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**tplife** · 06-02-2010, 05:05 PM

This happened to me as a young boy. I lived in a wilderness area with few neighbors, any friends were a 7-mile bicycle ride away, so I had a lot of time alone. I would sometimes become scared as the darkness would fall, and knowing that by daylight there was no "bogeyman" there, decided to overcome my fear. I took short walks into the woods toward a particularly frightening place without a flashlight, and gradually increased the distance until I could go all the way to "the middle of nowhere" and face my own fears. One night I made it, and there was no bogeyman. Somewhere out there in the Pine Barrens, I became a man.

After that I found I could hike and camp alone...

**Smokey Mtn. Camper** · 06-02-2010, 06:02 PM

Good story TP. I have never really had that fear but if you start out slow and stay at some campgrounds that are full of people. Keep finding more isolated places as your fear decreases and before you know it, you wont even think about it. Take along some music and build a big fire. Maybe read a real scary book or something...just kiddin. :p

I have a German Shepard that I take every once in awhile but he is so protective, he wont let anyone or anything get close to me. What type of dog do you have? I honestly believe you and your dog will get more and more comfortable with the isolation as time goes by. Good luck and I hope you are able to bust down that door.

**Eaglebait Ranch** · 06-02-2010, 07:06 PM

Hi Fable,

Welcome to this camp fire. You will get lots of great info here from lots of people who what you to enjoy camping and the back country as much as we each enjoy it.

Since you're new, here is a bit of info about me. My wife and I are ultralight backpackers, seeking out wilderness areas, and doing most of our backpacking solo. Most of the time, if Susan and I go out together, she goes north, I go south, and we schedule to meet back at the car in "X" number of days. In the past two months, Susan has gone out solo for 8 days in the Trinity Alps backpacking, working herself into shape to walk the PCT, solo, for 30 days this summer. As I write this, she is out on day 2 of a 4 day solo pack here in the Cascades.

Susan and I know the area you are talking about. We have car camped many times, and done lots of day hikes, in the mountains from Crescent City, California up to Florence, Oregon. When we travel that area, in the late afternoon we head east on any road that heads into the mountains, find a spur road to detour off of, then find another spur road off of that, examine that road to see if it has been traveled on, and if not, we make it home for the night.

The thing you are going to have to worry about the most in those mountain areas is poison oak, not any other scary thing. If you don't know what poison oak looks like, do a google search and get to know what it looks like. You won't like the experience of "thinking" you know what it is, and winding up with the rash it causes. It ain't fun!

As the others mentioned, I would recommend checking in to a state campground, the one there at Jed. Smith would be good, and venture out with your dog on some day hikes. The park rangers there will be very helpful in giving you directions as to which hikes to take. ASK THEM ABOUT POISON OAK in the park. I can't say I have seen it in that particular park, but ask anyway.

When you go out on these short to longer day hikes, make sure you take a map of the area (the campground kiosk should have one) and really, really, really pay attention to it. This way you will begin to start becoming comfortable using a map because as you progress in your trust in yourself, and venture out on your own, you will need to be able to read/trust a map and compass.

There are lots of websites which show you how to use a compass and a map together - a very, very important skill to learn and develop. When either Susan or I go out for something longer than half a day, we take a GPS, comp**** and a (topo) map of the area. When we are gone for more than 4-5 days at a stretch, we will carry many notebook size pages of copies of the area we are going to be traversing (we have a couple computer programs of topo maps, which we then copy for specific areas where we are going to be.

Something else to consider: Even if you go out for an overnight trek, tell someone else where you are going to be and give them a map of where your car will be parked, the trail/s you will be on, and when you will be calling that person to let them know you are back. This is something Susan and I do EVERY time one of us leaves the house to do some backpacking.

Three winters ago, in January, Susan went out for a 4 day winter backpack. Our LAW is that if we are not home by 4:30pm of the day we say we are going to be home, or a phone call home hasn't been made by 4:30pm of the day we are going to be home, the person at home is to call Search and Rescue. Winter backpacking is a lot more dangerous than spring/summer backpacking, leaving little wiggle room for error.

At 4:30pm, of the day she was to return, she wasn't home, and I hadn't heard from her. I called Search and Rescue. I gave them the coordinates of where she was supposed to spend the night, for each of the 3 nights she was out there, I gave them the coordinates of her goal, and where her vehicle was.

They went to where the car was supposed to be, and it was there - that meant she was still "out there" and was not involved in an accident somewhere between home and there. They found her at midnight, right where she was supposed to be on night #3, safe, tired, and a bit hungry. She knew the situation, and backtracked to where she was supposed to be, so it would be easy to find her.

So, making sure someone knows your schedule and where you are going to be is not only smart for safety, but also gives you a sense of security that you "are not out there alone".

I wrote the above so you would realize just how important maps and a compass are. So, when you start out on even 1-2 hour day hikes, TAKE A MAP, study it, look at it and figure out if you really are where it says you are. It will really help you gain confidence in yourself when you decide to take that trail less traveled and explore.

If you ever decide to venture on this side of the mountain, and would like to have me take you out for a couple overnight trips, and break you in to backpacking, let me know. I pack with a llama, go at a slow pace, and enjoy the views a lot.

**TrailerMan** · 06-02-2010, 09:50 PM

Originally posted by fable View Post

Hi All, new member here. .......

Please share your stories of how you dealt with being all alone and if the darkness ever scares you!

Best,

fable

Hi Fable,

I'm probably a bit of a weird duck. I like people, but I also really value and enjoy my solitude. When I'm alone, I try to make it work for me. I love listening to the sounds of nature at night in the dark, but I also love the sounds of good ol' rock n' roll - perhaps I should have been an old time hippy - but had to cut my hair for the job I got into as a young 21 year old.

Camping should make the best of what it is - in nature - and the best of what you got and are. Enjoy the sounds, build a fire, watch the flames. No need to be afraid of the dark when you have a camp fire going.

Take a pen and some paper and write. Contemplate, write, and contemplate some more, and then just enjoy. If you want some tunes, take some headphones if you think blasting some music might disturb others (contrary to what some say, blasting some of your favorite music whatever it might be is quite fine to do when you're camping, as long as you are not disturbing others).

Just enjoy!

**fable** · 06-03-2010, 09:33 AM

tplife: Yeah, I think I just need to throw myself into a situation, I will have no choice but to deal with it!

Smokey Mtn. Camper: I have a pitbull mix. I think you are right, I just need to get him used to being outside. He is at the stage in his life where he barks at everythin (1.5 years). I think the key is to be sure to tire him out during the day so he won't be inclined to bark his head off at night!

Eaglebait Ranch: Wow! What a background you and your wife have. I appreciate you emphasizing the importance of using a map and compass. I have a lot of trouble with maps, I squint at them and fold 'em up in my pocket never to be seen again. If I become serious about camping alone, I will really learn to utilize the tools you mentioned.

Thanks for the offer on taking me out. I may just consider that once I get comfortable with camping again. Boy, I thought I read a typo when you said you pack with a llama, then I looked at your avatar! You weren't kidding! My wife is from Peru and I lived there for three months, I don't have much experience with llamas aside from getting spit on by them =) Do you have a blog that documents your travels?

TrailerMan: I appreciate the insight. I do a lot of day trips to the beach in Half Moon Bay. I'll start a fire, and bring my dog and spend 8 or 9 hours there. I bring my Ipod and a very small speaker that you can only hear from a couple feet away. It's not obtrusive and it adds ambience to the beach. I will definitely bring some tunes when I brave my first solo trip.

To everyone, thanks for your comments thus far!

**tplife** · 06-03-2010, 12:22 PM

Trailerman, I feel your pain. I too was faced with cutting my near-waist-length hair to get a first job at 17. Instead, I bought a wig and was hired on the spot. You should have seen the incredulity when the owner's daughter said I looked familiar but wasn't sure. I told her, Jeannie, you're in my home room every day - and whipped off the wig and stocking cap to reveal my long hair! :D Within a year I was a secretary in a utility company with my own apartment.

**TrailerMan** · 06-03-2010, 12:55 PM

Tplife, that's a great story! I had to cut my hair off because I decided I enjoyed shift work and wanted to work nights instead of days most of the time - and got involved in law enforcement.

The shift work had some great benefits though - I could get days off to go camping during weekdays when most campgrounds weren't as busy as they were on the weekends.

**renodesertfox** · 06-04-2010, 03:57 AM

A great companion

Fable....you might want to check out an obedience school for your dog who barks at everything if you plan on campin much in organized cgs. Solo campin though is different and having a good dog around is comfort and protection all-in-one! A barkin dog will scare off any bear!

I know campers, even here that have taken their barkin dogs campin and have been asked to leave, or told to leave because their pet was making too much noise. Sad, but true.

And I too take an ipod and speaker-dock campin for times.....that when played is always played softly.

**Eaglebait Ranch** · 06-06-2010, 05:51 PM

Ok. Back to dealing with darkness......... Things I think I know I know: About Aug 17 to the 24th, there is this peak of shooting stars that occurs every year. If I am backpacking, it is so cool to wait until dark, lay on/in my sleeping bag, watch and count shooting stars. The one shooting star you want to avoid is the one you see getting bigger and bigger as you see it, and it seems to be going no where.... Think about that one!

I also enjoy searching the night sky for satellites. I enjoy locating them, and following them on their voyage across the sky. A couple of times, I have seen sun reflection off of one of the shuttles up there at night. Really a cool site to see.

And, as mentioned by others, just maintaining a silence and listening to the sounds of the forest.

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Camping Alone...Dealing with the Darkness

Camping Alone...Dealing with the Darkness

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