Alone out there

imported
#21

Here’s what you need.

www.glock.com

Eddie

#22

Depending on when and where you start you could spend night after night alone in shelters. When I did my flip-flop in 03 I left Springer July 04 and stayed in a shelter alone every night until the Smokeys. I routinely go out this time of the year for 5 and 6 day trips in central and southern Va on the trail and almost never see anyone a 1/2 mile or so from a trailhead…

parm

#23

Eddie, I prefer http://www.taser.com/self_defense/index.htm
followed up by http://www.kimberamerica.com/cdp.php if above doesnt work.

bryan

#24

Ok Brian, I seriously doubt anyone needs a taser or a gun on the AT. Those people just make it more dangerous for everyone else. All you really need is common sense. I’ve never actually gone alone overnight, so I can’t add much to the discussion in that respect. Also I would like to add that Wheelman and his friend watching or “hunting” people from the woods is a very scary thought and actually would make me worry more. I am female and want to do a solo hike on the AT in a few years (or as soon as possible) and I think safety isn’t that big of a concern because people on the trail are kinda like family and they look out for each other. Definatly don’t pass up the chance to go, I have to wait another 3-4 years to go myself and that seems like forever to me, so don’t pass up this opportunity. :girl

Emily

#25

I am not sure I remember my first night out alone. It was over thirty years ago. The solo night I remember best was in about 1971 in February in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon. I skied for a few hours from the trail head on about 10 feet of solid iced over snow. As I made camp in a grove of trees the wind began to pick up and by the time I got my tent up and crawled inside it was gusting to 30-40 mph. I don’t know what the temperature was. The high temp for the day was probably around 20. It was clear and I knew it would get very cold. I settled in with a candle lantern and a book. The noise of the wind kept me awake as I sipped my tea. Eventually I nodded off for what I thought was just a minute. When I awoke I brought my cup to my lips, but discovered the tea was frozen. That’s when I decided to blow out the candle and go to sleep. There was not another living thing around me for miles, so the only thing I had to be afraid of was some sort of equipment failure that would leave me exposed to the elements. The noise of the wind kept me awake for a while. Eventually I fell asleep and found myself alive and well in the morning.

Over the years I’ve hike alone quit a bit. I am not that great a companion. I fart and snore, break camp before daybreak and walk a few hours before breakfast. Not many will put up with that.

Over the last 20 years something very strange has happened to me. It has been a curse in many respects, but a blessing when it comes to solo backpacking: I gradually lost my hearing. I now need a cochlear implant and a powerful hearing aid just to have a conversation. When I take them out at night I am deaf as a post. Of course, this means that if I am ever attacked by man or beast I will be taken by surprise, but I find myself worrying less and less about that and it helps immensely that all the little night noises don’t set off my imagination.

Like anything else, you can become accustomed to solitude and gradually lose your fear of it.

Huff

#26

Freaked Out, You won’t find yourself alone much on the AT if you start in the South with the pack in March or April. I only ever had 2 shelters to myself in 5.5 months and they were in PA. In fact, after about 6 weeks on the trail I had to make a conscious effort to spend a night alone camping in the woods in my tent, because for me that was all part of the experience.

I have hiked the Bibbulmun Track in Australia twice now; It is much lonelier than the AT, and in 2001, I only shared the AT-style shelters 5 times out of 35. Then, I used to erect my inner tent in the shelter and use it as a kind of coccoon from the night (and spiders!) Don’t try this in the sardine-style huts you find on the AT.

The thing that used to spook me in those days was lighting a fire on my own and illuminating a little pool of radiance in the gloom in which all the things OUT THERE could see little old me on my lonesome, whilst I could only see 4 feet beyond the flames.

But everyone is right: you just get used to it. This time around I found myself starting fires and pottering away doing this and that, making simple tasks last all night, having that extra cup of hot choc until the wee small hours - well 10.00 PM. Don’t worry about getting spooked in the woods: it’s avoidable on the AT, it’s a liberation and you’ll find yourself a pro if you choose to do it in no time at all. PS. Big boys get scared too!

St Rick

#27

Emily, It was a joke…sort of. Leave the guns at home, but a Taser is lightweight anti-“hunter” option. If I had one, and someone/something came after me…I wouldn’t hesitate to zap the **** out of them, and probably more than once.

Everybody gets scared when they are alone on the trail. And I do mean everyone…even us guys. Just remember that 90% of whats scaring you is your imagination. You can control your imagination through practice. The more you sleep by yourself on the trail, the easier it gets.

There are a few things that can help.

  1. Get a good days exercise. If your physically tired,it will be easier to sleep.
  2. Set-up camp BEFORE it gets dark. This allows you to SEE and get used to your surroundings before dark.
  3. Dont do activity’s that get your imagination going. Like reading Steven King books, or shining flashlights into the woods.
    4.If you have a walkman or IPOD, listen to some soothing music. I said SOOTHING…not Metallica’s Enter Sandman.
  4. Drink some hot cocoa with marshmellows. I dont know what it is about this stuff, but its guarenteed to relax you. You’ll be concentrating so hard on getting that last marshmellow out of the bottom of the cup, you will completely forget about anything else around.

On to the funny stuff.

One time we were hiking and camping up on Bear Hair Gap Trail in Northern GA. It was me, and some of my sisters friends. After they had gone to sleep, I quietly crept over to their tent, and built a “Blair Witch Project” rock and stick pile right in front of their tent. That night a skunk or something wondered into the camp. Apparently the noise it made woke up my neighbors, and they unzipped the tent fly to peer outside…

The screams could be heard for miles.

MWUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

bryan

#28

I’ve rarely spent the night alone on the trail, but when I did I definitely had to face my fears. A few ideas:
–keep animals away by hanging your food a ways from the shelter
–consider sleeping in your sleeping bag, even near the shelter
–be sure you leave your itinerary with someone, if possible
–choose shelters more than a mile or two from a road. Weirdos are not very motivated to hike a distance up a tril
–if you encounter someone weird, just pack up and leave. You don’t have to make an excuse, but you can just say you decided to do some evening hiking and get out of there. Hike a couple of miles and pitch your tent way off the trail.

But overall I’d agree with the others. It’s just a matter of practice and experience. People who aren’t used to cities have similar fear experiences when they’re in the city. It’s really just fear of the unknown. Once you build up some experience you’ll be fine. But above all, don’t let your fear hold you back. The trail is too wonderful, and life is too short. Enjoy!

Rainbow

#29

Oops, I meant consider sleeping in your tent

Rainbow

#30

I was always OK alone in a shelter until I stayed in a shelter warning of Sasquach sightings. I almost never stay in shelters anymore. :-)))

Stumpknocker

#31

The first time I ever spent the night in the woods alone was at Wadleigh Stream Lean-to 9/02. As I remember, the privy was in the next county…? Anyway it got quite dark early, but strangely enough, I wasn’t afraid at all. I do remember that the woods were very quiet except for the wind in the trees. I noted in my journal that I slept quite well…perhaps that was because no one was snoring a foot away. :tongue

Lady Di

#32

Since 2001, more than 70 people are reported to have died in the US and Canada after being struck by a M26 or X26 taser, with the numbers rising eah year. So maybe taking a taser on the AT isn’t a good idea either. Or maybe you’re just joking again w/e.

Emily

#33

is there anything wrong with a taser killing someone? If you have to tase someone, they are probably attacking you.

wheelman

#34

Most of those cases were people that had health issues before they got hit with the Taser. Contrary to what the news media keeps telling everyone, there has not been ONE single autopsy report stating “reason for death:taser”. All of the deaths reported so far were results of heart attack, drug overdose, heart disease, etc. And perhaps listing the taser as a contributing factor, but not cause of death. The actual causes of death are things that probably would keep them off the trail to begin with. And the death usually resulted after being zapped like 5 or more times. If you’ve been zapped 5 times, and still haven’t figured out to stop doing what your doing,…hello…duh.

Personally, Ill take getting zapped with a taser over getting pumped full of .45 slugs anyday, but thats my personal preference. You can make your own decision.

Im not saying you should carry a taser, thats just an option. If you dont want to…dont. Your choice. Each person has to make a decision regarding their personal safety, and how they want to protect themselves. If you feel comfortable going without a defense tool, by all means, you should listen to your gut and do what you think is right.

Ive been hiking for a long time, and never had an instance where I needed to defend myself against animal or human, but I like knowing that I have a tool that can allow me to defend myself if needed. Be responsible, use good judgement.

I wouldnt have any problem with a female hiker carrying a taser as a self-defense tool, so long as she isnt running down the AT zapping hikers at random. As long as she is responsible, Id actually like to see a female hiker willing to protect herself instead of just blindly being a victim.

bryan

#35

It may be scary the first night out.
My first night out ever I was terrified.

I put up my tent in the shelter, which I now think is ridiculous, sat up at every sound, saw moving eyes at every level all night, heard every branch, creak of wood, squeak of mouse, tweet of bird, growl of bear, and every sound between all those.

I lost my headlamp in my Uncles truck before I started at Springer, I camped alone and I was scared as hell.

I woke up, when I actually got some sleep that first night, and took pictures so the flash would go off, in hopes that I would see whatever Movie Monster was lurking behind the fire pit with a large knife and teeth the size of Iguanas waiting to chomp me in my sleep.

Those feelings pass with the sillyness of fear after awhile.

I remember about week later being in The Swag Of The Blue Ridge with my tent up and hearing something right as the sun was coming up…it got closer…I was nervous…and closer…I pulled my knife…and closer…I slowly unzipped my tent readying myself to fight to death what ever thing was coming at me…I look out and as the sun is rising, a small deer is nibbling grass right beside my tent.

My heart went light, I smiled and watched him for a while.

It made the fear go away from then on.

SUDDENLY! HE sprang Vampire teeth and ate me!

AHH!HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

no really…

Have fun.

Lion King

#36

I have a problem getting the first night’s sleep in a new location, and it doesn’t matter if it’s in the woods or a hotel room. Because I know myself, I take along some Sominex, and take one before bed, it assures me a few hour’s sleep at the minimum. No matter how long I hike or how tired I am, when I lay down at night I’m wide awake and can’t seem to drift off. I do hike Solo most of the time, and have spent more time in shelters solo than with people, but that’s in Maine. Camping near a brook defintely helps in the imagination department.

I have also had the giant vampire deer scares, and was glad no one was around to see how foolish I looked. I did have a bear walk through camp about 20 years ago, but it kept going as it had no reason to come to me, it was looking for the food, which was up in the tree where it was supposed to be. After 5 minutes of looking at the food, it kept going and I never saw it again. Sure, I was nervous when I saw it (I didn’t need coffee that day!), but when it walked off I thought about how many I’d seen on the trail over the years and how scared they were of me.

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