Solo hiking/camping

[roopass]

Hi all, have been thinking of doing an overnight hike solo(22k's), does anyone do this ? , is it a good idea or not?
Cheers.

[-dz-]

Lots of people do. It's not the safest / smartest.

Take a PLB on your person, and TELL SOMEONE where and when. Fill out log books too!

Update: poorly worded, the first comment and was a bit blunt. Apologies. For those with walking experience, there isn't much added risk going solo, and many benefits. All things being equal, I see walking in a group safer, but in no way do I see walking solo as unsafe or even dangerous.

[Mark F]

It's an "it depends..." problem. You need to consider:
- your experience - are you familiar with the type of country you plan to walk in.
- your navigation skills etc. - If you are the type of person that just follows a gpx track they have downloaded from the internet then you do not have the neccessary navigation skills - you must be able to locate yourself and be able to determine and follow a route using map and compass.
- the type of walk - on track or off track. Off track requires greater ability to read the country - only achieved through practice in the type of country you plan to traverse.
- the degree of risk. I do a lot of solo walking but I am more risk averse when solo. Eg, getting up or down small cliff lines, fording rivers etc.

and do as -dz- says.

[onward]

Nearly all my overnight and multi-night walks are solo. There was a recentish thread on here (I am sure if you do search you will find lots of information/discussion).

In some ways I think the risk is lower because you can make your own decisions about what you are comfortable with doing (risk tolerance), travel at your own pace, etc.

Know your limits, know your gear, understand the route (great info on here) start on easy walks (low risk and good to test gear), practice map reading/navigation (have a map!), plan for emergency exits, let others know when and where (guilty of not doing that), all the ‘common sense’ things, etc. I tend to always have an extra night’s food and spare set of warm clothes. I did buy a PLB as I became more adventurous and you can log your trip with the AMSA Search and Rescue site.

Solo overnight walking is pretty damn special, if you like your own company!

[Happy Pirate]

Lots of people do. It's not the safest / smartest.

roopass,
I solo walk quite often; from my house to the supermarket. It's a long walk and I have to cross a lot of busy roads with hurtling trucks and busy traffic etc and sometimes I do it late at night.
I rarely take an EPIRB and as I also LIVE alone (very dangerous!!). I don't tend to tell anyone where I'm going..
I guess I'm not 'the smartest'.

There will allways be Fearful Fairies out there trying to wrap you in a cotton candy of paranoid safety awareness.

I've been solo hiking all over the country for 20 years. The relationship you develop with your surroundings makes it an intensly satisfying experience.
I've only once carried an EPIRB - when I was going remote off track.

Things you DO need to think about are:
Know your limits... (takes experience to know this)...
Am I an experienced walker/camper? - get your experience in a safer group setting first. The fact that you're asking suggests to me you need more experience.
Where am I planning my first solo walk? think easy escape routes, frquency of other walkers availability of water.
Always leave a detailed route map with a trusted friend with strict deadlines on when to panic...
Leave your pride at the door - if its too hard; pull out / turn back.
Have you ever carried your entire kit on your back. Group walks mean shared weight.
Don't introduce new gadgets or lightweight gizmos unless you've tested them thoroughly.
Do your first solo walk in a safe environment. The Great Ocean Walk is ideal for this as it is popular and has easy, well maintained tracks with plent of exit points.
Consider also doing your first solo walk in an area with mobile reception. - There's more coverage than you'd think. I once did a (phone) job interview from the top of the Viking. I turned the job down...

Yes people die on-track but more often they are completely inexperienced walkers or gung-ho idiots. Not well prepared, experienced solo walkers.

Like to hear your feelings on the comment of this thread

Best
Steve

[roopass]

Thanks for the advice guys, lot to ponder over,..done a few group walks, never solo, have decent gear with me, like to go solo from Brooklyn to wondabyne station, camp at wondabyne campsite, if anyone knows the area, maybe u can let me know, if it's solo worthy:) and the difficulty,please.

[north-north-west]

Lots of good advice except the

It's not the safest / smartest.

comment.

Ease yourself into it, and be prepared to cope with anything that might happen. Worst end to a walk I've had was one of the very few I did with other people. You just have to have the right mindset.

[JohnStrider]

My first overnight was by myself. I was out in Warburton and a massive storm came through on the Saturday night. Never heard anything like it in my life. As others have mentioned, take a PLB with you and tell multiple people (friends, family, park rangers if possible) where you are going.

I typically leave them a printed out copy of the map of the area I will be in, highlight the trail I'll be walking and mark the spot where I plan on camping. I distribute this out to multiple people. That way, if I were to get lost, at least those who are looking for me will know where to look.

Enjoy! You'll have a great time!

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

It's not the safest / smartest.

Not the smartest comment that.

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

1. PLB

2. PLB

3. PLB

Have a snake bandage in your first aid kit too, there's been a few out and about already as we approach summer.

[-dz-]

It's certainly a debatable point I made.

I stand by it though. Perhaps with the caveat I didn't intend to call anyone stupid or unsafe. Merely trying to get across if you lack experience, attempt a few group walks first. As in, don't go solo until you're confident in your abilities.

I totally do understand how safe it really is to go solo. I also understand that having someone else offers a number of protections. Perhaps not as many as I once thought.


Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[MickyB]

I agree with -dz- although the 'It's not the safest / smartest' comment probably wasn't worded in the best way. The OP didn't state if he was experienced or if he was walking on or off track. I think if you've had no experience at all (especially off track) then you shouldn't be going solo. If you do have experience and know how to use a compass, read a map etc, etc then there no no reasons why you shouldn't go solo.

[perfectlydark]

Gone solo many times and camped at mt wondabyne quite a few.
Hard to get lost on that track and theres plenty of foot traffic.
Go for it OP but be prepared. Thats as good a route as any for your first solo

[GRLillistone]

My opinion regarding the carriage of PLBs and establishment of emergency contacts differs greatly from some people who have posted on this thread and other pages.
To those who are unsure about the finer details of a solo or group walk:

In situations where PLBs have been activated because an individual or group has become lost in the bush, a little common sense, preparation and some basic self-rescue skills could have prevented them from becoming lost in the first place. Even after becoming lost, these skills could have helped get themselves out of that situation well before family members alerting the authorities and the public mounting a large scale search. In some cases, it could have saved their lives.

1.
Firstly, it's important to have good map-to-ground skill; that is, being able to visualise your surroundings on a topographic map - and vice versa - to navigate your way through the bush. There are so many examples of people getting lost in the bush simply because they relied on following tracks, whether they were marked on their maps or not. This is a bad practice, as tracks become overgrown and new tracks are cut and cleared.
Use your map-to-ground skill to read natural features such as spurs, creek lines and re-entrants and don't rely on man-made features like tracks, roads and fences. Challenge yourself by trying to navigate map-to-ground without even using a compass to orientate. While it may seem daunting at first, with practice it becomes quite easy. It trains you to really look in to your surroundings and confidently assess the easiest route to take over rugged terrain.
Map-to-ground skill is the most basic fundamental of navigation and should be honed as a priority.

2.
Take a few minutes to look at the weather forecast and meteorological history for the area in which you will be operating. This will give you a good idea of whether you need to take extra water, cold/wet weather clothing or other location-specific items.

3.
Only assign one emergency contact. This will enable you to retain control of your flow of communications. By telling several people about your activity, you greatly increase the likelihood of one or more of them becoming hysterical, miscalculating and calling the authorities. Furthermore, once they have declared you missing, you increase the risk of information being double or triple-handled and the resulting confusion when they deal with the authorities.
Ensure that your emergency contact is someone competent, who knows how to deal with the situation and what steps to take in the event that you’re missing. Importantly, ensure that your contact understands the difference between late and missing. Running late due to rough terrain, adverse weather or simply because you are taking your time or stopping more often than expected does not mean that you are in danger.
Only tell your contact the general area that you will be operating in and your estimated time of arrival rather than giving highly accurate specifics of your proposed route. This gives you a degree of fudge factor. Pour over your map to get an appreciation of your proposed route and conduct a terrain analysis to assess how difficult it will be to traverse. Once you have a rough idea of how much extra time you may need if you get delayed, then simply factor your estimated self-rescue time into your estimated time of arrival.

If you prepare yourself prior to stepping out and know how to apply these simple self-rescue skills when the situation arises, you should be able to rescue yourself and be back with your loved ones well before you are declared missing.
And, importantly, you won't prematurely set off a PLB and waste money, resources and peoples' time when they spend a weekend searching for you, when in fact you made a simple mistake and panicked after having become disoriented within earshot of a track.

[farefam]

In 25 years of walking only 4 of my trips trips haven't been solo. The only serious injury I've ever had was on a group walk (slipped whilst trying to catch up with the group).

What worked for me all those years ago was to start walking alone on well marked tracks using maps and a guide book, then later graduate to poorly marked routes then eventually to off track walking.

Even now my number 1 rule is research, research, research the area prior to deciding to go there. Check maps, google-earth, guides, this forum etc

Rule 2 is to know your fitness and abilities and to schedule the pace of your walks accordingly (and to always allow some extra time).

Rule 3 is to be prepared for all weather possibilities

Rule 4 is to carry maps. a PLB and basic first aid supplies (bandages, pain relief etc). I now carry a mobile if I'm in a reception area. A very small pocket radio such as the Sony SRF-S84 is very good for getting the latest weather forecast.

Rule 5 (a personal one) is always wear long trousers and gaiters to help minimise the risk of snake bite (interestingly I've observed it is usually the younger walkers who wear shorts, not the older ones)

Rule 6 of solo walking is to keep an eagle eye on the ground that you're walking on! Slips and trips invariably occur when you look up and forget to watch your footing as you walk.

Rule 7 is always let someone reliable know where you are going and an estimate of when you expect to make contact. I always tell them not to contact search and rescue until I am at least 24 hours late just in case bad weather or rising rivers delay me. I always carry an extra days food for that reason.

Rule 8 is to be sensible enough to know your limits and turn back if the walk turns out to be too tough to do safely. You can always try again some other time.

Whilst walking with others can be a rewarding experience, there is a deep and profoundly intimate pleasure that comes from being alone with nature. It is also good being able to dwell for longer in one spot without feeling the pressure to keep up with someone elses timetable.

[madmacca]

I've done the AAWT (660 km) solo. Solo hiking can be done safely.

However, walking solo does increase the risk in 3 key areas:

1. If you are injured (even something a simple as a sprained ankle), there is no one else to go for help. However, this is an area where technology has made solo walking viable - carry a personal locator beacon (PLB).
2. If any item of equipment fails, then you can't borrow the other person's. This means ALL your gear must be tested and reliable, and that you have some sort of backup for any truly essential item (this might be a button compass as a spare, a fire steel to light fires, using your phone as light source if your torch fails, etc.
3. Any loss of rationality/decision making capacity could be fatal, as there is no one else to calm you down. Examples might include panic if you are lost, hypothermia or diabetic coma. Improving your skills can help avoid these in the first place, and you have to be prepared to alter plans according to conditions (eg. pitching camp early, rather than waiting until the storm hits.

You need to gradually build your skills for remote walks, starting with day walks in better trafficked areas, weekenders, etc.

[roopass]

Gone solo many times and camped at mt wondabyne quite a few.
Hard to get lost on that track and theres plenty of foot traffic.
Go for it OP but be prepared. Thats as good a route as any for your first solo

Thanks Dark!,Awesome,glad I noticed yr post, amongst the many other helpful post, people seem to know their stuff in this forum, I might wait for the cooler months now,due the snake conundrum, Yikes!!

[roopass]

My opinion regarding the carriage of PLBs and establishment of emergency contacts differs greatly from some people who have posted on this thread and other pages.
To those who are unsure about the finer details of a solo or group walk:
Thanks for the plethora of info Grill!, cool
In situations where PLBs have been activated because an individual or group has become lost in the bush, a little common sense, preparation and some basic self-rescue skills could have prevented them from becoming lost in the first place. Even after becoming lost, these skills could have helped get themselves out of that situation well before family members alerting the authorities and the public mounting a large scale search. In some cases, it could have saved their lives.

1.
Firstly, it's important to have good map-to-ground skill; that is, being able to visualise your surroundings on a topographic map - and vice versa - to navigate your way through the bush. There are so many examples of people getting lost in the bush simply because they relied on following tracks, whether they were marked on their maps or not. This is a bad practice, as tracks become overgrown and new tracks are cut and cleared.
Use your map-to-ground skill to read natural features such as spurs, creek lines and re-entrants and don't rely on man-made features like tracks, roads and fences. Challenge yourself by trying to navigate map-to-ground without even using a compass to orientate. While it may seem daunting at first, with practice it becomes quite easy. It trains you to really look in to your surroundings and confidently assess the easiest route to take over rugged terrain.
Map-to-ground skill is the most basic fundamental of navigation and should be honed as a priority.

2.
Take a few minutes to look at the weather forecast and meteorological history for the area in which you will be operating. This will give you a good idea of whether you need to take extra water, cold/wet weather clothing or other location-specific items.

3.
Only assign one emergency contact. This will enable you to retain control of your flow of communications. By telling several people about your activity, you greatly increase the likelihood of one or more of them becoming hysterical, miscalculating and calling the authorities. Furthermore, once they have declared you missing, you increase the risk of information being double or triple-handled and the resulting confusion when they deal with the authorities.
Ensure that your emergency contact is someone competent, who knows how to deal with the situation and what steps to take in the event that you’re missing. Importantly, ensure that your contact understands the difference between late and missing. Running late due to rough terrain, adverse weather or simply because you are taking your time or stopping more often than expected does not mean that you are in danger.
Only tell your contact the general area that you will be operating in and your estimated time of arrival rather than giving highly accurate specifics of your proposed route. This gives you a degree of fudge factor. Pour over your map to get an appreciation of your proposed route and conduct a terrain analysis to assess how difficult it will be to traverse. Once you have a rough idea of how much extra time you may need if you get delayed, then simply factor your estimated self-rescue time into your estimated time of arrival.

If you prepare yourself prior to stepping out and know how to apply these simple self-rescue skills when the situation arises, you should be able to rescue yourself and be back with your loved ones well before you are declared missing.
And, importantly, you won't prematurely set off a PLB and waste money, resources and peoples' time when they spend a weekend searching for you, when in fact you made a simple mistake and panicked after having become disoriented within earshot of a track.

[shankspony]

Hi roopass, plenty of other people have said plenty. I'd say do it!!
What I'm interested in is your planned route from Brooklyn to Wondabyne! Not the most straightforward of plans (unless you love walking on busy roads). Which way are you thinking of going?

[shankspony]

......maybe I figured it out....you're starting with a ferry ride? Yep, nice trip.

[Champion_Munch]

Rule 5 (a personal one) is always wear long trousers and gaiters to minimise the risk of snake bite (interestingly I've observed it is usually the younger walkers who wear shorts, not the older ones)

As an aside - does wearing pants actually protect you from snakebite, I always imagined that fangs would sink right through them? Gaiters tend to be made of fairly thick stuff but, again, I'm not sure how penetrating snake bites are...

[Tortoise]

Have a snake bandage in your first aid kit too, there's been a few out and about already as we approach summer.

I take 2 snake bandages if I'm walking solo - one won't go far enough for a lower limb bite, even for a tortoise.

[farefam]

Clarification Rule 5: My understanding (refer Australian Museum resources) is that Australian poisonous snakes have hollow fangs (grooved near the tip). Clothing (I wear work grade King Gee trousers) won't necessarily PREVENT a bite. Hence my use of the term MINIMISE the risk. I'd rather the snake have to try biting me thru my clothing rather than easily straight into completely unprotected skin. Some sources suggest that much of the time the snakes don't inject their venom if they are biting in a defensive manner, but I don't think I'd like to be counting on the odds of that, as I've encountered some pretty grumpy Tasmanian tiger snakes (the coastal cliffs near Fortescue Bay seemed infested with them) and someone in Perth recently died from a Tiger snake bite when they were simply walking to the beach. Overall though, it seems pretty rare for a bushwalker to be bitten.

And I agree with Tortise about having some bandages in your first aid kit in case you are the very unlucky one.

In any case, bushwalking in long clothes helps minimise cuts and puncture marks from scrub-bashing, prevents skin cancer, means you can cut down on weight by not having to carry as much sunscreen on a long walk, and I personally find they feel cooler in summer to walk in rather than having the sun beating directly on your skin hour after hour.

[roopass]

......maybe I figured it out....you're starting with a ferry ride? Yep, nice trip.

That's right Shan, got the walk from the wild walks app, yeah think I'll have to give it a go, thanks for the encouragement,yep, people have a lot to say on this forum:)

[Xplora]

I am not saying these are good but there is stuff out there to wear to protect against snake bit. http://www.woodchuck.com.au/pdf/catalog ... Protex.pdf

The Australian museum did not mention anything about fangs being grooved at the tip (on the bit I was reading) so a link to that would be good. My understanding is Australian snakes have very short fangs and they are all hollow. Wearing a good gaitor is important. I like the Sea to Summit canvas. They do not fit tight around you leg so a fang would be unlikely to get to your body. Most bites would be a lower limb if you are walking but hands are also common. We saw 2 copperheads yesterday morning but they are not aggressive. I usually walk straight past them when I am fishing because my eyes are on the water. Snakes give you a fright but seldom attack. I heard a snake handler at a show tell people to run away as a snake cannot keep up. What a load of rubbish and from a supposed expert. Just stand still and once it settles you could move gentle away. It took me about 15 minutes to skirt a very angry tiger snake in the Grampians. It was poised for attack less than a metre away and each time I backed up it would raise up again. It reacts to movement and vibration. I did have a brown chase me once and as I was only carrying a day pack on a firetrail I decided to run. It kept up quite well. I stopped for a second after about 50 metres and it was still after me.

[ribuck]

Xplora, conventional wisdom is that if you want to run from a snake, you need to run uphill because snakes move relatively slowly uphill.

Personally, I don't run from snakes. I just levitate for as long as possible (like in the cartoons).

[MrWalker]

Personally, I don't run from snakes. I just levitate for as long as possible (like in the cartoons).

I had to do that once when orienteering. I was running and realised my foot was about to land right on the middle of a snake, so I took an extra step while in mid-air.

[Xplora]

I saw someone freeze mid step instead of planting on a tiger. I could not stop laughing as they held the pose for what seemed and eternity. Not easy to do with a full pack leaning forward. Same person laying down resting on her pack had a black snake come up over it and look her in the eye. I think she scared the snake more as she bolted. Most people are slow running up hill as well so it could be an interesting competition. Best thing is learn to live with them.

[north-north-west]

The danger from snakes is vastly over-rated. I've come face to face with quite a few and even trodden on a Tiger once (up near Jagungal) but have only felt myself in real danger once, very briefly, when a big brown came barrelling along a 4wd track at me. I just backed away and once it reached the point where I first saw it, it dropped down and slithered off. The thing was probably stroppy only because it was early Spring and it was operating on an empty belly after a long cold winter.

It takes a fair bit of bad luck (and/or bad management) to get bitten. Leave 'em alone, and mostly they'll leave you alone.

[roopass]

Thanks NNW, yr post has put me at ease somewhat , really what to do this solo thing, think I'll start preparing!
Giddyup!!