Originally Posted By billstephenson
Quote:
To fully bullet-proof yourself:

Don't go alone.


I'm going to step out on a limb here and say that I believe there is a point where you can go alone and be just fine. I've done day hikes and bushwhacks practically all my life, and over the past few years I've been doing more and more solo trips.

That said, I never take any real unnecessary risks out there, I don't do wet crossings when there's even a slight chance of getting swept away, or climb where it's dangerous, and I make sure the weather is going to be perfect during the time I expect to be out.

I go slow, and don't wear myself out, and I take the time to stop, rest, rehydrate, and eat. My hikes are modest in terms of miles and difficulty, in as much as a bushwhack can be here in the Ozarks. It's not that difficult to climb a mountain if you're not in a hurry.

I really can't imagine never going alone.



And I wouldn't imagine that I'd ever expect you to not go solo. I go solo too, sometimes. I have rules for that and follow them. It's not going to be a cross country trip - I might bend that one if I know the route/area well. It's usually somewhere I've been before, or a place I know is more popular and likely to have other folks at least on the trails... It's also usually preventive SAR and so my SAR commander has a very detailed itinerary and expected return time.

But the most oft-repeated advice you'll get is not to go alone. A 70-something year old friend and career hiker (he goes 3-4 times a week, now that he's retired) was instructed by his doctor to never go alone. He has health concerns that make this sound advice.

And for a beginner, who doesn't understand his/her limits yet, or what it means to be hydrated or not, it's good practice.
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