National Parks and Camping (advice for me + general discussion)

[Stumpy]

A few people here commented on the dangers of hiking alone, but no one offered any suggestions to minimize the risks... I'd like to hear some advice if anyone has experience.

I always take an GM/FRS radio, but I'm guessing that's got limited to no use in reality. It does at least provide weather information.

I know serious hikers will respond to whistles, but not sure how many people really know that anymore.

Anyone know much about personal locator beacons? They seem to be $450+, which is kind of steep for how often I get out camping, but I am almost always off on my own. I've looked at the TerraFix website, but all that says is it's the greatest thing in the universe. Will they work everywhere (middle of Alaska for example) and can I pretty much know 99% of the time I push the button someone will find me in a few hours? a few days?

[slickpoppa]

[ QUOTE ]
A few people here commented on the dangers of hiking alone, but no one offered any suggestions to minimize the risks... I'd like to hear some advice if anyone has experience.

I always take an GM/FRS radio, but I'm guessing that's got limited to no use in reality. It does at least provide weather information.

I know serious hikers will respond to whistles, but not sure how many people really know that anymore.

Anyone know much about personal locator beacons? They seem to be $450+, which is kind of steep for how often I get out camping, but I am almost always off on my own. I've looked at the TerraFix website, but all that says is it's the greatest thing in the universe. Will they work everywhere (middle of Alaska for example) and can I pretty much know 99% of the time I push the button someone will find me in a few hours? a few days?

[/ QUOTE ]

Out of curiosity, I just looked up that you can rent a satellite phone for about $50-$60 a week. That has the added advantage of being able to actually talk to someone as opposed to pressing a button and waiting to get rescued. Seems like a reasonable alternative if you are just going on one trip to a really isolated area.

[emon87]

If you must go alone, there are a few things you can do.

1. Carry a GPS, a compass, and a map. But mot importantly, KNOW HOW TO USE THEM!!!! Sooo many people have no idea how to orient a map and get to where they want to go - they just blindly carry one. Also, most GPS units won't really get you anywhere without a map - they just tell you where you are (at least the last time I used one).

2. File an itinerary and stick to it. File it with good friends/relatives and the ranger station where you will be. Tell the friends to give you a call on the day you're supposed to be back, or tell them you will call them.

3. Stay on the trail. Don't do back country hiking by yourself - it is SUPER easy to end up way off course.

4. Know your limits. Don't set unreasonable expectations for yourself and know that things take longer on the trail than you expect/than they do at home.

5. Good gear and the right gear.

That's all I can think of right now.

[Eagles]

I have been working at a camp for the past 3 years and although most of my trips have been canoe trips I did one hiking trip in the Adirondacks. The personal locator beacons seem to work very well. Our camp had a few that they sent on trips way up North. Someone accidentally set it off in camp and there were giant flares dropped over the camp and huge helicopters began to fly over camp very low searching. Eventually the camp realized the beacon got turned on accidentally so they turned it off and the helicopters flew away.

I personally would never go on a trip without another person because going by yourself is definetely adding risk. The place you are going seems fairly populated so if I was with a group I wouldn't bother with a sat phone or a beacon but by yourself I would definetely consider it.


I would recommend having a route plan and give it to someone not on the trip so they know where to find you. As well if your route changed I would try and contact that person to let them know.

A question I'm wondering about. A lot of people have talked about stoves but basically every trip I have done we've just made fires. Are you guys all using stoves because its easier or are fires not allowed in some of these parks?

[emon87]

Fires aren't allowed in most parks in the west.

Also, stoves are infinitely easier, don't weigh much at all, and leave a significantly lower mess on your cook ware (and a MUCH MUCH MUCH lower trace on the campsite).

[Eagles]

[ QUOTE ]
Fires aren't allowed in most parks in the west.

Also, stoves are infinitely easier, don't weigh much at all, and leave a significantly lower mess on your cook ware (and a MUCH MUCH MUCH lower trace on the campsite).

[/ QUOTE ]
True, I still prefer fires but w/e.

[Boris]

I've done lots of solo wilderness camping. I don't see the danger. The only thing you have to do differently is be more cautious when scrambling and wading in moving water.

[CORed]

[ QUOTE ]
Fires aren't allowed in most parks in the west.

Also, stoves are infinitely easier, don't weigh much at all, and leave a significantly lower mess on your cook ware (and a MUCH MUCH MUCH lower trace on the campsite).

[/ QUOTE ]

When I was growing up, backpacking with my family and with the Boy Scouts, I always cooked with a campfire. I remember one very rainy backpack trip with my dad where he took about an hour to brew small pot of coffee, because the wood was so wet it took that long to get a fire hot enough going. About the time I was in college, I started using lightweight stoves. A few years ago, my stove clogged up on a backpack trip, and I had to go back to a wood fire. What a pain in the rear! OTOH, nothing beats a wood fire if you need to dry out clothes, boots, etc. I'm kind of a fair-weather low impact camper. If the weather's nice, I'm more than willing to go without the fire. If it turns cold or rainy, I'm gonna come home reeking of woodsmoke.

[Oranzith]

Too bad I know little about where most of you are talking, ie, Yosemite and all of Wyoming.


However, I can highly recommend the Trinity Alps in Norcal and the Southern Sierras. Done pretty extensive backpacking in both areas, preferring the Trinities. Trinities allow for great lake-hopping (bring your Fly rod) and a variety of scenery. Campfires are acceptable pending a permit (free and easy)

Don't cook over the fire, just don't do it. However, definitely keep a fire going, for protection and warmth. You can buy mini stoves for 50 bucks that screw onto a bottle of gas that are incredible.


My serious recommendations for gear: a real pair of hiking boots and a headlamp. I don't leave home without either.

[slickpoppa]

Alright, I made it back alive from the first leg of my camping trip alive and healthy. I ending doing the Wind River, WY hike that Badger recommended. I’ll start off with a day by day trip report then give some general impressions.


Day 1:
Starting altitude: 9100 ft. I didn’t get to hit the trail until about 3 in the afternoon, but decided to try and do a full day’s hike anyway. I moved pretty quickly because the first several miles were a very gradual incline. I thought the scenery was pretty nice, a mix of pine forest and meadows like this:


At about 5 I reached Big Sandy Lake, which I thought looked pretty nice:


At this point I had the option of camping at Big Sandy Lake for the night or pressing on to North Lake as the itinerary called for. Although North Lake wasn't too far away distance wise, there was a pretty steep climb to get there. The climb wouldn't have been that big of a deal except that I ended up taking an offshoot of the trail that basically dead ended at the lake at a spot that was essentially impossible to camp at. It was already starting to get dark at the point, but I eventually worked my way back to the trail and got to a place at North Lake where I could camp. By this time it was almost completely dark so I just set up my tent, scarfed down some pita & peanut butter and a power bar and called it a night. Altitude: 10,200 ft.

Day 2:
I got kinda of a late start this morning because I was still a noob at solo camping and was not very efficient about packing up and such. Though as I was packing up several groups walked by and mentioned that they had lost the trail at the same point as I did, so I felt a little less stupid about that.

This ended up being my favorite day of the hike. It started out with a pretty steep but not too grueling climb up to Jackass Pass and the Cirque de Towers at about 10,800 ft, The view up top was pretty cool, though the pictures don't do it justice because it was the kinda thing where you need to see all 360 degrees at once to really appreciate:





After the Cirque there was a nice downhill climb to Lonesome Lake:


After chilling at Lonesome Lake for a bit I continued on through a very nice flat stretch before reaching the very steep climb to my eventual campsite at Bear's Lake. On the way to Bear's Lake I encountered a friendly flightless bird of some sort that let me stand about 10 feet away from it. My camera sucks so I couldn't really get a good shot of him, but here ya go (notice camouflage effect):



I eventually reached Bear Lake at about 10,600 and some bastards from Utah had already claimed the best camping spot, so I was forced to pitch my tent on a slightly slanted spot, which ended affecting my sleep much more than I thought it would.

Day 3:
After a [censored] night's sleep I embarked on by far the toughest climb of the trip, a very steep climb to 11,800 ft. The view from up top was pretty good though (Bear Lake on the right:


The next part of the hike was pretty boring and it all of a sudden got really cloudy and windy as I walked on top of the mountain for what seemed like a very long time. The scenery was kind of bland:


The lack of sleep, steep climb, weather, and being at high altitude definitely tired me out and I was ready to pass out by the time I descend to Valentine Lake at 10,400 ft. where the same two people from Utah took thew best campsite again, though it was a pretty nice spot and the weather had cleared up:


Part 2 coming in a little bit