Re: Female Solo Backpacker

Hi Mandy,

Good for you, going out alone. I've been doing it for years, and here are a few things I've learned:
1) Well used campsites are usually fairly well populated with field mice, which sound a lot bigger than they are at night. For this reason alone, I never camp at a well used campsite.

2) An occasional breeze on a calm night will generate a lot of noises, but after a little experience, you will subconsciously develop the ability to distinguish wind generated noises from animal generated noises. In the near term, those wind generated noises will awake you with a start.

3) As long as you don't camp near populated areas or well used campsites, very few animals will be present at night. I have never seen any sign of a field mouse when camping at seldom used campsites, I suppose they can't survive on the detritus from just an occasional camper. I have occasionally heard deer, footfalls, whistling, and snorting, but the range of sounds they make is limited and you should become familiar with them fairly quickly.

4) Bears. I've only seen bears on about a dozen or so occasions in the 25 years I've been backpacking, and only once have I heard one at night. It was just passing by, about 50 yards away. In that 25 years, I've spent at least 200 nights in the woods, so the chance of hearing a bear at night is remote. Many of my nights were in northcentral Pennsylvania, which is teeming with bears.

5) Coyotes. I've heard coyotes many times, often sounding like they were within 50-100 yards, but I don't recall ever actually seeing one. Coyotes are no threat to people, but it is enjoyable to hear them calling, and especially to hear pups asking mom for supper.

6) Dogs. If you have a dog with you, it will serve you well be it's ability to sort out the different noises and distinguish those that represent actual threats. If your dog awakes and starts to growl, it is earning it's keep. The dog is a nice security item.

7) I carry a little can of Halt!, which is pepper spray for protection from dogs. Letter carriers carry it. I carry it for the remote possibility that I might inadvertently box in a bear when hiking through dense vegetation. I've never used the pepper spray in all these years - never even reached for it.

8) Don't worry about people. I've met a lot of people out in the woods and have never encountered anyone whom I would have considered to be even a remote danger to anyone, especially at night.

Btw, I never use a full fledged tent with a floor and often sleep out in the open. I like the fresh air, the view of the stars, and the opportunity to see any source of noise.

Good luck and happy trails!

Rich