Question for solo hikers

[Black Wolf]

Solo hiking is one of the least dangerous things I do/have done throughout my life. But I do let my family and friends know where I'm heading ,, and when I should be there. I tell them if I'm more the 72 hours overdue .. wait another then start calling. No news is good news for me. I don't carry a phone, false sense of security IMHO.

Start with overnighters .. close to home. Hone your skills, whittle down your pack to just what you really need, and never..I mean never .. go unless you are confident in your skills and secure with being alone in the wilderness.

[SilvrSurfr]

Solo hiking is one of the least dangerous things I do/have done throughout my life.

Then again, Black Wolf, you're CRAZY!!!! My kind of crazy, mind you.

Solo hiking doesn't even register on my list of dangerous stuff. I can't even tell my kids about most of the experiences of my youth 'cause they might try them (which would make me seriously ill). But I'm okay with them solo hiking as long as they have the skills, which I strive to teach them.

We need to hike together again, Black Wolf. Having heard some of your experiences, I can't wait to hear more!

[SilvrSurfr]

I can only imagine what my mother would have said if I told her that I used to capture rattlesnakes for extra money and sell them to the university to make anti-venom.

What momma don't know!

[Doctari]

I always hike solo (at least 90$ of the time anyway). Always give my wife itinerary & date / time of "removal".
Wife don't worry anymore, "be careful" & sometimes if I haven't gone hiking for a while, tells me to "GET OUT!!!" or "Don't you got a hike soon! Tomorrow!" No question mark cause it's a statement not a question.
If she doesn't hear from me by a few hours after the deadline, she assures me she will call someone.

[rock_rat]

A few people have mentioned the Spot Messenger but dont think anyone mentioned the Spot Connect device.

This is a version of Spot Messenger that allows you to send SMS/Emails via satellite to your pre-defined list of contacts. This device is send only (cannot receive).

http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=116

Delorme Inreach is another similar kind of thing - send and receive SMS messages via satellite

http://www.delorme.com/inreach/

Both of these items need a bluetooth smartphone to type in or (in the case of the InReach) read the messages.

I have a Delorme 60W GPS with a spot unit and I love it. Spot may have some limitations but in addition to the rescue beacon the live updated mapping and ability to post checkins make my family feel much more secure. Plus if I'm too injured to hit the button and the little dot on the map doesn't move for three day's they can send someone to haul out the body!

[canoebie]

I gotta say that we all most likely engage in one of the most risky activities we could and solo to boot each day. We drive.

I am not making light of concerns or fears of our loved ones, I do think that risk is way more about perception than reality. While it may not ease the thoughts that our significant others have, I think we owe it to ourselves and those who love us to give serious thought to the real risk as opposed to the perceived risk.

Thousands of pounds of steel flying down a highway at 60 MPH 3 ft. from other thousand pounds of steel going the opposite direction at 60 MPH seems much more risky to me than walking a path in the woods. It has so much to do with how we frame it.

One of the sad things that is occuring today is that perceived risk is not accurate. As a result children are locked up in houses, people are afraid of their environment. Read "Last Child in the Woods." The author describes how our perception of the risk of abduction has caused us to keep our children contained in our homes with hovering parents, when in reality, the rate of child abductions has actually decreased over the last several decades.
Because the media hammers the stories of abduction, or animal attacks, or whatever over and over and over, we develop disproportionate fear responses.

I mean no disrespect to anyone with fear. Whatever we feel, it is real. I do think we need to offer perspective. Honestly, I feel way safer running a class II river in a canoe than I do when I drive to work every day. I think that is based on something real. Yet the river really gives me the adrenelaine (sp?) rush.

A good thing to do with those we love and care about is to educate them about our experiences. More often than not, their fears are more based on perception and not reality.

[blackout]

i would just do it close to home for the first few hikes, use trailheads that get a lot of traffic till your comfortable with being alone.
if your skill level is there do it

[deerfu]

I'm usually alone or with my dog but it's mostly long day hikes. I consider them far less dangerous than driving in Atlanta traffic on a daily basis. I'm often way off any given trail or road and have ran into my share of close encounters with old wells, stump holes, poisonous snakes and worst of all- YELLOW JACKETS!!!! I'm allergic to bee stings so I fear them more than rattlesnakes.

[Sweetspot]

When I go solo, especially in the Sierras, I leave a detailed itinerary with my Wife, my Dad, and one of my friends. This seems to be what a lot of people do.

Sometimes my wife tells me to leave and "get lost" for a day. She is very sensitive to when I need some mountain alone time. Perhaps for that reason she is less reserved than some might be about letting their significant other head into bear country. It also helps to reassure the Mrs. that you have the skills necessary to remedy a bad situation. The few times a bear, or other large curious creature, has come around it has been a non-issue. I share those experiences with her and the family to help illustrate that there isn't much to worry about. That's not to say things don't go wrong. Being and EMT seems to put a little more calm into the solo adventures too.

Cliff notes version: Make a plan, share the plan, stick to the plan, then go home

[bacon_grease]

I have been thinking of taking a few simple solo hikes. My biggest issue I think is going to be convincing the Wife. Since one of the basic rules of safe hiking that is taught to Boy Scouts is the buddy system a solo hike goes right against that. I know that with people knowing my route, schedule and check in times you can still hike alone and be safe. I have also been sure not to show her Fronkey's video of the attack of the killer tree.

Any tips on how to work with family members about the desire for some solo time? I also don't want to give my Son the idea that he can just run off solo at 12. Figure as long as I am smart and include him in my planning it should help there.

The SPOT Messenger device coupled with a Spotwalla account might get you quite a few kitchen passes.

www.findmespot.com
www.spotwalla.com

Not only does it let loved ones keep track of you, but you have the ability to request non-emergency assistance and 911 emergency assistance. The account can be coupled with global SAR insurance as well as AAA / TowBOAT/US coverage (for mariners)

Here's what one of my recent MC trips looks like.
http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?...04f405be245fab

The private pages have more information on them. Ping me offline if you want to know more.