Well as Bill says, some solo trips can be walks in the park, others are not.

phat, I hope that you didn't read in any disrespect in my post. I simply wanted to be able to explore the idea someplace other than the beginners group.

I DO think that you need time to learn not just to be cautious, but to have a sense of the wilderness. There are things that will getcha if you don't know about them and the only way to learn is by experience. For instance how to deal with bears, its one thing to read, its another to have experienced them close at hand, and I'm sure phat has a lot more of that experience, than I do, so I wouldn't count myself as a safe soloer in grizzly country, I simply am not experienced enough. The reason that I keep coming back to climbing is because its the same rock, the same shoes, the same techniques but one is safe on the rock whereas another is in mortal danger and experience is the ONLY difference.

I too wouldn't get out if I only went with other people because I have few friends that want to do what I do.

To reiterate though, its knowledge on a gut level that you simply do not get without a lot of time in the woods that makes you safe on those non-walk in the park solo trips.
Jim