backpack and why.

Good question.

I can tell you that for the longest time, heading into the backcountry by myself was a frightening proposition. A habit of reading true stories of people getting lost and dying while in the backcountry alone made the idea unfathomable to me. Why would anyone do that? You could get eaten by a mountain lion, mauled by a bear, fall of a cliff, freeze to death, get lost and starve, drown, break a leg . . . the list was endless of all the horrible and nasty ways you could meet you maker in the wilderness.

But then, well, isn't that the same list I had for everything that could happen to you in the wilderness anyway? What was the big deal? If I have an accident, it really didn't matter if I was going solo or I was with hiking buddies. And anyone who really knows me, knows that I'm pretty much an accident waiting to happen.

But you can't always live in fear, can you? In the years prior to my first solo backpack I had tried my hand at alpine scrambling, cross country skiing, kayaking, long distance backpacking and winter camping. All things I had been afraid of before but succeeded in accomplishing my goals. My next goal on the list - a solo backpack.

My number one recommendation for backpacking alone is to plan and plan well. I chose a destination I had been to a few times either with others or on day trips - Summerland Park in Mt Rainier National Park. Checking with rangers helped greatly with my planning - I knew the trail conditions, weather forecast and wildlife activity before I packed my pack.

My number two recommendation is to tell another person your exact route and itinerary. This is a good plan even if you're heading out with other people. My most reliable contact person lives in Montana and I email her the itinerary, route (trail names and numbers), which forest or park and the number to call in an emergency (the county sheriff's office - 911 does no good when you are a few counties away).

My first trip was just an over-nighter, but it led to longer trips filled with fantastic adventures. There's a sense I get when I'm out alone of self-reliance, wildness and community with nature.

Going into the wilderness alone isn't for every one, but if you dare to take the chance you will never regret it - unless you get eaten by a mountain lion.