Solo Camping

Although for most folks camping is a group activity, some people do enjoy solo camping from time to time.  If you take appropriate precautions for your own safety it can be very relaxing to get away all by yourself for a while. There is no reason you can't go RVing or camping by yourself, but it is usually more fun -- and safer -- if you have someone to share it with.  The famous mountain men of the old west spent months or even years by themselves, living off the land.   Of course they had a lot more preparation, wilderness training, and survival skills than most of us do today.  I strongly urge you NOT to participate in any high risk activities solo.  Even Surivorman Les Stroud always has a safety team standing by if he doesn't show up where he is supposed to on time.

There are some risks associated with solo camping, especially if you are also involved in other activities, like hiking or OHV riding.   There is a very dramatic story of Aron Ralston, who went hiking alone in the slot canyons in southern Utah in 2003.  He fell into a gorge and one arm was pinned by an 800 pound boulder that fell on him.  Eventually, after 5 days and 7 hours, he had to cut off his own dead arm using a dull multi-tool to escape.   If he had tried to amputate is arm earlier he would have bled to death.  If he had waited, he would have died of shock and/or exposure.  Unfortunately, he had failed to follow the basic rules of solo camping.  He had not left good information about where he was going and when he would be back so it took longer than it should have before anyone knew he was missing and even longer to figure out where to look for him. When he finally got free it was a family vacationing from the Netherlands, not intentional rescuers, who found him and helped him get to safety.

Following the basic rules of solo camping can add a measure of safety to your outing.   First of all, always let someone know where you are going, when you are going, and when you should return. That way, if something happens, like it did to the young man mentioned above, someone will know to come looking for you and will know where to start looking.  Once you have shared your plans, stick to them.  It won't do you any good at all if you suddenly decided on a different destination.   If you do have to change your plans, notify whoever you shared your original plans with.   If that isn't feasible, at least stop by the local ranger or sheriff station for your new destination and let them know what you're up to and when you expect to be back.  Also tell them what your original plans were so they'll know where people may start looking for you.  Then, be sure to stop by on your way back to let them know you got out OK.  When going solo, make sure you are in good health before you start.   If you start out already ill or injured, your chances of having a successful adventure are severely reduced. Illness and injury can affect your judgement as well as limit your physical capabilities.  Be sure to carry plenty of water and bring along a good first aid kit.   If you require any prescription medications, make sure you have more than enough with you to last throughout your trip . Avoid particularly dangerous situations and activities.  Solo rock climbing or spelunking, for example, would be very bad ideas.

NEVER go dirt biking or ATV or horseback riding or similar activities alone.   The potential for equipment failure or a serious injury during these adventures is too high to ignore.   Even excellent expert dirt bikers have found themselves in situations where they need help.   A good friend of mine and an excellent, experienced rider was taking a leisurely solo jaunt on his dirt bike in a desert area he was very familiar with.  He wisely avoided all the "black diamond" (most difficult) trails.   He was badly injured when his front wheel unexpectedly washed out in a soft spot and he crashed on an ordinary, level dirt road.  All alone he had to pick up his bike, start it, ride back to his truck, load the bike, and drive some 150 miles home.  All this with 3 broken ribs, a broken collar bone, a broken wrist and a sprained ankle.   I doubt if that is anyone's idea of a good time.   If he had been riding with a buddy, he would have at least has someone to help him pick up his bike and get him home.  If his injuries had been more serious he would have had someone assist him and/or to go for help.  He also had ignored the basic rule and had not left good information about where he was going and when he should be back. If his injuries had been more serious when he was by himself, he might have died before anyone would have found him.   My own grown son, who is a very experienced and expert rider, had a near miss on a solo ride on a familiar canyon trail near his home.  It was raining and he was being extra careful as the trail went over a large boulder in the middle of a scree slope -- TOO careful, as he lacked the momentum to carry him safely to the other side.   He stalled and the bike tipped off the boulder and he and the bike both began siding down the scree.  Only a fortuitous outcropping of shrubbery kept both him and the bike from sliding all the way to the bottom of the mountain. Fortunately he was not seriously injured and was able to bulldog the bike across the scree and eventually made his way down to a forest service road in the valley below.  I don't think he'll EVER go riding alone again!

If you choose to go camping solo, leave word where you're going and when you expect to be back. Make sure you and all your equipment is in good condition.   Carry plenty of water, more than you think you'll need for the time you expect to be gone.   Carry a first aid kit and some high energy food. Then stay alert and be careful.   Don't take any unnecessary risks.  Bring your cell phone. While cell phones may not work in a lot of remote places, it is sometimes surprising where you can get a signal. Some areas with limited capabilities have emergency only service.   About the only number you can use is '911'.   A hand held Ham, CB, FRS, or GMRS radio might also provide emergency communications, but they normally work only "line of sight" between your transmitter and a receiver and have limited range.  If you're in a mountainous area, you may have to hike to the top of a peak to be able to reach some receivers.  It will also be helpful to learn what channels or frequencies might be monitored by local law enforcement or rangers.  CB channel 9 is the standard emergency channel;  channel 19 is the traditional trucker's channel, and channel 13 was adopted as the RV channel.  These are my no means hard and fast rules, but they may give you a place to start instead of blindly going through all 40 channels.  Modern technology offers emergency beacons you can activate to notify friends and/or authorities if you have a serious problem and provides them with GPS coordinates to help them find you.  They can often be set for alerts to be sent via text or email to a predetermined list of recipients keeping them apprised of your progress and alerting them if you have an emergency and need  help.  Carry a signal mirror.  I also like to bring along a flashlight that flashes SOS.  It can be set to continuously signal for help even when I'm resting.

Camp safe!