going solo

[soco7tyx7]

i too am going to be doing a solo trip. next weekend to be exact. this thread has provided some excellent insight. i'm a little unnerved, but overall i think i'm ready. i plan on doing a lot of writing and hopefully it will give me a great chance for self reflection. i'm hoping that this will be the beginning of a great thing and i'm pretty excited.

 

[JimB]

My first solo ADK hike was Giant and Rocky. I left the trailhead at 7 AM and saw no one until on the way back down. I picked that one so I would have others around in case of mishap. My first winter solo was Tabletop for the same reason, even though it was midweek and I saw no one all day . Another great solo trip for me was Haystack from Elk Lake. It gave me a real sense of aloneness traveling so far in a lightly traveled area. I ran into some ice and very strong winds at the summit and it was a memorable trip. Of the 19 peaks I've done in the Catskills more than half were solo and most in winter. Sometimes it's just nice to go your own pace and have the ability to be more flexible in your hike plans. I always carry extra gear though to maintain a safety cushion.

 

[VFTTop'r]

I only go solo when I can't fjind someone to go with. It is nice to go solo sometimes. Pick a perfect day. Take everything you need if you have to spend the night and don't forget the camera. Stop when you want, eat when you want, rest when you want, etc. It's all about enjoying your pace. Give it a try.

 

[Dalraida]

Soloing for a looong time

Hi, my name is Tom and I'm a soloholic.

My first overnight solo was Mt Major of Alton Bay, NH in the summer of 1954, as a fourteen year old. There were no proper trails then, on what is today a very popular mountain. When I hike Major nowadays I can still identify the two trees which supported my old WWII shelter half. I grew up as a rural New Hampshire ridgewalking, teen age hunter whose parents thought nothing of my being out in the woods alone. My woodsman stepfather taught me my woods skills and fully supported these activities. That makes 51 years of soloing. On my nine hiking trips to Scotland I have always gone solo. My favorite solo night hike was from Crawford Notch to Lakes and back one foggy summer night in the late 80s wearing bear bells for company. But that is another story. Mostly I prefer hiking solo since I prefer to frequently stop, closely study my surroundings and memorize obscure terrain features which I believe most people never notice. As some people on the site will probably attest, my obsession with trail minutia can make me a slow hiking partner. Age is no factor of course. I am not a peak bagger, only a memory bagger with a bag full of hillwalking memories

TomW

 

[Mark]

I've done around 10 solo day hikes in the Whites over the past few years. While I have some attraction to hiking solo, I'd rather hike with others given the choice.

I figure I should first start on a trail I know well, and one that's not too difficult. Unfortunately that means a good chance of not being alone.

I don't think that you need to completely avoid all human contact to get the experience of solo hiking. If you are hesitant about trying a solo hike, I think you’d be better off on a trail where you would be likely to encounter other hikers in case you run into trouble or need to hear a few words from someone. While I enjoy the occasional solitude of the trail, it has gotten to me on some solo hikes. Once when approaching the summit of South Hancock on a solo hike, I was suddenly overcome by an overwhelming wave of loneliness. It was so bad I started talking to the chickadees just to hear a voice. It was the last in a series of solo hikes I did that season and I think it was just more solitude than I could take.

I have never done an overnight solo. I don’t think I would like it. You have to figure out what it is you are seeking. You can get a good dose of solitude even on group hikes. I will often get out in front of or behind my group to spend half an hour or an hour walking in the woods by myself. My companions know I will stop and let them catch up or will wait for me to catch up. This is often good enough for me.

I’d say give it a try and see if you like it. Don’t go off for a week-long expedition by yourself, but try a weekend day hike on a popular trail. That should give you an idea if it’s something you want to do more.

 

[Bob Kittredge]

I like to solo occasionally for a change of pace, but I still tend to get somewhat weirded out if I don't see anyone for a long period of time, so I normally do it now only on Saturdays on trails that I know get a fair amount of traffic. And that also lets me reassure my wife that someone will be along to help if I come a cropper.

I did a lovely hike of Isolation one Sunday and saw about 20 people, but they were all within a mile of the summit. The seven mile hike out was a little spooky.

 

[Oldsmores]

Going solo can be a great experience. I'd encourage you to give it a try. As some have pointed out, there's limited trouble you can get into in the Adk's if you go on a weekend on one of the more popular trails and stick to the trail. Even if you break a leg, you probably wouldn't lay there long before someone happened along. If you enjoy it you can gradually get more comfortable doing more remote hikes and overnights. I've always felt that I do some of my best thinking when I'm sitting alone at the campsite at night - absolutely no distractions. On a multi-day trip you really get in tune with your body clock if you are alone. You sleep when you want, eat when you're hungry, rest when you feel the need. Not everyone enjoys it, but the fact that you're thinking about it at all leads me to believe that you might.
Of course my wife always points out that you're never alone with a schizophrenic...

 

[Rik]

I too solo both summer and winter and both dayhikes and overnights. I love it and don't seem to do as much now that my wife hikes and I've met a few other hikers to go with. As already mentioned bring lots of gear and go for it. I think going on traveled trails or ones you are familiar with with increases your comfort level to start out and then you can move on to more remote places. There is nothing to be scared of out there.

 

[Nessmuk]

You would be much more aware of your surroundings and you would tend to travel more comfortably (at your own pace) and see an awful lot more wildlife.

In reading this thread, I can't add much to what has already been related other than to really emphasize what Rick and others have said. Awareness of surroundings is the factor that draws me and is most enhanced when solo. Probably 90% of my hiking these days is done solo, mostly in the western half of the Adirondacks, bushwhacking off trail between small ponds. A cell phone is pretty useless there so I don't bother with the baggage of it. I enjoy more than anything detailed observation of the wilderness, all senses are wide awake and enhanced as I learn the lay of the land of where I have been, where I am, and where I intend to go. Leaving the GPS at home on those trips removes the temptation to "cheat" and ignore learning nature's own navigation clues with my own wits.

My solo memories are made up of thousands of small events that would certainly go unnoticed if I were hiking with a partner. It's just different that way, amazingly different and wonderful. Every step is more thoughfully placed than when chatting with a partner. When less experienced, that little inner twinge of feeling alone and a little (or a lot) unsure of where the map & compass put me - then stopping to sit, have a snack, observe the terrain just past and think it through of where I must be. I can recall to this day the details of many of those past feeling "lost" experiences and the exact log or rock I sat upon. Oh, gosh how could I forget the time of a cloudy day when somehow my compass dial got itself turned by 30 degrees while crawling through a thicket, not to be noticed until the other navigation mismatch clues began to add up almost an hour later? Sat down to think about that one for a long time, cherish the lesson it taught me about questioning early when observations accumulate that don't quite make sense, smile about it years later. Learning from those days is one reason today why I do not wish to or have need to carry a GPS.

Then there was that foolish handhold I knew I should not have trusted that sent me tumbling unhurt but scared - I can still feel it give way in my hand, and I'll not do that again. The first view of the shining lake approaching through the trees after a too long solo bushwhack slog. Which way is the wind blowing, why did it change direction and what do those clouds mean? Where is that ravine, is that rising ridge supposed to be there? There was the time I lost my sleeping bag and retraced my steps to find it just before freezing darkness - I'll never forget the details of that one. And the moose and calf I came upon silently without startling... All great stuff of the mind that would be far different or nonexistent when hiking with others. I enjoy those kinds of experiences but know they are not for everyone.

My greatest fear always is breaking a leg or worse in jumbled blowdown. Not much I can do about that other than to know when to back off when tired, not take that leaping chance, to stick to my itinerary (or the discussed backup plan), and trust I am on track with my whistle ready in my pocket while waiting for help to come in a day or so. As is true with anything short of staying home in bed your whole life, I guess that's the risk you must be willing to take and weigh the value of the rewards to you and risk to your family.

 

[hitmann]

I too am mostly a solo hiker. Reason being because of lack of partners but also love the solitude. Been scared a few times mostly my own mind though. Hike mostly in the dacks but am shooting to get over to the Whites this summer and also the long trail. Tom

 

[Chip]

After 30 years of hiking, one thing I haven't done is a solo hike, and I'd like to try this in the Adirondacks this summer. My instincts tell me "don't" but I'm strangely drawn to the idea this year, for some reason. Wanting to experience the "aloneness" is a major aspect of it. Part of it is seeing how I adjust my pace without others present. I have nothing against hiking with others, especially my fav hiking partner (my wife). I already always pack with the capability of spending an emergency night in the woods, if necessary. I figure I should first start on a trail I know well, and one that's not too difficult. Unfortunately that means a good chance of not being alone. It goes without saying that I should stick to the trail, and make sure others know when I'm going. There's always the "what if" factor (I got lost, fell and was immobilized, etc.). I'd be interested in people's opinions, especially those who have hiked solo. What was your FIRST solo like?

I'm not sure from your post if you are considering a day hike or an overnight.
I day hike alone alot. If it's too familiar it isn't much of an adventure, just let your wife know where and when. In my mind a Solo requires an overnight, or some unfamiliar route, to make it exciting. My first real solo was an overnight in February on the Schaghticoke section of the AT in CT. This is not an easy section of the trail here, there was snow and ice and the trail and the markers needed attention. I slipped and fell at one point, no harm, but it did inspire me to look for some sort of helmet, as being knocked out is about the only thing that would leave me completely helpless. Everything becomes more acute when you're alone. Stream crossings that you never noticed before suddenly seem critical. It is a great way to sharpen your senses and confirm your gear.

 

[forestgnome]

Nessmuk and Dalraida have put into words very familiar experiences that make me an exclusively solo hiker. Well said

 

[dougb]

I day hike solo all the time, and as others have said, you do have to be a bit more careful. I've had a few scares, but managed to get through. I do carry an extra compass and map, so I have a backup (even when I carry a gps).

I would recommend doing some of the Northville-Placid trail, if you are nervous about doing an overnight solo. (I'm not sure you can do all of it this year because of McCain's - but that's another thread). I did the northern half solo (and had to turn around & go back to my car) a few years ago. NLP has the advantage (or disadvantage) of being mostly old tote roads. So the terrain is generally more forgiving than soloing a lonely peak. It's not crowded, but if you fall & break a leg, someone will be along in a day or so.

 

[rhihn]

Thanks everyone for your replies! I had no idea this would generate such a discussion! I am considering doing it as a dayhike rather than an overnight for now. Many of the posts underscore the reasons I feel drawn to hiking solo. I will post a TR when I return. I haven't decided when or where yet (relatively soon), but definitely it will be in the Adirondacks. Thanks to all of you.

 

[funkyfreddy]

Most of the whites I did solo back in the 90's. I like facing the "aloneness" and used to get scared going out by myself but that's all part of the fun -facing your fear and transcending it, like stage fright before a great gig.

One of the nice things about soloing is having the freedom to sit on a rock for hours when you feel like it, or go slow or fast depending on your inspiration. I've also seen a lot more wildlife when I'm by myself and quiet. I feel I have a more intuitive and spiritual experience of the forest when not saddled by any social concerns or need to speak. I think everyone should try soloing once they're ready....... when camping by ones self in the middle of the wilderness something very primitive takes hold of you as the shadows grow, when the only vestige of civilisation is your tent and whatever tools you carry in your backpack.

 

[Oldsmores]

...I haven't decided when or where yet (relatively soon), but definitely it will be in the Adirondacks...

Let us know, and maybe someone will be able to join you...

 

[rhihn]

Let us know, and maybe someone will be able to join you...

yeah, right...sorry, you're the second one to post here with that joke....

 

[WhiteMTHike]

After 30 years of hiking, one thing I haven't done is a solo hike, and I'd like to try this in the Adirondacks this summer. My instincts tell me "don't" but I'm strangely drawn to the idea this year, for some reason. Wanting to experience the "aloneness" is a major aspect of it. Part of it is seeing how I adjust my pace without others present. I have nothing against hiking with others, especially my fav hiking partner (my wife). I already always pack with the capability of spending an emergency night in the woods, if necessary. I figure I should first start on a trail I know well, and one that's not too difficult. Unfortunately that means a good chance of not being alone. It goes without saying that I should stick to the trail, and make sure others know when I'm going. There's always the "what if" factor (I got lost, fell and was immobilized, etc.). I'd be interested in people's opinions, especially those who have hiked solo. What was your FIRST solo like?

Being a bit of a romantic, I think it's great that you enjoy hiking with your wife more than anybody else.

I always solo hike but they are all day trips. My first solo was Cannon Mt. since then I've done Welch-Dickey (during the week so it wasn't packed) and many trails on the Kanc. I also do many trails in my home state but they aren't very challenging. Hiking is something I do when I want to get away from others and take a break from the real world. It's not something I'd want to share with others, kind of puts me in my own world.

It sounds to me like you've got a good plan; going on a trail you know, doing a day trip and letting people know where you are going. Go for it and enjoy!

 

[bobmak]

Go for it.... Although in the past I did lots of trips with friends, as I have gotten older I am finding it harder and harder to find people that wnat to do take multi-day trips or vacations. Most of my traveling, backpacking and ski trips in the last few years have either been alone or with Chica (the beautiful lady pictured in my avatar); and I have also done several unsupported multiday bike tours alone. I just came back from a 10 day trip hiking in Northern Arizona alone and had a blast. Going solo alows you to travel at your own pace, take side trips whenever you want, camp where ever you like (within legal limits of course). Many times I have taken the road less traveled and ended up in a different spot than where i intended to end up when I started out, mostly for the better (flexibility is a good thing!). I have had some of my best experiences and met some very interesting people when traveling alone.

 

[Bjarni]

Due to both circumstance and preference, I hike solo only, and have been doing it that way for years. I far prefer solitude to hassling with other people's varying speeds, observations, attitudes, etc. Alone, I can do exactly what I want.

Certainly hiking solo requires one to always be conscious of safety concerns to a greater degree than hiking with a partner or group. However, since ultimately we're all accountable for ourselves, I don't view that as a burden but rather as a kind of freedom. That being said, I've yet to turn around due to weather, physical problems,etc. - not that I'm not always prepared to should events militate in that direction.

The only halfway scary experience I've had was once in the Great Gulf in the early morning dark when I was startled by crashing and the heavy breathing of a large animal just to the side of the trail. I couldn't see it, but my adrenalin exploded and I moved very quickly for the next 10 minutes.