Tips for solo backpacking

[steve]

Yes, that is definitely the worst part. No amount of money can ever bring him back.

 

[Aldaron]

From what I remember it wasn't the boy and his family who actually had food in their tent (they claimed to have kept a clean camp) but another group of campers in the same site the night before that had left accessible food in a cooler out in the open that the bear had tampered with and then slashed through their tent.

"The court would be abdicating its responsibility if it failed to allocate any fault whatsoever to Sam and his parents because of the food that was found in the family tent," the judgment said.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/...d-by-bear-in-American-Fork-Canyon.html?pg=all

"The remainder of the liability fell on the DWR for not alerting the Forest Service of its search for a bear it deemed necessary to kill and Ives' family for having food in the campground.

A granola bar wrapper and an open Coke Zero can were inside the tent."

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/51744749-78/family-bear-forest-ives.html.csp

 

[WasatchWill]

So all this talk about bear safety and precautions among other risks one assumes when going solo has me wondering how critical is it that you actually cook and eat at least 200 feet away and downwind from where you sleep? All of the literature out there says of course to camp 200 feet away from water sources and store or hang your food 200 feet away down wind, and then to do your cooking 200 feet away from all of those places and don't sleep in clothes you cooked or ate in. Yet, I see in pictures, videos, and in so many other reports, etc, where so many people don't bother with those last "bear safety" rules and typically cook only a few feet away from their tent and sometimes in their tent or vestibule with no ill consequences.

Does this 200 foot rule apply more for people who do fancy gourmet pot and pan cooking where odors may be stronger and therefor spread farther and less for those simply pouring in hot water into a packet to rehydrate a meal or to enjoy a hot drink?

On a related note, I've also read anecdotal accounts of people who claim that marking trees/bushes around the perimeter of their camp with their own scent (the higher the better for those that have the ability to do so) has been effective for them in sending bears the other way. One account said that a bear came right up to a tree the person had peed on, sniffed it out, then turned right around. I'm guessing it doesn't hurt to do this on top of all the other precautions one can take. Anyone have thoughts or firsthand experience with this method themselves?

 

[Aldaron]

I only practice those food precautions in grizzly country. I've never heard anyone recommend them outside of grizzly country.

 

[WasatchWill]

"The court would be abdicating its responsibility if it failed to allocate any fault whatsoever to Sam and his parents because of the food that was found in the family tent," the judgment said.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/...d-by-bear-in-American-Fork-Canyon.html?pg=all

"The remainder of the liability fell on the DWR for not alerting the Forest Service of its search for a bear it deemed necessary to kill and Ives' family for having food in the campground.

A granola bar wrapper and an open Coke Zero can were inside the tent."

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/51744749-78/family-bear-forest-ives.html.csp

Good finds. 2 nights in a row of accessible food at the same site is certainly a perfect recipe for a tragedy from a bear to occur. All the reports of the initial lawsuit I had read had the family claiming they had kept their camp clean with no food in their tent while the group there the night before readily admitted to having a cooler out "50 feet" away from their tent.

 

[Hurakan]

I worry more about lightning than Predators. But you just never know, and as the predators run out of useful land or lose the fear of humans thats when things start to get ugly. Im sure the wolf packs in the uintas will eventualy make it pretty competitive for the other large predators to find prey. Combine that with people being lax with thier campsites and then the predators will get more aggresive.
Last summer my buddy got whacked in the back of the head while sleeping in his tent at Amethyst due to his buddy placing fish heads next to his tent at night as a prank. There out there, and its a shame to have to start shooting the predators for people being ignorant.

 

[Nick]

Wolf packs in the Uintas? I'd be happy if it were true, but from what I've heard, aside from a couple unconfirmed random sightings, they still hadn't made it down this far.

I agree though. Lightning is probably my #1 concern in the high country, then moose, and then asshat friends who leave dead fish by my tent. That ain't right!

 

[gnwatts]

A wolf was hit on I-70 a few years back:

http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/pressrel/04-43.htm

In the high country lightning and amateurs with guns scare me.

Let me add an explanation. My wife, son and I lived in Ophir, Co (elev 9800', about 20 miles from Telluride) for about 3 years. We had no heat other than a killer wood stove. But with a new born we were constantly burning wood (9 chords 1 winter). So I was collecting alot of wood. Both in and out of season I was shot at, by idiots with guns. Granted I was in the backcountry, out of season I did not where orange, but in all hunting seasons I did. I also witnessed acts of cruelty and waste that sickened me. The last straw was an evening I was finishing up a long pine, with my chainsaw idling, and I hear a gun shot and the bullet fly through the trees 10' over my head. It was in season but I snapped. I grabbed my still running saw and ran towards the road where the brainless jerks were talking by their truck. How they did not hear my idling saw is beyond me.

I stopped about 50' from them, gunned my saw and walked slowly towards them. They knew what they had done, and did not want to face my wrath. They could have shot me I guess, but they chose to get in their truck and leave.

That is why I don't like amateurs with guns.

 

[WasatchWill]

When hiking closer to home (Wasatch) I also fear mountain bikers. I don't fear death from one, but you never know when a speedster coming around a blind corner might ruin your day.

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[WasatchWill]

When hiking closer to home (Wasatch) I also fear mountain bikers. I don't fear death from one, but you never know when a speedster coming around a blind corner might ruin your day.

And for that matter, motor bikes. I was only couple feet from getting nailed fast and hard by a dirt biker not looking out on a trail just off the Aspen Loop last year.


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[Yvonne]

as I mentioned a few pages earlier, my first backpacking trips were all solo. I had one encounter with a black bear sneaking around camp at night in Salt Creek Canyon on one of my first trips. I did everything right and took all precautions but the bear sniffed around at night.
I still go solo for quite a few trips each year and really enjoy it.
I'm more scared of driving solo in super remote areas than hiking and backpacking solo

 

[pixie1339]

And for that matter, motor bikes. I was only couple feet from getting nailed fast and hard by a dirt biker not looking out on a trail just off the Aspen Loop last year.

I'll second that one. The motorbikes especially because the extra noise makes it unlikely they'll hear hikers. They tend to ride faster, too, but you can usually hear them coming in time to get out of the way. I've had close calls with bikers of both varieties.

 

[steve]

I dirt bike, mountain bike, and hike almost weekly. We are so lucky to have so many great trails. I love to enjoy our trails in a variety of ways. Unfortunately, a few bad apples ruin it for everyone else. There are lots of respectful dirt bikers and mountain bikers, but the one or two jerks that stick out in our mind make it easy for us to slap a label on all of them.

We hikers have it good in that we have a lot of trails that are closed to all other recreation. There are plenty of shared trails, but we also have plenty of hiking-only trails. Furthermore, we're the only type of recreation that is often allowed to travel cross-country without a trail.

However, there are VERY few motorcycle-only trails and even fewer mountain-bike only trails. When they're on a trail, they're usually sharing it with other users. We all need to learn to share the trail with other recreation users and remember that even though we want the trails to be used only for our recreation type, they have every right to use it in their way too. I prefer to look for courteous trail users than look for the jerks that bug us, but that's not always as easy as it seems.

That's why I became involved with TreadLightly! and eventually became a Master Trainer. I realized there are tons of motorized vehicle users that have no clue who has the right of way, what impact their machine may have on the land in muddy conditions, and what speeds and behaviors are appropriate. I also realized that there are many hikers and horseback riders that aren't aware of how much the 4x4, motorcycle, and biking clubs do to help our trails, and that many of them are hikers as well. It's all a balancing act, and we need better education, tolerance, and respect on all sides.

 

[WasatchWill]

I dirt bike, mountain bike, and hike almost weekly. We are so lucky to have so many great trails. I love to enjoy our trails in a variety of ways. Unfortunately, a few bad apples ruin it for everyone else. There are lots of respectful dirt bikers and mountain bikers, but the one or two jerks that stick out in our mind make it easy for us to slap a label on all of them.

I hope I didn't sound like I was stereo-typing. If I was, I apologize. You are spot on with all of your points. I like to bike too (when I've had a bike) and usually don't mind sharing the trail with other types of users when hiking so long as they are the courteous type. When I mentioned bikers, I was thinking of just those few "bad apples" just as there are in every bunch, including hikers (e.g. those who leave litter all over a campsite).

My experience with dirt bikers last year was that they were coming from behind and it was hard to judge the distance of them because I had just come around a corner of a slope and wasn't far from a road and a junction with other trails. They were only about 50 feet away when I looked back and realized they were coming up right behind me on the same trail and so I immediately jumped off to the side of the trail as best I could and they sped on past while still missing me by just a couple of feet. I wouldn't have been so upset at the time had they simply just turned their head and nodded to acknowledge me. Instead, it didn't appear that they were paying much attention at all to their surroundings.

I think it's common sense for us all here, but still a good tip for us all to be reminded of, be it bikers or any other types of users, it's good to be aware of your surroundings and anticipate other users, especially at blind corners where one should cautiously approach them, not only as a courtesy to others but for one's own safety as well. You never know what other kinds of obstacles or other users may be approaching from the other side.

 

[andyjaggy]

American Fork canyon is a bit tricky, because it is a multi-use area, we all have to try to get along up there. I've had good experience with mountain bikers, they are usually very courteous and nice. ATV's I usually just avoid by not going on trails that I know they are allowed on, I have had some bad experiences though, it seems once people get behind a combustion engine their entire attitude changes (generalization I know). I do hate the constant hum of ATV's in the distance up there, but there isn't anything I can do about that.

 

[pixie1339]

I don't feel that hikers have any more right to multi-use trails than bikers, atv's, etc. I just got a mountain bike last month, and look forward to taking it out on some of the trails in the near future. However, hikers are more vulnerable to injury from bikes or vehicles, so I think that while it's everyone's responsibility to look out for others on the trail, people on bikes and vehicles bear added responsibility to look out for others since they're traveling at higher speeds. Most riders I meet on the trail are cautious and courteous, but there are exceptions, hence the close calls I've had.

While we're on the subject of people to watch out for on the trail, I'm NOT a fan of trail runners. I can't tell you how many times I've twisted an ankle trying to get out of their way. Maybe it's just my luck, but they are the one group of people I've met on the trail who never yield to anyone, and just expect you to get the hell out of their way so they can keep running.

 

[steve]

back to solo backpacking...

Sometimes I wish I was the type of person who enjoys solitude in nature, but I'm not really wired that way. For me, being able to share these memories with other people (or even my dog) brings more enjoyment to me.

 

[Aldaron]

Sometimes I wish I was the type of person who enjoys solitude in nature, but I'm not really wired that way. For me, being able to sharing these memories with other people (or even my dog) brings more enjoyment to me.

It's funny you say that, because I was just thinking yesterday about how much I love going on solo trips. I love going with other people that I really get along with, but some of my most relaxing backpacking memories have been on solo trips. I love being lost in my thoughts and truly feeling like it's just me in the whole world when I'm on a solo trip. I think I just feel a lot more free and independent and pensive when I'm solo.

I actually talked to my wife about it yesterday. Since she and I are always backpacking together, I think part of what makes soloing so memorable for me is that it's something different so it stands out in my memory.

I only go solo backpacking a couple of times a year, but, man, I love it when I do.

 

[Yvonne]

I love going with other people that I really get along with, but some of my most relaxing backpacking memories have been on solo trips. I love being lost in my thoughts and truly feeling like it's just me in the whole world when I'm on a solo trip. I think I just feel a lot more free and independent and pensive when I'm solo.

that's exactly what I feel when I go solo.

 

[Aldaron]

that's exactly what I feel when I go solo.

You've inspired me to change my signature line!