by James Johnson

Created on: June 13, 2008   Last Updated: July 20, 2009

Hiking alone, is it worth the risk? This is a good question, one that can be unfortunately be answered both yes and no, it depends on you! To find your correct answer, one must first consider several factors. Take time to ask yourself some other questions. Two questions that first need answering are 1) What are the risks involved and, 2) Why go hiking alone?

To answer the first question one needs to know the answers to even more questions. How experienced is the hiker? Have they been hiking all their life or are they beginners? Are they familiar with the terrain? How cautious is the hiker? Have they researched the area in which they are hiking? Do they know the dangerous plants and animals? Do they know what can go wrong and how to handle it? How close will help be if needed? Remember, no matter who you are or how good a shape you are in, accidents can and do happen! A good hiker will realize the potential for this and plan accordingly. In the mountains a goat can dislodge a rock, triggering a landslide; experienced hikers will know to avoid these areas or when they hear the rocks coming, instead of pondering what the noise is, move out of the way! An experienced hiker in the tropics will know better than to rest under a coconut tree! Experienced hikers are not as likely to panic or have accidents.

The next main question needing to be answered is: Why hike alone? Are you looking for birds, butterflies and such? If so, find a companion with similar interests. They can watch one area while you check out the other and double the fun while halving the danger. Hiking alone isn't essential to enjoy nature "Pleasure shared is often pleasure doubled".

Many solo hikers though just want some solitude, avoiding everybody and everything. They enjoy being in nature with only themselves to worry about. They want to escape the complications of civilization or problems of dealing with other people. Solo hikers mainly want to escape. For them, the risks are still there, but they are willing to face them. For this type of person, it is worth the risk to be by themselves.

Hiking alone may be what you want or need, but be aware that there are always risks. They can be minimized. What can a solo hiker do to decrease the dangers?

First, as mentioned earlier, carefully research the area. How heavily traveled is the area and how safe? If there are lots of hikers, then a person alone is probably safe for finding the trails and getting assistance if needed, but beware of human

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