More and more hikers are choosing to solo hike instead of hiking in a group for a variety of reasons; and a lot of new hikers are slowly transitioning into becoming self-sufficient solo hikers. There are questions and growing pains along the way, and we’ll give you these 5 tips on how to safely hike alone
Hiking in a group is a great deal. You have more hands, more eyes and more brains as a group and good company while you’re enjoying the great outdoors. But group hiking has its own problems.
You can’t all hike at the same speed, and you make a lot of noise and chit-chat. Hiking with other people feels good, but sometimes the cold, lonely serenity that a solo hike gives you can’t be beat. You can stop along the way, chill out, take pictures, meditate, take a nap or just enjoy the lack of human contact for a while.
But you’re alone, and besides the peace and quiet that gives you, there’s a chance you won’t get any help for a while if you’re in trouble. These 5 tips are more like “rules” that will keep you safe.
The 5 Most Important Hiking Alone Tips
1. Study the trail beforehand
You should know where you’re starting from and where you’ll end up; and all the campsites in between where you might meet other hikers. You should also know how long the path is and how difficult it is; if you’re in trouble, left stranded or exhausted there’s a very small chance you’ll meet anyone along the way, so be sure to stay safe.
2. Tell someone where you’re going and when you’re coming home/to a hotel
You should let someone know where and when you’ll start, and where and when you’ll be home. Cell phones don’t always work in the wild, and if you’re not at your finish line the person that’s expecting you can contact the authorities to come to your rescue. Most of the time, nothing happens on the trail and millions of hikers have absolutely no trouble on the trail (except blisters and sunburns).
3. Know your limits
Go on an easier hike you already know if you’re a solo hiking beginner; don’t just jump into the hardest part of solo hiking where you might get hurt, lost, frustrated or anything else that might happen.
Know when to give up and return to camp if your gear or your body fails; it’s much better to retreat and come back to conquer the trail another day than to get hurt.
4. Anticipate possible hazards and forecast
Solo hikers should bring a bit more gear than group hikers; all the gear you’ll need will be on your shoulders alone. Check out our backpacking gear checklist and modify it to your liking; maybe you’re hiking in the desert and you don’t need the rain jacket.
If you’re hiking in the mountains, you should expect both snow and rain depending on the season. If you’re hiking in a forest, anticipate that it might rain.
5. Don’t challenge nature
Nature seems timid and static to most people; it’s just a bunch of trees, rocks and small animals, right? Nature is all that and a lot more. If you’re hiking in a group, crossing a stream can get you wet but won’t end up ruining your hike. Jumping creeks is a fun activity with friends, and a very unwise one when you’re alone. Avoid wildlife at all costs. Even if an accident happens (it’s highly unlikely), you have an entire group of people with first aid kits and ways to call mountain rescue to save you.
If you’re solo hiking, a slippery stream might really ruin your trip, or a daring jump might leave you caked in wet, soggy mud that will drain your body heat like nothing else you experienced. An allergic reaction or some other medical emergency becomes a very serious life threatening issue, and you should err on the side of caution every time. A satellite phone or PLB (personal locator beacon) are very important pieces of gear.