How dangerous is solo backpacking? I live close to Appalachia and any time I talk to someone about going on a solo trip people talk schitzo-tier about how I'm going to die, disappear, or worse.Not even because of the nature specifically, but because of le paranormal, inbred mountain people, cannibals, accidentally stumbling upon illegal operations in the mountains (heard this one specifically a lot), etc. You get it, the list goes on.Anyways, is there any truth to the danger or is it just the average small-town tall tales and superstitions? Seems unlikely to me as I feel like if it was so dangerous you'd be seeing a lot more of it in the news.
>>2872583it's not the people you have to worry about...
>>2872584Do you frequently get attacked by fish, anon? I think you're doing fishing wrong.
>>2872583All of the spooky shit about Appalachia is a meme. Too developed for cryptids. They're all out west. Remember, nothing ever happens.
>>2872583Unless you find another autist nobody will encourage you to go innawoods aloneWeigh the odds and decide for yourself
>>2872583I just did the Massanutten Ridge trail alone and frequently do 6-12 mile day hikes along the AT. Nothing has ever happened to me, unless you just go wandering on people's land you won't accidently stumble across a meth lab (happened to my dad and brother when they were roaming). Don't know where in Appalachia you are but in virginia we have the AT, Tuscarora, Massanutten, and all of those are long, well established trails that don't cross people's land. Meth labs happen out in the back 40 of someone's grandpaw's unused farmland, not on mountaintops. Pic from my last hike. Really sick of every urbanite talking about Appalachia like its this big haunted thing "oh you'll get nabbed by skinnies, theres things in those mountains". People are so desperate to make places more interesting because they don't actually go out and appreciate whats actually there, the biggest thing out here are black bears and they're massive pussies, you can scare em off by yelling
>>2873491If that's the one that sort of ends at the resort I've heard the trail is in poor shape. I think the resort itself has a scenic chairlift to the top of the ridge with a good view maybe i should try that sometime.
>>2872583You'll probably be fine. Most people are. Solo hiking the AT is extremely common. Sure there are spooks and serial killers and your own dumb ass tendency to fall off cliffs or get lost, but so long as you take care and act respectfully it'll most likely be okay.Bonus points for not being frail or a woman.
>>2873493I did from Front Royal to 211 and I was having to go around a lot of fallen trees and it was semi overgrown in the lush parts but nothing impassable or bad enough that I lost the trail. I intend to hit the south half once the heat dies down a bit but right now its so damn hot.Did see something weird where the tuscarora intersects near shawl gap, a tent with no poles strewn on the ground and a woobie blanket with the corner torn up and some of the stuffing pulled out. Poked around a little and I think someone got caught in the rain and ditched their gear cause it was really cheap stuff, and rodents might've gotten into the blanket to scavenge nesting material
>>2873628hobos love to abandon their tents and blankets and shit everywhere, pretty sure they get it for free so they don't care about it
>>2873656Im kind of wealthy i often just buy cheaper gear when i backpack i consider it one time use, leave it behind so i dont have to pack it up and carry it home. Throwing it in the nearest ravine seems like a hassle and maybe not ecologically sound but who knows i just assume some poorfag will want it and take it home.
>>2873668sickening
>>2872583Depends on the location. Grizzly and polar bear territory is moderately dangerous. Most other places aren't dangerous as long as you have enough food and water.
>>2873628I guess my question is sort of more about the southern section (didn't realize it was so long)and if there are any views from the trail good enough to be worth not just taking the chairlift, I have somewhat limited mobility so it couldn't be too too far from a trailhead. >having to go around a lot of fallen trees and it was semi overgrown in the lush partsthe reviews I read indicated it wasn't in great shape it's too bad people as fit as you never get into the trails deeper into WV there's a lot of semi-interesting abandoned/former trails in eastern WV.
>>2873693I haven't gotten to that section yet but the trail holds the ridge pretty much the whole way so it gives stunning overlooks every 1/2 mile or so, hence all the pics. I say take the trail, always gives me a better sense of satisfaction
>>2873972I like the river, but the page mountain overlook or whatever it is called seems to be the best of those in angle but its a rocky 7 mi walk so I haven't. I don't have a ton of mobility so I can't hike tooo far. I just remember some reviews on alltrails saying the trail was in pretty awful shape.
>>2872583Several questions for you to answer, the more you answer "no", the more dangerous it would be for you:1-Are you naturally unlucky, or are you accident-prone?2-Have you spent at least several years in the outdoors backpacking? (Not consecutive, just have you been backpacking as your main hobby or favorite hobby for more than 1 trip per year the last several years)3-Are you ABSOLUTELY certain that if something terrible were to happen that (a) people would worry enough about you to send word that you are missing, and (b) that you have several methods to signal for help, i.e. Garmin Inreach, radio (with knowledge on how to signal for help) and a way to know EXACTY where you are (coordinates on a map, not "inbetween these two hills)If you answered "no" to at least one of these questions, please consider going with someone who can be useful in an emergency and has been at least familiarized with outdoor leadership and survival skills.I'm not saying you should not solo backpack, but as long as you are asking "How dangerous is solo backpacking?" I am assuming you haven't done so yet.Develop more survival skills or hone the ones you already have, gather ways to signal for help if shit hits the fan, and ALWAYS have someone at home or a close friend know EXACTLY where you are going, when you will be going, and when you will be back.Stay safe!
>>2872583i literally only go alone because everyone irl is a loser that doesnt want to do anything other than sit at home
>>2872583The wilderness in the gorges in west NC are fucking creepy as hell, even with people, since they are abnormally dark and cast with shadow due to being so deep between tall mountains. They really feel like the dark forests you see in games or old medieval movies. I heard stories from my dad about tales he heard during his solo work travels in the mountains, and the ones in the general region that involved supernatural entities were:>Will o the WispsMalicious ghostly lights that trying to lure individuals into dangerous situations or into getting lost.>Brown Mountain LightsWandering ghosts (usually natives looking for tribe members lost to battle).>Yunwi Tsunsdi or Moon-eyed peopleCave-dwellers with large crescent shaped eyes that are nocturnal. Cherokee legends tell of driving out these creatures.>U'Lag'uGiant yellow jacket the size of a house that would snatch people and carry them off to never be seen again.Dad used to tell a story about the brown mountain lights passed down from some time after the colonial days where people would observe trails of the lights moving through the mountains like a line of people with torches. The tale recanted that they were native search parties formed of spirits looking for lost warriors from battles from over the eons. In this story, it was said that they were observed traveling in vicinity of a distant cabin across a valley where a settler lived alone. Other local settlers went to visit him after and found him scalped with his eyes and tongue ripped out and missing.I've been out myself to the gorges region and stayed overnight a few times. I haven't personally seen anything that ever looked supernatural, but the feeling as you become more isolated in those mountains almost feels oppressive at times like something doesn't want you there. Normally nights out are pretty loud. But the creepiest times when you're out there remote is when it is dead silent at night. I don't know if I could do it solo, bros.
>>2872583The danger of solo hiking isn't any of that shit you mention. The danger is getting conventionally injured. If you trip and break your ankle/skull/spine, then there's nobody to treat the injury or go for help. Best case scenario you call for help, but if there's no signal or you lose consciousness, you're fucked. Even if you get a message out, without somebody mobile to flag down rescuers it'll be harder to find you, and you might not have the time to wait if you're badly hurt.I go out solo all the time though. This is the danger, decide if you're willing to take the risk. Safest group size is 4 - one to treat a casualty, two to go for help so that they aren't alone if they get injured too.
