A Survival Tips and Techniques Blog | UrbanWoodsman.com

Why solo backpacking? To be honest, one of the reasons I sometimes go alone is simply that it’s tough to find people to go with, especially on short-notice. So reason number one is just the sheer necessity. But that is not the only reason to enter the wilderness by yourself.

Another reason to backpack alone is related to the first: simplicity. For example, if you like to go light, you may have conflicts with friends who want to share the weight of heavy cooking gear and tents. You may prefer cheaper trips, rather than joining others on a flight to some distant locale that isn’t any more beautiful than the trails within hours of you. In other words, you might not want to trade three affordable adventures for one expensive one.

Going solo gives you freedom as well. Even the best hiking partners will not need breaks at the same time, get hungry at the same time, want to hike the same distance each day or do the exact same things. When you’re alone in the wilderness, there is a natural rhythm that can never be there when several people’s needs have to be taken into account, and you are free to follow that rhythm.

Finally, if you have ever wanted to “commune with nature,” or have a more spiritual experience in the wilderness, backpacking solo is the way to go. Most of us cannot help but talk too much when we’re with others. Of course, that scares off wildlife, but it is also true that when alone most people just plain notice the environment more.

Being alone can deepen certain experiences. There is nobody there to define you – just you and the nature around you. If you’ve ever sat quietly and enjoyed a great view, you know that it is a different experience than when you sit there talking with someone about it. And while some friends can sit in silence for long stretches while sharing the sun set or the cloud-shadows passing over the mountains, it isn’t common.

Alone, you begin to realize how entirely indifferent – but not hostile – the wilderness is. Whether you take this trail or that one doesn’t matter to anything or anyone but you. Whether you stay warm or get cold, live or die, is a matter that is mostly irrelevant to everything around you. Yet as a human we are actually equipped to survive here.

On a solo backpacking trip in the Sierra Nevadas, I ate my fill of wild currants at 13,000 feet. As I walked by small lakes the trout scattered. Sunshine warmed me as I took naps on soft grass, and moonlight lit my way during night hikes. It is true that a misstep here or there could lead to death, that lightning could strike me down, or rain could soak me and make me hypothermic. But because of this I pay attention when I am alone out there.

Alone, you become very aware of your surroundings, of the clouds forming in the sky, of any little pain in your foot or back. It is an awareness without worry. This in-the-moment experience is worth having.

Solo Backpacking – Some Tips

Fortunately it has become much safer to get out there alone. This is because of technologies that can turn what would have been a disaster in the past into an inconvenience. Lose your maps? Just turn on the GPS unit on and find the landmark setting for your car to get out. Break your ankle? Turn on the emergency locator beacon or get out your cell phone.

To make it safe without giving up the experience of solitude, then, start by leaving the cell phone charged but off. Don’t allow calls to you and don’t call a soul unless you have a serious problem. As mentioned, a locator beacon is another safety option, but don’t let such safety devices lure you into a false sense of security that gets you into trouble. Leave your basic itinerary with a trusted friend or family member, so they’ll know when to call for a search if you don’t return.

If you have a GPS unit, be sure to “mark” the car or trailhead before hiking in isolated areas – especially in difficult terrain. I recently was in an area where it took three hours (no trails) to travel a bit over a half-mile to the car. Without the GPS it would have been easy to get lost.

Finally, learn some skills to make solo backpacking safer. Being able to make a fire in any conditions is a good place to start. Knowing how to construct a few different kinds of emergency shelters is a good idea too. Also, while food is not usually the first concern in a wilderness emergency, it can’t hurt to be familiar with a few wild edibles. And learn how to treat the most common injuries and illnesses you might encounter out there.

There has been a lot of derogatory talk lately about “preppers” and “survivalists” and I’d like to take a minute to point out 10 reasons why preppers and survivalists have always been vital to the United States and why it is essential that we have as many as possible to survive future disasters.

1.  FEMA–The cost for local, state, and federal agencies to plan, equip, and staff for EVERY disaster that might happen is cost prohibitive.  When disasters strike, government is quick to talk, quick to “ramp up”, but government help is slow to come and inefficient when it arrives.

Survivalists and preppers on the other hand are able to act quickly and efficiently to take care of their own house and provide stability, structure, and assistance for their streets, neighborhoods, and beyond.

2.  Stable Base–An organization (or nation) of people with specialized skills may accomplish great things when everything is going smoothly, but it quickly fall apart when trouble comes.  The survivalist & prepper mindset of “Jack of all trades, master of ONE” makes for a stable organization (or nation).

3.  Joseph in the Bible–Preppers/survivalists have been around saving the day since the beginning of time.  In Genesis 37-50, Joseph sees trouble coming and prepares for seven years.  At the end of seven years, a severe drought/famine hits that lasts for the next seven years.  Because of Joseph’s preparations, Egypt survived the drought/famine and was able to help the surrounding nations.

4.  Founding Fathers–With the Constitution and Bill of Rights, our founding fathers pushed responsibility from the federal government down to the individual citizen and promoted a survivalist/prepper.  They did it with the 2nd and 4th amendments, they did it by example (Washington leading a mostly barefoot army across the Delaware,) and they did it throughout their writing, “Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.  Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.”  –Ben Franklin

5.  Siege warfare–Many of the things that happened after Katrina are textbook examples of why siege warfare is so effective.  The normal city has a 3 day supply of food.  The normal prepper has a 6-24 MONTH supply of food.

Which do you think is more stable in the event of a siege that is due to disasters or war?  If you ONLY focus on food and water supplies, a city/county/region/country with many preppers will be much more resilient to being cut off from outside help than one with few preppers.

6.  Independent from the government–How much leverage does an energy tax (or most other taxes) have on a family who’s living off the grid?  The more self-reliant you are, the less control the government can exert over your life through taxes.

7.  Criminals fear the aware and prepared–This is fairly straight forward.  Preppers & survivalists gradually become more aware and prepared than the average person.  This will show itself in your walk, in your eyes, and how you carry yourself.  In short, you stop looking like a wounded gazelle and more like a badger…cute & cuddly, but ready to do anything necessary to stop a threat to him/herself or loved ones.

8.  Tyrants fear survivalists and preppers–In addition to living a lifestyle that insulates them from siege, some taxes, and being nannied, survivalists and preppers are usually well armed & seek advanced training.  Good men have nothing to fear from an armed populace, but tyrants who seek to control the lives of others will always try to disarm them first through confiscation, taxation, or pressure through media and the educational system.

It worked for Hitler, Mao, and many more narcissistic, mass murders suffering from munchausen by proxy throughout the ages.  So far back, in fact, that Aristotle spoke extensively about how, in any society, those who control the arms control the state.

9.  More preppers = fewer refugees & faster recovery from disasters—After a local, regional, or national disaster, the number of refugees will be inversely proportional to the number of preppers & survivalists in the area.  In other words, the more preppers you have in an area, the less strain the hospitals, volunteer organizations, and government run refugee centers will have.

10.  More able to help their fellow man—After a disaster, you’re not going to see very many refugees donating their food/supplies/time.  It’s not that they don’t want to, but rather it’s because they are in a fight for their lives and may be dehydrated, hungry, and tired.

Preppers and survivalists who have food storage, water or water treatment tools, and who have prepared themselves psychologically for disasters will be able to help in several ways.  First, they’re less likely to become refugees or use the time/resources of first responders.  Second, since they ARE prepared for disasters, they can help the people in their immediate area which will lessen the load on first responders and reduce the number of refugees.  Third, by helping themselves and their neighbors, preppers will increase the quality of care for people who DO end up still needing first responder care or to relocate to a refugee center.

In short, the more survivalists and preppers that we have, the more stable our families, cities, and the country as a whole are.  If you believe in this message, please forward it to your friends and family, tweet it, and link to it from your website or Facebook page.

And, if you have any interest at all in preparing so that you can survive disasters in urban environments, you really need to check out the SurviveInPlace Urban Survival Guide.

Other people like you who’ve taken the course agree that it is the best book or course on surviving disaster in an urban environment that they’ve ever read.  Here’s what Doug in California had to say:

“In 23 years service in the Air Force, I completed both arctic and jungle survival training, many combat/battlefield skills courses, and I served under daily fire in Vietnam. I think I’m fairly well prepared to survive the environmental hazards.

However, your course has significantly broadened my perspective when it comes to urban survival and surviving both the good and malicious intent of my fellow citizens.  Thank you so much for digging out the information and for shortening the learning process.”

-Doug (Retired Air Force) in California

All I can say is, “WOW!” Thanks Doug.

To see the special, limited time offer and get signed up, go to:

www.UrbanSurvivalGuide.com/index.php

www.secretsofurbansurvival.com