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At this point I am 100% guilty!!! I have nobody to hike with as of yet... Also, because of my schedule (unemployed) I am hiking during the daytime weekdays where it would be hard to find a partner anyway...

How many other people do this and what precautions do you take? ER: leaving a note or telling someone where you went and when you should be back, etc....

Ah a woman that likes to hike off trail, now there is a woman that captures my heart.

Put together your own first aid kit, rather than buying one. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just the basics. Couple of different sizes and shapes of bandaids, some guaze pads, tweezers( a must for off trail desert hiking u will use them often), some antiseptic wipes, some butterfly bandages, some new skin for blisters if u r prone to them, pain relievers, I carry needle and thread for first aid and other things, if you want to carry extra weight an ace bandage. Really depends what u r comfortable with and like Maryphyl said, what you think might happen to u.

I also carry space blankets which can be a real lifesaver.

dcornelius wrote:Never hiked alone.... Sounds like I need to get a first aide kit if I plan any alone type hiking... where would be a good place to look for one? And do they make them specific to the needs of hikers or would you just take any average first aide kit and just make it work?

Good questions. We will be editing this reply to your question(s) often so please check back often.

Yes, you DO need a first aid kit and, yes, you DO need some training in HOW to use your first aid kit. NO, generally, you can't take an "off the shelf" first aid kit and make it work for hiking. Such Wal-Mart kits are made for household first aid, not HIKING first aid.

Hiking first aid can get really, really complicated. When you reach the "upper levels" of it, they call it "Wilderness First Responder" and stuff like that. Don't worry about stuff like that for the hiking you do. However, pay close attention to everything the kind people on this forum have to offer. They speak with the voice of experience and lessons learned the "hard way."

We will be amending this post fairly frequently rather than creating new posts so check back.

In the meantime, be grateful you don't currently need anything in even a low-rent first aid kit!

J&S

Hiking alone can definitely be a great experience, but for the most part I have someone with me. You just never know what can happen out there, I guess that's what makes it so enjoyable.

What a great site. This is a good place to get things off your mind thatyo umight possibly think about when you're on the trail, with or without someone. I hadn't even read this thread but I went on a solo hike to do the Squaw Peak circumference at around 4:30PM to catch the sunset (view a fat old sun so to speak). I am in good shape and I made sure I had water but I realized there wre some things Ileft in the truck that I should have brought with me that I probably wouldn't have though of if I hadn't been alone such as a first aid kit and a flash light. Well, the sun was coming down and I was on the far side of the Peak (West side) jogging down the trail. There was plenty of sun and I was happy go lucky until I was approached by a wold-like looking dog on the trail. The dog had a collar so I realized it wasn't a stray or wild, but it scared me never-the-less. Plus I thought it was a 'no dogs allowed" trail. The dog ventured uphill away from me as I passed by. I kept saying to myself, don't be scared because animals can sense that so I didn't get scared. Then I approached two guys who were well ahead of me before and as I started to get near them, a man with a large doberman was coming the other way and asked the two guys whether we had seen a dog on it's own. I was relieved and then continued on. Being alone when meeting an animal on the trail puts things into a different perspective, especially an animal that could change it's perspective about you, it becomes very primal. Looking back I was relieved. I don't know what I could have done different. But if that circumference trail is indeed a "no dogs allowed" trail, please folks lets abide by the rules. That scared the heck out ome. I think the dog was a husky.

I do not believe that the trail 302 is a no dog trail, except that portion where it is the summit trail.

dcornelus what montezumawell posted about putting together your own first aid kit instead of buying one. Take note of arizonaheat' and maryphyl's post of ideas for a first aid kit.

Due to the fact that I do not know to many people here in Phoenix, and that I dont have a regular hiking buddy, I do 95% of my hiking alone. Mainly the only time when I hike with other people is when I go on a group hike from a hiking site such as this one. When I lived in Flagstaff I also hiked by myself alot. I would ascend Humpherys, at least to the saddle, once a week by myself. Sometimes I would have somebody else with me, but I would mainly hike by my lonesome. Looks like not much has changed.

sometimes it just feels right to go alone..

Guilty as charged. Logistically it's much easier when you are hiking alone. 'Sides, my friends all think I'm nuts and won't join me on my expeditions anyway. Even on regular hikes like Camelback, I prefer to go alone since I'm looking for a workout, not conversation (on the way up anyway).

Sidhayes is correct, the Squaw Peak 302 trail is not a "no dogs allowed" trail. I don't know if this would be another thread or not but what should you do when you meet an animal on the trail while alone? I think Bears are addressed here, but I mean ANY animal that could pose a threat? I think a large wild dog(s) would scare me as much as a bear would.

fatoldsun wrote:Sidhayes is correct, the Squaw Peak 302 trail is not a "no dogs allowed" trail. I don't know if this would be another thread or not but what should you do when you meet an animal on the trail while alone? I think Bears are addressed here, but I mean ANY animal that could pose a threat? I think a large wild dog(s) would scare me as much as a bear would.

We're gonna start a new topic on this somewhere on HAZ. Not sure where-- but it truly deserves a separate discussion aside from the pros and cons of hiking alone.

OK--Here it is--dirty laundry and all--

http://www.hikearizona.com/dex2/viewtop ... art=0#8990

Let's really let it ALL hang out on this topic!!!!!

J&S

Venturing...I think that is my middle name. There is nothing I love more than going solo. Being all alone in the middle of nowhere makes you feel like you are truly the only person on the planet. Though it lasts but a short time, it seems like eternity. I rarely go with someone else. If people have the same time off that I do it would probably be easier. Oh well...Hike ON!

jeremy77777 wrote:Venturing...I think that is my middle name. There is nothing I love more than going solo. Being all alone in the middle of nowhere makes you feel like you are truly the only person on the planet. Though it lasts but a short time, it seems like eternity. I rarely go with someone else. If people have the same time off that I do it would probably be easier. Oh well...Hike ON!

Cool emoticon!

There's nothin' quite like hiking alone to sooth the soul. But I only do it on trails I know by heart. That pretty much means over-used trails, so the peace of solitude still usually elude me. My solution: backpack with a group and get up early in the morning. Find a ridge, bring my Therma-rest chair and maybe a book, and sit up there watching the sunrise. It's not quite hiking alone, but it's close.

I've been following the thread about the dangers of hiking alone, how we seem to hike alone anyway, in spite of the perceived danger. And I started wondering, is hiking alone so very different from living alone? Is it truly clearly more dangerous than being a single person in a home? What if you live alone in an apartment and slip in the bathroom -- I'm told bathroom accidents are among the most common household accidents and much more likely than hiking accidents. So I'm wondering, are we making a mountain out of a molehill? Is hiking alone really something to worry about?

Thoughts?

Peter B

I've lived alone many years and i quess its not different from hiking alone except mother nature is not prone to help you if you have no common sense. Sure you could fall at home and no one find you for days but its unlikely you'd die of exposure or lack of food or water if you were not unconcious. When I was caught in a flash flood not far from the Paria /Buckskin junction I had to climb out and bivy up below the East Clark Bench. When the water came down I had about 15 seconds to get out or be under. I had a little water with me and curled up under a tarp for a rainy long night. It really puts things into perspective real quick. I was never so glad to see sunrise or be hiking out over those mud flats- let me tell you. I did not want to be the subject of a SAR and made it a point to find the rangers to tell them I made it out. When I was waiting on the ledge before the climb out I thought well I could wait for someone to find me or I could get it in gear. I've never has those thoughts at home- even when convalescing alone from illness or whatever.
If you hike alone go prepared- or better yet read the book out now on the history of all the deaths in the Grand Canyon and look at the risk factors....

pbaenzig wrote:Is it truly clearly more dangerous than being a single person in a home? What if you live alone in an apartment and slip in the bathroom -- I'm told bathroom accidents are among the most common household accidents and much more likely than hiking accidents. So I'm wondering, are we making a mountain out of a molehill? Is hiking alone really something to worry about?

"WARNING! Hiking can be a dangerous sport. Be responsible and prepare for the hike. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never hike alone. Let several others know about your plans, destination and expected return time.

Sound familiar. It is the warning found on our trail pages. I do every one of those things, except I do hike alone and it does keep me humble when I am out there alone. An example is when I am out there hiking should I fall and break my leg I have lost half of my mobility speed, I may have lost most of my ability to carry my pack, my time schedule for my return is now off, I may need to spend the night in the elements. Things I consider. Heck I still worry about my appendics bursting on the trail leaving me in a lurch. The point is, it is just me and it could be a while before help gets to me.
On the other hand when I was jogging on New Years Eve I twisted my ankle bad to where I thought at first I had broke it. I was not concerned, I was just mad at myself for not paying attention and I was ready to gimp to the appartments nearby and call my wife. Luckily, my ankle was okay and I managed to nurse myself home.
But really, there is danger anywhere we go in our lives and in some cases unexpected. 9/11 is an example. Many years back a fellow Marine named J.J. and I were lost hiking back to base on Adak, Alaska and I was really concerned. But level heads and patience pay off and we made it back. Four years later, J.J. was killed in the Beruit bombing.
In closing, I have never heard on the news someone dying after falling in the bathroom, I am sure it does happen. But I have heard, many of times, of those having stupidity attacks in the stick where they do disappear. His/her remains may be found days, months, years after their disappearence. So when anyone talks to me about going out hiking I always tell them to find a partner!

I've come to the conclusion that the only way to make the AZ Trail happen for me is to do it alone. Too many logistical problems trying to pair up with anyone.

Hiking alone is sometimes the only option. I am doing a last minute "flatiron" overnight today.(saturday) I plan on being at the trailhead about 1PM. I dont want to go it alone, but, friends all busy. If interested, I'll be there. Thanks.