Female thruhike alone?

imported
#1 
									I'm a 26 yo female planning a thru hike beginning march of 2015. Is it safe for a female alone or should I get another person?

									_Jess_
#2 
									Safety is largely a matter of what you do. Staying clear of potential trouble spots,i.e. rowdy campsites, town hangouts, keeping your itinerary to your self. Also how much woods knowledge and experience you have. Don't take unnecessary risks in rough terrain, don't push daylight stop when you are tiring even though it may be early. I too I'm planning a solo thru in 2015 and although being male and older than you I will steer clear of what I see as potential troubled spots. We can talk more if you like. Drop me a PM.

									_joedannajr_
#3 
									During my section hikes, I have been a father figure for several female thruhikers.  I tell them to enjoy their hike but not to over do it.  If you start your thru Mar. 1 - Apr. 15, you will meet fellow thruhiker(s), who hike at your pace, that you can trust and shares your hiking philosophy.

Happy Trals!
Steamer

									_Tom Moylan_
#4 
									During my section hikes, I have been a father figure for several female thruhikers.  I tell them to enjoy their hike but not to over do it.  If you start your thru Mar. 1 - Apr. 15, you will meet fellow thruhiker(s), who hike at your pace, that you can trust and share your hiking philosophy.

Happy Trals!
Steamer

									_Tom Moylan_
#5 
									I have met many female thruhikers who were doing it solo. You will meet lots of other hikers that you can trust and thruhikers tend to look out for each other. On the trail there is not much to worry about but be careful at road crossings and in town. Find someone to hitch hike with when necessary. Male thruhikers love to hitch with female thruhikers as it makes it easier to get a ride. We need some female thruhikers to respond here.

									_Big B_
#6 
									I did the AT twice, starting solo each time.  On my first hike I maintained my independence; on my second I started hiking with a group in VA and eventually partnered up with another hiker.  I never felt unsafe, even when camping alone.

There are a lot of other hikers out there, and you end up leapfrogging those who are hiking at your pace and who take the same number of days off. If you find someone compatible, after a while you may decide to become partners, or you may chose to maintain your independence, making decisions that fit your goals/needs, while still spending time with those you enjoy being with. I wouldn’t bother getting a partner ahead of time, because you don’t really know now what pace will be most comfortable for you, or what you’ll do with regard to town stops/time off.

									_Ginny_
#7 
									If you are NOBO then you wont have a problem running into fellow hikers. Find some people you click with and just go with it. The trail is fairly busy for awhile and you should not have a problem.

Happy trails

									_Jessy_