Do you have any experience going hiking by yourself while carrying a backpack?

 

If you have, you will probably agree that there is no way to determine if backpacking by oneself is better or worse than going on a trip with a group of friends. This is because there is no way to compare the two experiences. To put it more simply, this is an entirely unique form of activity.

It is generally accepted that backpacking is a social activity, particularly when it is done with other people. You will be in a setting that is distinct from what you are used to, and as a result, you will have the opportunity to meet new people, take in the stunning scenery, and get some exercise by hiking the trails. 

You have a greater chance of participating in the discussion if you are a part of a group, and you also have a greater chance of feeling a sense of relative safety. It is a good opportunity for educational growth.

Solo Backpacking Trips

When you are by yourself in the middle of nowhere, things take on a whole new character. You are able to achieve a degree of peace and tranquilly when you are by yourself that is just not attainable when you are in the company of other people. 

When you have no one to talk to, you finally stop defining anything and start seeing things in a more simple way. This is because you have no one to ask for clarification from.

I was in the Sierra Nevadas and I was sitting by an alpine lake at a height of 12,000 feet. It had been two days since I’d seen anybody else, and I couldn’t remember who I was. The only sound that could be heard was the thumping of stones as they descended from the cliffs that were located higher above. 

There was a strong radiance from the sun. My thoughts were at peace, and I got the sensation that I was at the most beautiful location on the whole planet. The atmosphere is quite different when I’m around my close friends.

It is also the case that going hiking by oneself adds a certain element of “edge” to the experience. If you find yourself in a difficult situation there, there is no one around who can get you out of it. When I was in Wyoming and there was a grizzly bear outside my tent, and when I was in Colorado and there was a rockslide in front of me, both of these things were felt viscerally. 

When I was in Colorado, there was a rockslide in front of me, and when I was in Wyoming, there was a grizzly bear outside my tent. Almost immediately, a heightened sense of how vulnerable you are comes over you. This is an interesting experience, and it’s not even a bad one by any stretch of the imagination.

Going on treks by myself is one of the things that I like doing the most since it allows me to see nature in its purest form. There is no doubt that humans are social beings; nevertheless, when we are in the company of other people, our decisions and actions are influenced by the collective decisions and behaviours of the group. There is almost always going to be some amount of friction involved when attempting to fulfil everyone’s expectations at the same time.

Consider doing something as simple as sitting down by the side of the trail for ten minutes in order to collect your breath and regain your composure. Even though there is a pause that is required for one person, it may seem to another person as an unnatural disruption to the rhythm; yet, the option of whether or not to stop going ahead must still be made. 

On the other hand, when you are alone yourself, you will find that decisions seem to come to you almost automatically. What a wonderful break from the stresses and complexity of day-to-day life we have been granted.

If you haven’t tried going backpacking by yourself before, you should go out there and give it a chance. Make it a point to spend the night if at all possible. 

How often do you go through a whole day without having any kind of interaction with another human being? 

You’ll look back on it and be pleased you faced it at some time. 

(Make sure to keep a watch out for my next article, which will include guidance for solo hiking.)