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Post by maryland on Jun 5, 2022 21:45:19 GMT
My friend hikes alone all the time. She always lets her husband know where she is going and when she will be back. That way, if she doesn't get home, he knows where to look for her in case she got injured. She takes a phone with her most of the time. Also always takes extra food and water, sunscreen and sunglasses.
My husband used to hike but that was before cell phones. He would always go with a group of boy scouts and they were over 15 yrs. old, so not little kids. They let their parents know when they would be back and where they were going and their troop leaders were always with them. He really enjoyed it and he learned lots of ways to keep safe if they had any problems. His most important rule was to always let someone know where you were going and what time you would be back.
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Post by FuzzyMutt on Jun 6, 2022 3:10:20 GMT
I love the discussion in this thread. It is a shame that most men can simply hike, travel, do… whatever… and not have to worry about being on the defensive.
I take that back. It’s beautiful that they can! But, anyone should be able to go, anywhere and not be preoccupied with being on the defensive.
I already commented earlier that I carry when hiking alone (legally.) I do miss the days when my dog was welcome in most state and federal parks beyond the parking lot and the tucked away firearm was just plan C. Btw.. my dog is cute and sweet, but a nice deterrent.
I’ll never finish the Appalachian Trail because the northern trail head is closed to dogs, and I refuse to hike alone that far. Even with a firearm. Ironically, she and I hiked all but the last 3 miles!! Ugh!!
For the sake of the OP… you have to do what makes you comfortable. If a firearm makes you uncomfortable, by all means, bear spray, pepper spray (both of which are also quite regulated- read up!) are good options. Honestly, I wouldn’t bother with a taser. But that’s just me.
I believe that it’s true that untrained and unprepared people are at a greater danger when armed (even if only legally!!) and that it’s a terrible game of roulette. Speaking of roulette, that’s why my derringer is a two shot break barrel. .22 rounds are small, but dangerous at close range. And a two shot break barrel will always fire. Always. If I feel the need to fire, it needs to do so. I don’t trust a taser. Or the magazine fed handguns I have.
With that said, there are a lot of threads swirling so I feel the need to qualify myself here.
1) I grew up shooting and hunting
2) I’ve continued shooting and hunting through adult life
3) I’ve taken more gun safety classes than I can count (I moved a lot.)
4) I was in the military.
5) Those gun safety classes? I’ve taught them for 20 years.
Lastly, I said if my mom doesn’t hear from me more than 12 hours past stated finish time, she’s instructed to call the police. That’s for slip, trip, fall, or getting lost. I prefer to be able to protect myself from humans and animals in the moment. Giving my family data to recover my body isn’t the goal here.
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kimpbj
One Post Wonder
Posts: 1 
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Post by kimpbj on Jun 7, 2022 17:18:14 GMT
You and I live near each other, I’ve been following this story. So very sad. I just looked to see if there are updates but I don’t see any. I’d like to know what happened. I’d love to hike more but I’m in the same situation - I’m often just not comfortable or feeling safe. Reach out if you ever want to get together and hike in our area!!
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,812
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Post by Just T on Jun 8, 2022 14:08:16 GMT
You and I live near each other, I’ve been following this story. So very sad. I just looked to see if there are updates but I don’t see any. I’d like to know what happened. I’d love to hike more but I’m in the same situation - I’m often just not comfortable or feeling safe. Reach out if you ever want to get together and hike in our area!! I would love a hiking buddy. This goes for anyone else who is local to me.  My favorite place to hike is Lewis and Clark trail in St. Charles. But, I love trying new places, too. I too have been looking for updates on the woman who disappeared while hiking. I haven't seen anything in over a week, not since the found her. |
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,812
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Post by Just T on Jun 8, 2022 14:10:27 GMT
I love the discussion in this thread. It is a shame that most men can simply hike, travel, do… whatever… and not have to worry about being on the defensive. Exactly!! I had this discussion with my son a few months ago. He said he doesn't understand why I worry about going alone, that people on the trail are just nice people enjoying the outdoors. I told him as a man, he will never understand why women worry about being out alone in the woods. |
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,812
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Post by Just T on Jun 8, 2022 14:13:45 GMT
Just T, I live by you. I've heard rumors that there was no foul play in that situation. Still, I bring a whistle, my dog, and if I'm by myself, I stick to the more popular trails. Once I was walking with my husband and a man was walking towards us. When he passed I asked my husband about him and he said, it was a dude walking. I told him that from my first glance I was looking at what was in his hands, his shoes, if he had a backpack, and I was watching his face. Guys just have very little idea of the extra worry women have out there. My husband is a fast trail runner and I have warned him about announcing himself loudly to women in advance. As an added precaution, I try to pay attention to local hunting seasons. Somewhat recently a man was shot while on the trail, and it's a little disconcerting to see a guy walking towards you with a rifle. Nice to hear there was no foul play involved. I wondered though when they said they found her in the river, 30 miles away from where she got on the trail. Just a sad, sad story, no matter what happened.  The hunting story really got to me, too. That shooting happened at my favorite place to hike, and I had just been there with a friend a few days before that happened. I was completely horrified, and I couldn't understand why they didn't just close the trail for those few hours each weekend when there would be turkey hunters there. I don't know if they changed things this year, but I sure hope they did. It seems a no brainer to close a hiking trail when they were allowing hunts. |
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Jun 8, 2022 14:20:10 GMT
Once I was walking with my husband and a man was walking towards us. When he passed I asked my husband about him and he said, it was a dude walking. I told him that from my first glance I was looking at what was in his hands, his shoes, if he had a backpack, and I was watching his face. Guys just have very little idea of the extra worry women have out there. My husband is a fast trail runner and I have warned him about announcing himself loudly to women in advance. I try to explain this to my husband and sons. It's very different for women. I'm vigilant about those types of cues almost anywhere out in public. I walk/run a bit a local park with a long winding trail. Before I had the dogs, I wouldn't leave the very public areas around the pond and shelters if the parking lot didn't have a number of cars indicating more people being around. Now with two German shepherds, I'm much bolder about being in seldom trafficked areas. In fact, I've had more than one man say to me, "Nobody will mess with you with those dogs." Ummm, yeah. Nobody should be messing with me anyway. It just rubs the wrong way for a man to say that. |
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Post by MalleyCat on Jun 8, 2022 14:32:40 GMT
If I liked to hike, I wouldn't go alone. Too many bad things could happen. If I did like hiking, I would take a small handgun to protect myself from dangerous wildlife and dangerous humans! Have you seen the new iPhone watch feature? I think everyone who hikes, needs one of these!😉 youtu.be/QJ2JiwEARFo |
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,812
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Post by Just T on Jun 8, 2022 16:07:51 GMT
If I liked to hike, I wouldn't go alone. Too many bad things could happen. If I did like hiking, I would take a small handgun to protect myself from dangerous wildlife and dangerous humans! Have you seen the new iPhone watch feature? I think everyone who hikes, needs one of these!😉 youtu.be/QJ2JiwEARFoI don't have an apple watch, but I have thought about getting one. This feature looks awesome. |
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pudgygroundhog
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,648
Location: The Grand Canyon
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Post by pudgygroundhog on Jun 11, 2022 17:44:04 GMT
I hike alone a lot and agree with the others - situational awareness is always good. I think I'm more likely to be injured than to be hurt by another person. I am generally on trails with enough traffic, let someone know where I'm going, etc. I don't carry anything for protection, but if I did, it would be something like bear spray. Garmin In Reach devices are pretty standard among hikers, although they are pricey and you have to have a subscription (you can do it monthly). These are probably only worthwhile if you are doing longer or more remote hikes.
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Post by Zee on Jun 11, 2022 19:15:05 GMT
I love the discussion in this thread. It is a shame that most men can simply hike, travel, do… whatever… and not have to worry about being on the defensive. I take that back. It’s beautiful that they can! But, anyone should be able to go, anywhere and not be preoccupied with being on the defensive. I already commented earlier that I carry when hiking alone (legally.) I do miss the days when my dog was welcome in most state and federal parks beyond the parking lot and the tucked away firearm was just plan C. Btw.. my dog is cute and sweet, but a nice deterrent. I’ll never finish the Appalachian Trail because the northern trail head is closed to dogs, and I refuse to hike alone that far. Even with a firearm. Ironically, she and I hiked all but the last 3 miles!! Ugh!! For the sake of the OP… you have to do what makes you comfortable. If a firearm makes you uncomfortable, by all means, bear spray, pepper spray (both of which are also quite regulated- read up!) are good options. Honestly, I wouldn’t bother with a taser. But that’s just me. I believe that it’s true that untrained and unprepared people are at a greater danger when armed (even if only legally!!) and that it’s a terrible game of roulette. Speaking of roulette, that’s why my derringer is a two shot break barrel. .22 rounds are small, but dangerous at close range. And a two shot break barrel will always fire. Always. If I feel the need to fire, it needs to do so. I don’t trust a taser. Or the magazine fed handguns I have. With that said, there are a lot of threads swirling so I feel the need to qualify myself here. 1) I grew up shooting and hunting 2) I’ve continued shooting and hunting through adult life 3) I’ve taken more gun safety classes than I can count (I moved a lot.) 4) I was in the military. 5) Those gun safety classes? I’ve taught them for 20 years. Lastly, I said if my mom doesn’t hear from me more than 12 hours past stated finish time, she’s instructed to call the police. That’s for slip, trip, fall, or getting lost. I prefer to be able to protect myself from humans and animals in the moment. Giving my family data to recover my body isn’t the goal here. You only have three miles left but you won't do it without a dog? Even though you have a gun? I don't really get that reasoning. What is scary when you have a gun? I get that you'd prefer to have your dog, but if I was that close to completing the trail, I'd have to finish it dog or no. |
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Post by FuzzyMutt on Jun 11, 2022 20:43:49 GMT
I love the discussion in this thread. It is a shame that most men can simply hike, travel, do… whatever… and not have to worry about being on the defensive. I take that back. It’s beautiful that they can! But, anyone should be able to go, anywhere and not be preoccupied with being on the defensive. I already commented earlier that I carry when hiking alone (legally.) I do miss the days when my dog was welcome in most state and federal parks beyond the parking lot and the tucked away firearm was just plan C. Btw.. my dog is cute and sweet, but a nice deterrent. I’ll never finish the Appalachian Trail because the northern trail head is closed to dogs, and I refuse to hike alone that far. Even with a firearm. Ironically, she and I hiked all but the last 3 miles!! Ugh!! For the sake of the OP… you have to do what makes you comfortable. If a firearm makes you uncomfortable, by all means, bear spray, pepper spray (both of which are also quite regulated- read up!) are good options. Honestly, I wouldn’t bother with a taser. But that’s just me. I believe that it’s true that untrained and unprepared people are at a greater danger when armed (even if only legally!!) and that it’s a terrible game of roulette. Speaking of roulette, that’s why my derringer is a two shot break barrel. .22 rounds are small, but dangerous at close range. And a two shot break barrel will always fire. Always. If I feel the need to fire, it needs to do so. I don’t trust a taser. Or the magazine fed handguns I have. With that said, there are a lot of threads swirling so I feel the need to qualify myself here. 1) I grew up shooting and hunting 2) I’ve continued shooting and hunting through adult life 3) I’ve taken more gun safety classes than I can count (I moved a lot.) 4) I was in the military. 5) Those gun safety classes? I’ve taught them for 20 years. Lastly, I said if my mom doesn’t hear from me more than 12 hours past stated finish time, she’s instructed to call the police. That’s for slip, trip, fall, or getting lost. I prefer to be able to protect myself from humans and animals in the moment. Giving my family data to recover my body isn’t the goal here. You only have three miles left but you won't do it without a dog? Even though you have a gun? I don't really get that reasoning. What is scary when you have a gun? I get that you'd prefer to have your dog, but if I was that close to completing the trail, I'd have to finish it dog or no. This is the whole thing that I don’t think people understand. A) I did all but those three miles years ago, before dogs weren’t allowed. The Appalachian Trail is nearly 2200 miles long. Given I’ve always worked, I’ve done it in chunks, over a lot of years. The northern terminus is in Baxter State Park, in Maine. Many of those years were spent living in mid Atlantic states. To legally carry a firearm (which was legally obtained and stored and and and and and and…) even with a concealed permit in my state with reciprocity in many other states, I could still be met with a legal issue if I stopped for gas in New Jersey. Even though I have a federal carry right, it’s (always) open for interpretation and I’d really just rather not bother. B) More important. Especially since I live in New England now, and New Jersey can suck a (cigar.) Even though there is a large segment of the population that thinks that people that own and or carry guns just want to walk tall and carry a big stick and look for any reason to brandish or shoot some one… I’d rather not, thank you. I made peace with it a long time ago, and I will pull that trigger. But, quite simply, I’d rather have my dog with me, to both alert me to people around, and be a deterrent. Sorry I didn’t have time to proof this response for the peas. I’m sure it’ll get torn apart. But I really don’t care lol |
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Post by FuzzyMutt on Jun 11, 2022 20:58:12 GMT
@zee… sorry, I forgot lol
You said what’s so scary when you have a gun?
1) inadvertently breaking some minuscule rule. Such as, just like dogs, firearms aren’t welcome in Baxter State Park. So if I choose to carry anyway, and I’m attacked, I’m the criminal. Cute. Or I can leave it in the car. Please, keep in mind, just because I’ve done all but three miles doesn’t mean I can start where I left off. Depending on trailhead, it can be hours of hiking. I don’t ever leave a firearm in a car. Period. Anyone that does that outside of a “gun free zone” might as well just drop it off with the local criminals.
2) Being surprised while gassed. And therefore easily over powered. By someone that knows that I shouldn’t be armed. Because, well.. I shouldn’t be.
3) So, hiking solo in a huge park, unarmed, with bears and humans without my dog.
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Post by gryroagain on Jun 11, 2022 21:18:25 GMT
I’ve had a successions of rescue dogs that hate men for the last 20 years because I love to camp and hike alone. I’m an army vet, I know my way around a weapon, but a dog is much easier and more reliable. When my kids were little I knew they could accidentally find the dog and shoot themselves.
I’ve had some weird encounters that my dogs always defused/stopped.
I dont hike or camp backcourt try without my dog. I just don’t go to those places alone.
There are share my location features for WhatsApp, etc that I’ve also started doing at my friends behest, but for 20 years if I had Cleo, Olaf or Lola no worries. They like an easy mark and I’m not it with them. ❤️
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Post by Zee on Jun 11, 2022 22:27:05 GMT
You only have three miles left but you won't do it without a dog? Even though you have a gun? I don't really get that reasoning. What is scary when you have a gun? I get that you'd prefer to have your dog, but if I was that close to completing the trail, I'd have to finish it dog or no. This is the whole thing that I don’t think people understand. A) I did all but those three miles years ago, before dogs weren’t allowed. The Appalachian Trail is nearly 2200 miles long. Given I’ve always worked, I’ve done it in chunks, over a lot of years. The northern terminus is in Baxter State Park, in Maine. Many of those years were spent living in mid Atlantic states. To legally carry a firearm (which was legally obtained and stored and and and and and and…) even with a concealed permit in my state with reciprocity in many other states, I could still be met with a legal issue if I stopped for gas in New Jersey. Even though I have a federal carry right, it’s (always) open for interpretation and I’d really just rather not bother. B) More important. Especially since I live in New England now, and New Jersey can suck a (cigar.) Even though there is a large segment of the population that thinks that people that own and or carry guns just want to walk tall and carry a big stick and look for any reason to brandish or shoot some one… I’d rather not, thank you. I made peace with it a long time ago, and I will pull that trigger. But, quite simply, I’d rather have my dog with me, to both alert me to people around, and be a deterrent. Sorry I didn’t have time to proof this response for the peas. I’m sure it’ll get torn apart. But I really don’t care lol I'm merely asking why you can't hike three miles without a gun or a dog. So you can check that off your life list. To me, that would be nothing. |
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My favorite place to hike is Lewis and Clark trail in St. Charles. But, I love trying new places, too. 
