Solo Backpacking

[DallinW]

This summer I attempted a solo thru hike of the Colorado Trail and ultimately failed. I made it 145 miles and then decided to get off trail because I was having a hard time during the actual solo stretches. I'm pretty disappointed with myself. I've only been hiking and backpacking for about a year and 95% (pulling a number out of my pumpkin that sounds about right) of it has been in a group environment, so I think I overestimated how well I could handle myself out there by myself. I really sucks when you tell a bunch of people "hey, I'm going to go hike 486 miles" and then you only make it a quarter of the way.

Thankfully I have a cousin (my usual hiking partner) that will be coming up to join me on the last 120 - 150 of the trail in the San Juan's a couple of weeks from now, so at the very least i'll have a little over half the trail under my belt.

When I get back to AZ, I'm going to make a concerted effort to do more solo trips. Even though I decided to get off trail, I'm definitely coming back to try this trail again, most likely with a partner, but I also understand that crap happens (injury, illness, family emergencies, ect...) and chances are even if I start with a partner, I could end up solo again and I need to be able to handle that.

I was just curious what other peoples experiences were in transitioning from group trips to solo trips, if you ever had to, and what tips you might have to stave of things such as loneliness, and anxiety about being alone out in the woods.

[The_Eagle]

@CannondaleKid
Sorta like you don't have to be fast to get away from a bear, just have to have the ability to hobble you buddy.

[outdoor_lover]

Determined bears have been known to break windows on vehicles to get to food, so I'd have to think if a bear smells food a tent isn't going to stop it.

No, but I'll have 10 Seconds Warning before it gets in and grabs my Leg or Head...There will be Noise involved that will wake me...In a Bivy, not only can he get to me right away, but for me to be able to get untangled and unzipped and try to defend myself would be quite the Feat...I would probably be better off Cowboy Camping actually, lol

[johnlp]

I met a guy at work who had just hiked the whole Appalachian trail solo. What surprised me was what he missed most was the relationships he built with other thru hikers along the way. He met random people and would hike for weeks with them.

I do most of my hiking solo, but I enjoy hiking with others a bit more. It just is more work going with others. Planning, driving, hiking at various speeds...

@ DallinW Don't be hard on yourself. If you aren't enjoying yourself, why continue? Being alone for extended periods of time isn't for everyone.

[RedRoxx44]

Funny Galiuro story, I took a couple of friends in there a few years back who were enamored of the history of the area. They are from South Dakota, have a ranch, know horsepacking very well but not so much backpacking. So, we went in at Power Hill and camped near the Garden by the then flowing Rattlesnake creek. I mentioned it's bear country, hang your food. They also brought their dog. So, about 10 or so I heard heavy tread in the creek. A big deer or a bear. The dog starts barking. I get out of my bivy with my headlamp and Terry comes out with his flashlight. A nice big bear is across the way standing on the bank with his eyes shining in our lights. He or she ambles on. I have never seen so much sudden activity getting all food including the dog food and tossing sacks up in the trees. I went back to my bivy and had no trouble getting to sleep. I had one ear out for a while for shenanigans at the cabin down the way but all was good.

[DallinW]

I met a guy at work who had just hiked the whole Appalachian trail solo. What surprised me was what he missed most was the relationships he built with other thru hikers along the way.

I would say that definitely was one of the highlights of my trip as well. I met some wonderful people on the trail, even those I had very brief interactions with. There was one guy I hiked with for about 4 or 5 days and that's when I was enjoying myself most on the trail, but he ended up dropping out in Breckenridge, and that's when things started to go downhill for me as I was having a hard time integrating into a new group.

The last group of people I hiked with (for a day) was an older couple from Tuscan, and that was great.

@ DallinW Don't be hard on yourself. If you aren't enjoying yourself, why continue? Being alone for extended periods of time isn't for everyone.

Yeah that's pretty much what it boiled down to for me when I finally decided to call it quits. Was it really worth it to continue just to say I did it even if I was torturing myself during the solo stretches? I decided no.

[azbackpackr]

I had not done any solo backpacking in years up until a couple of years ago. However, I almost always dayhike alone. Started car camping by myself, realized I was okay with it. Have done some one-night backpacks, and I was okay with those. I'll be doing longer ones soon as I have time. It's not so much being scared as being bored. I don't like to be bored. Last overnight hike I brought my Kindle and a ukulele and a book and a notebook. Didn't use the notebook, but enjoyed the other things. However, on a longer hike I'd have to leave some of those things behind. I never ever go backpacking without at least one small paperback book, though. Heck, I don't even go to the doctor's office without a book.

[The_Dude]

I do 90% of my day hikes solo, and I am starting to dabble with solo backpacking as well. I really enjoy the solitude and being able to go at my own pace. I like being able to push myself and see just what my flawed vessel is capable of. The biggest reason I have not done more solo backpacking is my wife, she gets worried about me out in the wild without any backup. She got me a Gen3 Spot for our anniversary a few moths ago for just such a reason, I find it is at least something I can have for an emergency. I just hiked Mt. Wrightston a few days ago and had a few face to face bear encounters (first time in the wild), everything ended up OK, but it was definitely one of those times I would have felt more comfortable with someone else along. I am starting to get interested in doing some more of the AZT, pretty sure most of this will end up being solo on my part. SO hard to work out logistics sometimes...

[Tortoise_Hiker]

SO hard to work out logistics sometimes...

Here Here ! It was a challenge setting up the shuttles for the AZT. I guess where there is a will there is a way. Begging helped too! LOL. Solo backpacking looks good on paper but I don't trust myself. I can handle the local or normal day hikes(99%) most of the time. The 20-30 mile day hikes and 40-50 mile backpacks I need to be hiking with someone. I've found that (IMHO) HikeArizona.Com has the best hiking partners bar none. Thanks hazers you rock!!

[Oregon_Hiker]

I enjoy both solo backpacking and in small groups. The extra "edge" of being alone and dependent on myself actually adds to my enjoyment of going solo. I've been on a number of 8 day solo trips and find that after a few days I tend to yak way too long when I do encounter another person but I also find that a few minutes of conversation with a stranger every other day is about all the social interaction I need. I would suggest shortening solo trips to the number of days you feel comfortable without social interaction.

[Nighthiker]

The majority of my trips out beyond the three wire are solo. The light of the night sky is my companion, the light from the sun reveals tracks on the ground and illuminates the rock that here in the Rim Country tell a story of fire, flood and upheaval. I have enjoyed those solo trips stepping through the three wire fence and I image I would enjoy those trips that are not solo as one would enjoy the destination of a shaded spring.