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#102240 - 09/03/08 06:11 AM Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea?
abp Offline
newbie

Registered: 09/03/08
Posts: 8
Loc: Northeast PA
Hey guys, I've never been camping before, but I'd really like to have an overnight solo camping trip. I don't intend to hike too far out into the middle of nowhere, maybe 20 minutes from my car tops. I'm really excited about this being my new hobby, but I have absolutely no background in the outdoors (I would've been a Boy Scout as a kid, but they don't let girls into Boy Scouts <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />).

I know it's not summer anymore, but I'd hate to have to wait for spring until I can get a another chance at this. I'd like to do a late September/October trip (depends on how long it takes me to figure this stuff out). I'm in northeast PA, so it'll get a little chilly, possibly some rain, but I can pick a clear night for the trip.

I plan on taking a 1 person tent, right now looking at the Eureka Solo Backcountry (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000EQ8VJC/), a lightweight sleeping mat to keep the cold out, and a 20-degree mummy bag (because I have a new one, but I'll buy another if it's prudent to). I'm also trying to do the chimney-style soda can alcohol stove (so I can run it off Isopropyl alcohol). Also, my cellphone for phoning home if I get into trouble, and the normal things like matches and a headlamp and clothes.

Does that sound like a realistic plan? Did I leave out any important considerations?

A few things I need to figure out still:

- Is a solo trip a good idea? (If no, are there any reasonably priced camping "schools" I could take a trip with?)
- What weather should I keep an eye out for?
- What should I look for in a camping knife?
- What should I avoid in a camp site? I wouldn't mind paying for a campground, but I don't want to just have a 10x10 space with electrical hookups. I was thinking of just taking a local leg of the Appalachian Trail and stopping somewhere along there.
- What should I bring food-wise?
- What are the odds of having a black bear rip into my tent in the middle of the night?
- Are there any other important rules I might naively ignore only to face severe consequences later?
- Are there any books/survival manuals I can bring with me to try out camping things in the outdoors?

I'd like to be able to use my camping skills for a bicycle touring/stealth camping trip once the weather gets warm again.

Thanks for the advice!

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#102241 - 09/03/08 06:30 AM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: abp]
lori Offline
member

Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 2801
Not sure what to tell you in terms of what to bring for the area you're in, I'm in California and it's different here. But don't burn Isopropyl alcohol in your stove. Use denatured alcohol instead unless you are certain you have a stove made to burn isopropyl.
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#102242 - 09/03/08 07:55 AM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: abp]
BarryP Offline
member

Registered: 03/04/04
Posts: 1574
Loc: Eastern Idaho
Welcome abp. Backpacking can be addictive <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />. And it’s nice to get out and unwind from commerce and enjoy Mother Earth.

Some of my random thoughts:
“Eureka Solo Backcountry”
This is a good bomber tent that I’ve backpacked in a few times. Very durable and waterproof. The fly underside will have condensation but the tent will keep your stuff dry. I liked its small footprint so it could be set anywhere. And you can change your mind and move it again with ease. And then when I got a little more money, I got a lighter tent. Eureka can be had for lower cost on eBay. Bring a ground cloth to:
1. keep bottom of tent clean
2. during rainstorm, the tent floor won’t sop up water
And make sure none of the ground cloth sticks out from under the tent. I sometimes use a 0.7mil painter’s cloth bought at Walmart. For solo use it should weigh < 3oz.

“so I can run it off Isopropyl alcohol”
This stuff (rubbing alcohol) will leave you disappointed. It won’t burn long. Burns dirty. Leaves left over water. Use Heet or Walmart’s copycat brand of Heet. This is cheap and will give much better results.

“chimney-style soda can alcohol stove”
This is nice for the real narrow base pots. It boils slow because it doesn’t get as hot as a pressurized soda-can stove. There are a lot of sites that show you how to make a pressurized stove. Anyway, this is a whole book in itself.

Randomly, I’ll answer a few of your other questions; realize, your results will vary a lot.
“- Is a solo trip a good idea?” Well, you’re only going to be 20 minutes away from your car; so that’s a starter. Plus that’s an excellent way to see if you have everything. Soloing is fine. However, do you have a friend that would like to try backpacking? I personally have more fun w/ 2 or more. When you see a triple rainbow, you just want to share it with someone. But others do better soloing. They cover more ground; see more mother nature; like to sleep in or wake up early…
You can rent items initially. That will reveal a lot (‘I won’t take that again’ or ‘that was heavy’ or ‘that was useless’ or ‘is there something less tedious’, ‘that was too hot’, etc.,)

“- What weather should I keep an eye out for?”
For me, it’s tornadoes. I don’t go out if there’s a chance. I live with long rainstorms (though I prefer the sun <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />). I love the rainstorms out West since they’re shorter.

“- What should I bring food-wise?”
Hot meals: Alcy stoves are good for ziploc bag cooking. Sarbar (here) has a freezer-bag-cooking site. I love this type of cooking since there are no dishes to clean; just lick your spoon clean. Some of my easy stuff is oatmeal packets. Grocery stores also have foods that you ‘just add boiling water’.
Cold meals and snacks: You can probably think of ideas for this. To keep weight down, try to think of ~100calories/ounce.

“- What are the odds of having a black bear rip into my tent in the middle of the night?”
If you’re in bear country, this month’s Backpacking Magazine discusses all fears and phobias; bears being one of them. It has/shows some real statistics and gives advice on how your camp should be set up; basically, keep the food/smelly-stuff away from the tent site.

“- Are there any other important rules I might naively ignore only to face severe consequences later?”
Since you’re not going far, you’re already playing it safe; but if you were going far, I would put a lot of attention in footwear. Who wants to be distracted by painful feet?


Read a lot (all over this site), ponder, arrange, pack, and then go out and have fun <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />.

-Barry

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#102243 - 09/03/08 10:23 AM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: abp]
aimless Offline
Moderator

Registered: 02/05/03
Posts: 3292
Loc: Portland, OR
A solo trip should be ok for a complete novice, provided you stick to your resolution not to hike in more than a short distance from your car.

Since you have no background at all, you'll undoubtedly trip over your ignornace in many small, but unforeseeable ways. If you run into a really big issue, you'll be able to bail out pretty simply, just by walking out and driving home.

Since you intend to start out in October, please try to stay warm enough. Getting miserably cold is the best way to un-enjoy a camping trip, and hypothermia is very bad news for a solo hiker, since it can impair your judgment and even lead to death. Read up on hypothermia before you go. Please. It is the one thing that could make your trip genuinely dangerous.

Other than that, continue to read up on the subject, since that's the only source of info you'll have to go on, until you hit the trail and begin to find out more for yourself. If you read things you don't uderstand, (or just can't quite believe) coming to TLB and posting a question is a great way to get feedback.

My first backpacking trip was wet, cold, and a near disaster - if you look at it from an outsider's point of view. But I loved it and was hooked from the start. (And I got a lot better at it by the 2nd trip).

Good luck. Happy hiking! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

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#102244 - 09/03/08 10:30 AM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: BarryP]
TomD Offline
Moderator

Registered: 10/30/03
Posts: 4963
Loc: Marina del Rey,CA
There is a lot of advice here for beginners, but it tends to be based on particular questions and not organized as a series of lessons. That is what books offer.

One book I would recommend is Allen & Mike's Really Cool Backpackin' Book. I have never read it, but recommend it based on two of their other books on backcountry skiing and telemark skiing, which I do have and both of them are great for beginners.

The other book I highly recommend is The Complete Walker by Colin Fletcher and Chip Rawlins. Get the latest edition. Fletcher's book has been around for years and is considered the standard for books on backpacking and camping.

There are of course, many others including a "Camping for Dummies" book, which I have seen in the bookstore. There are also books on backcountry coooking and one of our members, Sarbar, as someone already mentioned, has a website with lots of menus and cooking tips and a cookbook.

Read these before you go; you could take Allen & Mike's book with you, but the others, especially The Complete Walker are big and heavy.

As far as your questions go, doing anything without a clue as to what you are doing or the risks involved is not such a great idea. My first bike touring trip was solo, so I can't really say it shouldn't be done, but I had some camping experience and thousands of road miles on a bike before my trip, so I wasn't exactly a total newbie.

I don't recommend an alcohol stove for a total beginner. Other people here will disagree, but my choice would be a canister stove-light, easy to use and almost foolproof. If you look at through the sponsors' sites by clicking the links above the banner, you will see many of them sell for around $50 or less. I have a Primus, but pretty much any of them will do.

As far as your other questions, the books I recommended will answer most of them. The Sierra Club in your area may offer camping classes and if there is an REI near you, they often have free lectures for beginners. You might also find a club at a local college.
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#102245 - 09/03/08 12:10 PM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: TomD]
abp Offline
newbie

Registered: 09/03/08
Posts: 8
Loc: Northeast PA
Quote:

I don't recommend an alcohol stove for a total beginner. Other people here will disagree, but my choice would be a canister stove-light, easy to use and almost foolproof. If you look at through the sponsors' sites by clicking the links above the banner, you will see many of them sell for around $50 or less. I have a Primus, but pretty much any of them will do.


Really, no alcohol stove? I just spent the day putting one together, and I've done a few test runs using a tuna can as a wind screen/priming plate. It seems to work fine.

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#102246 - 09/03/08 01:15 PM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: abp]
TomD Offline
Moderator

Registered: 10/30/03
Posts: 4963
Loc: Marina del Rey,CA
I'm not saying they don't work; I'm just suggesting that they aren't for everyone and for a beginner who is trying to figure out a lot at once, a simple stove that is virtually foolproof may be a better idea.

I go winter camping, so my priorities are different. I take two stoves-a liquid fuel and my canister stove as a day hike and backup stove. I can assemble my stove and canister in about a minute and don't have to worry about spilling fuel, waiting for the stove to warm up or dealing with it not working for some reason.
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#102247 - 09/03/08 02:04 PM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: abp]
Ender Offline
member

Registered: 01/17/02
Posts: 779
Loc: ME
One thing I will suggest, and that I notice a lot of novices don't even think about bringing, is a sleeping pad. A sleeping bag is good at keeping you warm from above, but not good at keeping you warm from below, and that's what a sleeping pad is for.

You don't need anything fancy to keep you warm, a $10-$15 closed cell foam pad from Walmart, or better a $20 Ridgerest pad, is more than enough to keep you warm in the spring and fall.

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#102248 - 09/03/08 02:27 PM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: Ender]
ringtail Offline
member

Registered: 08/22/02
Posts: 2296
Loc: Colorado Rockies
She mentioned a lightweight mat, however you are right. Everytime I have gotten cold sleeping the problem was either not a robust enough pad or not eating enough.
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"In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not."
Yogi Berra

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#102249 - 09/03/08 03:20 PM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: ringtail]
Ender Offline
member

Registered: 01/17/02
Posts: 779
Loc: ME
So she did. Oops! Sorry about that, I missed it totally.

You're also right... food helps a lot to keep warm. Especially, at least in my case, peanut butter. For some reason, I have a little of that before bed, and I'm a putting out heat like a wood stove.

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#102250 - 09/03/08 03:27 PM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: abp]
phat Offline
Moderator

Registered: 06/24/07
Posts: 4107
Loc: Alberta, Canada

I'm a total alky stove freak as well, but unless you first practice cooking (aka boiling water and cozying) your food outside with it first, I wouldn't take it on my very first trip.

Since you have practiced making one, check out a few sites and put together a few dinners,
that you might take with you, and practice cooking them outside. if you can handle that
you can probably manage just fine.

The reason some of us would shy a raw beginner away from an alky stove it they are slightly
more complex to deal with in bad weather, and your menu is often a little more limited than a
canister stove. If you have *practiced* with your alky stove first, go right ahead.
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#102251 - 09/03/08 03:57 PM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: abp]
Folkalist Offline
member

Registered: 03/17/07
Posts: 374
Loc: Fredericksburg, VA
adp,
If you feel comfortable enough with us to share, where are you located? You mentioned a local leg of the AT. While that could be anywhere up/down the East Coast, if you are near me, I would be interested in partnering sometime. I'm not a beginner, but I'm certainly no expert. I still make a lot of mistakes and am figuring out a lot of stuff. (Thanks CamperMom.)

You can send me a PM if you like.
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#102252 - 09/03/08 04:16 PM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: phat]
OregonMouse Offline
member

Registered: 02/03/06
Posts: 6799
Loc: Gateway to Columbia Gorge
I would do a trial run in your back yard (if you have or can borrow one) or possibly car-camping right next to your car. Or at least some sessions in the yard or the patio or balcony or whatever you have, practicing with your gear. In addition to practice with the stove and cooking, as others have suggested, one skill you really need to acquire is pitching your tent enough times so you can do it without referencing the instructions--at the camp site, in the dark, wind and rain with a flashlight, is not the time to learn! If you don't have a yard, set the tent up in your living room using masking tape instead of stakes. Do it over and over until it becomes second nature.

20 minutes from your car is plenty close enough for escaping should things go south, and this is why I say go ahead, subject to practicing beforehand. You will learn a lot, maybe not all of it pleasant but hopefully all exciting. I've been doing this for 66 years and I still learn something new on every trip!

Since you're going in the fall: check to see when modern firearm hunting seasons are on and, if you go out then, wear LOTS of blaze orange. Better, avoid the main deer season (which I believe in PA is in late November, although it has been a long time since I lived there).

In addition to practicing skills, read as much as you can and check out a variety of backpacking forums. You will find a lot of opposing opinions on a lot of topics, since each of us is an individual with our own likes and dislikes, but you will have a better idea of what you're getting into. Especially read the excellent articles on the home page of this website!

Have a great time! We'd love to have a trip report from you when you return!
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May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view--E. Abbey

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#102253 - 09/03/08 04:39 PM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: abp]
Glenn Offline
member

Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 2617
Loc: Ohio
Is a solo trip a bad idea? Absolutely not. My second-ever trip was solo, and I had a ball. My first trip was led by a Scoutmaster who really didn't understand backpacking - he did understand forced marches, ramen noodles, and "roughing it." I still had a good enough time that I went to the library, got a copy of Colin Fletcher's Complete Walker (the first one), assembled my kit, and headed out.

Especially since you're not hiking far, it should work well. However, if you're still a little worried, you could arrange the trip this way: pick a park whose public campground will be pretty well vacated by October. Rent a site, hike a few miles with your pack on your back; eat lunch in the woods, filter some water, and otherwise play with your gear. You'll start to get your hiking pace and rest break intervals figured out. Arrange it so you end up back at your car, and camp there overnight - just don't use the car as part of the trip. (If you need that iPod or book, haul it around with you, don't leave it in the car.) Your car can relieve you of the need to get everything right the first time: you can store your food in it overnight (reducing the bear issue?), and you can bring along an extra blanket to wrap up in if it gets colder than your sleeping bag can handle. If the whole trip falls apart, you can even drive out in the middle of the night (a little safer than walking a mile or two back to the car on a moonless night, maybe.) The campground;s faucets and restrooms can also mean that you don't have to rely on your water purification device or your "nature calls" technique just yet. Practice both during the day, but it's not a tragedy if it doesn't work out.

As far as books, I'd naturally recommend the Complete Walker IV. However, it's a pretty big chunk to chew off all at once (it's about three times as thick as the first edition I started with.) Since you aren't sure what your backpacking "style" is yet (traditional, light, ultralight), I'd probably recommend Karen Berger's Hiking and Backpacking: A Trailside Guide, supplemented by her Hiking Light Handbook. She does a pretty balanced job of presenting alternative styles and methods, and doesn't go too horribly deep into technical details.

Weather: if you're just going out for a night or two, the local TV or Weather Channel website forecast will work fine. Pick weather you fee comfortable with, and go. Learning to forecast weather for yourself can be left until later, and longer, trips.

Camping knife: not much. I've used a Gerber mini LST and Leatherman Micratool - and never used either one much. Mostly just cut some paracord or opened a packet of food whose tear-strip malfunctioned.

Campsites: I try to avoid the beaten, battered ones where the trail crosses the creek. I also try to avoid small valley floors. I'd rather carry water up to the ridge top, find a nice flat spot that isn't overused, and camp there by myself. I usually try to get 100 feet or so away from the trail. The views are also better from the ridge tops - especially after all the leaves have fallen. (I camp in Ohio and Kentucky, mostly.)

Food: consider eating a cold breakfast (Quaker Oatmeal squares or similar), with a cup of tea or cocoa if it's cold. It saves fuel (less weight to carry) and simplifies cleanup (less water to carry to the ridge top.) Lunch in cold weather is often ramen noodles; in warm and cool weather, it's granola bars, dried fruit, and beef jerky. Supper is either a freeze-dried entree or a Lipton (Knorr) side-dish; I'm partial to rice, but the chicken and noodles is pretty good, especially if you throw in a small foil pack of chicken. Just remember to look for flavors that don't require milk (unless you want to carry dried milk, too.) Freeze-dried is easier to clean up; Knorr is a little more filling.

Bears: I'm not qualified to provide input here. I don't camp in bear country.

Rules: the only "rule" I'm aware of is to do what works for you. In the process of figuring that out, you'll have plenty of "oh, crap" moments - but if you plan trips to get comfortable with one or two new things each trip, you'll never get yourself into a real box. Just don't take a two-week January trip in the Hundred Mile Wilderness section of the AT for a while - work your way up to that - and you'll be fine. You'll get a little wet, or a little cold, or have to eat crunchy ramen when you run out of fuel, but you won't put yourself in any real danger if you try to grow, rather than leap, into the sport. (Well, probably won't.)

As far as your sleeping bag being warm enough: check out the projected lows, deduct 10 degrees, and if it's still warmer than 20 you should be OK. If you're going out when it's cool, you'll be taking (or wearing) some midweight synthetic long underwear (top and bottom), and have a fleece, down, or synthetic-fill jacket with you. Wear all of that to bed inside your bag, if necessary - but don't put so much clothing on that you compress the bag's fill from the inside.

Enjoy your first trip, and let us know how it comes out.

By the way, although I was a Scoutmaster, I was never a Boy Scout either, for the same reason as you: no girls! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

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#102254 - 09/03/08 04:41 PM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: abp]
jaiden Offline
member

Registered: 02/15/07
Posts: 123
Go for it!

That said, learn all you can before you do. There are a bunch of gear lists on this site and others. It's not the specific brands that matter, but the general idea. You want to stay warm, dry and hydrated. Food is less important overnight (though without it you will not be as comfortable!) so don't sweat that too much. Try everything out before you go and you'll have the confidence that you'll be OK. I read a lot on here and any book I can find on camping/hiking/survival. If you don't want to buy all of them, hang out and read some chapters in a bookstore. I know there's a book specifically for women but I can't recall the name. Really except for the obvious there isn't much different, but my wife liked the book.

Buy everything else and then your pack last. You want to be sure you have enough room and weight capacity to carry YOUR stuff.

That tent should work fine, but you might consider getting a 2 person tent in case you want to bring someone with you sometime. Otherwise you'll have to get another one!

Knives:
You don't need much, but some people like Mora knives:
http://www.ragweedforge.com/SwedishKnifeCatalog.html
Some people only carry a razor blade or tiny swiss army knife. It depends I guess on whether you know baton and improvised shelter techniques.

Camp site:
watch out for overhanging branches/trees otherwise known as "widowmakers" or in your case perhaps "widowermakers"

bears:
hang your food and anything else smelly (even if you wouldn't eat it) like toothpaste and soap. google for PCT method. use the triangle technique (keep your tent/cook site/food storage site at least 200 ft apart from each other)


Edited by jaiden (09/03/08 04:47 PM)

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#102255 - 09/03/08 04:57 PM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: Glenn]
Folkalist Offline
member

Registered: 03/17/07
Posts: 374
Loc: Fredericksburg, VA
Glenn, that sounds like a very good plan. Wish I'd try something like that back when.
I was a Girl Scout. Still am, lifetime member, but we never did anything but car camping.
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#102256 - 09/03/08 06:30 PM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: abp]
jshannon Offline
member

Registered: 02/14/06
Posts: 410
Loc: North Texas
For my first camping trip (as much as one mile away is actually a backpack to me), I would car camp and not get as much as 1 mile away incase I had an equipment issue or other issue, especially since you want to go solo. I'm conservative that way.


Edited by jshannon (09/04/08 06:39 AM)
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#102257 - 09/04/08 08:37 AM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: Folkalist]
abp Offline
newbie

Registered: 09/03/08
Posts: 8
Loc: Northeast PA
Quote:

If you feel comfortable enough with us to share, where are you located? You mentioned a local leg of the AT.


Think I mentioned I'm in northeast PA. I live near a town called Jim Thorpe, close to the AT at a site called Bake Oven. (At least I think that's the site that connects to AT, not quite sure. I've been on the trail a few times, though.)

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#102258 - 09/04/08 04:08 PM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: abp]
Folkalist Offline
member

Registered: 03/17/07
Posts: 374
Loc: Fredericksburg, VA
"One of the USA's 50 best places to live and play." (I googled it.)
Looks like a lovely place.
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#102259 - 09/05/08 12:00 AM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: abp]
billk Offline
member

Registered: 08/20/03
Posts: 1196
Loc: Portland, Oregon
Here's my .02:

- Is a solo trip a good idea? (If no, are there any reasonably priced camping "schools" I could take a trip with?)

It's probably better to take your first few trips with someone who has some experience, but if you don't have someone like that, you should be fine by yourself, especially since you're smart enough to take a cautious approach. For my first trip alone (after several backpacks with others) I hiked in slightly over a mile. I remember being disappointed at how quickly I got to my destination.

- What weather should I keep an eye out for?

Well, bad weather. Seriously, checking the weather report for the area you're headed for should be part of your regular routine.

- What should I look for in a camping knife?

Simple, small, light. Swiss Army Knives are pretty good. The ones that have scissors are particularly useful.

- What should I avoid in a camp site? I wouldn't mind paying for a campground, but I don't want to just have a 10x10 space with electrical hookups. I was thinking of just taking a local leg of the Appalachian Trail and stopping somewhere along there.

Mainly, it should be as flat as possible. Even a slight slant can make sleeping difficult.

- What should I bring food-wise?

Your choice. Light and tasty are my criteria, not necessarily in that order. I usually have instant oatmeal and cocoa for breakfast, with maybe some dried fruit or pre-cooked crisp bacon. Lunch is crackers and cheese, summer sausage, dried fruit, and chocolate. Dinner is either a freeze-dried or home dehydrated meal. Add a Power Bar or similar in case somehow your cooking plans go awry.

- What are the odds of having a black bear rip into my tent in the middle of the night?

Probably close to zero. As others have mentioned, hang the smellables at night or use a bear cannister, and don't take food into the tent.

- Are there any other important rules I might naively ignore only to face severe consequences later?

Make a checklist and use it. Rain gear and warm clothing (including stocking cap and gloves) are a must even when you expect good weather.

Gain some familiarity with map & compass before you go. You should have a topographic map of the area you'll be in.

- Are there any books/survival manuals I can bring with me to try out camping things in the outdoors?

You probably won't want to actually take them along, although many people carry a first-aid book like "Medicine for Mountaineering." As others have mentioned, read The Complete Walker by Colin Fletcher. It's very solo-oriented. I'd pick up both the newest edition (IV, as far as I know) and an earlier edition, often available at Goodwill. The gear may be a bit dated, but the basic information is good.

You may find several other of Colin Fletcher's books, "The Thousand Mile Summer," and "The Man Who Walked Through Time" enjoyable, also.

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#102260 - 09/07/08 09:07 PM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: billk]
TomD Offline
Moderator

Registered: 10/30/03
Posts: 4963
Loc: Marina del Rey,CA
If you go to the Home Page (not the forum home, but the site home), you'll see links to gear lists for lightweight trips as well as a list of the "Ten Essentials." The Ten Essentials list has been modified over the years and some lists have more than ten items, but the principle is the same-some things you shouldn't be without, no matter where you are-not things in your car, not things left in your tent while you go on a day hike; these are things you should have on you if you wander away from your base camp for any length of time.

For example, some day hikers in the NE always carry enough gear to do an overnight if the weather turns bad. When I am day hiking in winter (the kind of winter with snow on the ground, not LA winter), I have enough gear to dig a shelter and stay dry and relatively warm if I get lost. It can happen. I also carry some food and a stove.

Learn to use a map and compass, as already said. Getting lost is not a good introduction to camping. Practice in your neighborhood. There are several good books and even lessons online. You don't need a fancy compass; a nice baseplate compass costs about $20.

You don't need a GPS either. They are nice, but people have been navigating around the world for centuries without one, so don't let someone tell you "oh, compasses are oldfashioned" or some nonsense like that.
_________________________
Don't get me started, you know how I get.

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#102261 - 09/08/08 03:29 AM Re: Solo Trip For a Newbie -- Bad Idea? [Re: abp]
Folkalist Offline
member

Registered: 03/17/07
Posts: 374
Loc: Fredericksburg, VA
adb,
When are you going? When are you going? I can't wait to hear how it goes. You've got a lot of new friends here hoping you have a wonderful first trip!
_________________________
Why am I online instead of hiking?

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