20 Safety Tips for Beginner Solo Hikers (No BS or Fluff)
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- Опубліковано 10 лип 2024
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In this video, I share 20 important safety tips for solo hikers. When you’re hiking alone, there’s just way more that you need to follow because if something bad happens, you’re out on your own. These tips cover pretty much everything - from navigating to avoiding animals to avoiding dangerous situations. I tried to make this as the ultimate guide for safe hiking, without any BS or fluff.
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▼ TABLE OF CONTENTS
00:00 - Intro
00:05 - Tip 1
00:48 - Tip 2
01:12 - Tip 3
01:43 - Tip 4
02:03 - Tip 5
02:41 - Ad
04:11 - Tip 6
04:56 - Tip 7
05:40 - Tip 8
06:03 - Tip 9
06:35 - Tip 10
06:59 - Tip 11
07:38 - Tip 12
08:05 - Tip 13
08:26 - Tip 14
08:41 - Tip 15
09:05 - Tip 16
09:37 - Tip 17
10:05 - Tip 18
10:38 - Tip 19
11:36 - Tip 20
12:13 - Outro
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▼ MUSIC ATTRIBUTION
Music (CC BY 4.0): Street Symphony by Sascha Ende
Music (CC BY 4.0): Nostalgic Series 004 by Sascha Ende
Music (CC BY 4.0): Relaxing Lofi - Tessera by Sascha Ende
Music (CC BY 4.0): Lazy Cat Groove by Sascha Ende
Music (CC BY 4.0): Sneaky Snitch by Sascha Ende
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Just completed my first multi-day hike solo. First time use trekking poles. A god send. I experimented walking without them and was so much slower and with terrible posture. Also helped in river crossings, preventing falls, tent setup, pretend sword etc.
Yeah, trekking poles are the best! Also, they add some upper-body exercise as well :)
Yeah, recently got poles as well and even on manicured, flat trails, I find they just force me to have good posture and that makes carrying my pack feel so much easier. And they're absolute lifesavers in boggy terrain!
Thought I'd hate them, but now I don't hike without trekking poles!
If you value your knees and you’re over 30, you’re crazy to not use them. If you’re under 30 you can show everyone your untimely wisdom by using them.
@@phillipp1399This. I am 48 with knee arthritis. I used just one pole for the very first time this weekend on an overnight, and I couldn’t believe the difference - especially downhill!
My pole was an old ski pole that I found in my basement and stripped and sawed, but it worked. Maybe I will splurge on a pair before next weekend :)
#11 Lyme’s Disease, if caught early and properly treated with a successful round of antibiotics, it can certainly be overcome. However, tests for it are famous for false negatives. A friend and I contracted the disease while doing a meadow restoration. My doctor convinced me to go straight to the antibiotics rather than wasting time on a potentially false test. my friend’s doctors were much more difficult to convince and he spent many years debilitated. Eventually, he recovered enough to lead a normal life, only to die of a rare and fast growing brain tumor. Lyme’s Disease can break down the protective blood brain barrier. One of my close relatives has been disabled for decades from Lyme’s Disease. Anyone who thinks they may have contracted it should err on the side of caution. Please!
This. If Lyme disease OR associated co-infections don’t show symptoms and then get treated, you can get long-term lymes disease. I know many people whose lives have been severely impacted because I worked in the field of environmental management. Prevention is key!
You're right - Lyme can be treated successfully IF it's caught early, and no 2 people have the same symptoms. My husband went to the ER with a headache, body aches and a 105°F fever, and the nurse found a 6" bullseye rash on his arm - yet his Lyme test came back negative. He was given doxycycline, and within 24 hrs. was back to normal. I was diagnosed with Lyme but had no symptoms other than an atypical rash that wasn't at the bite site. It's nothing to brush off or wait to have treated.
I live in Poland. Last year I was camping and I could hear elk or deer all around me. They weren't close, but they were active. I looked later and confirmed it was mating season.
I listened to music, I strobed my light, I used my emergency whistle a couple of times, but they kept getting closer over the next few hours.
Despite me being ready for sleep and it was pouring, I just felt uneasy, so I packed up and walked out of there.
No one understood me, but I had to go with my gut. I'd rather not be there when a buck is ready to mate or fight...
I'm glad you got out fine mate! I've seen Elk only a few times out in the wild and man are they huge!
@@OscarHikes Of course I probably wasn't in too much danger, but I didn't want to stick around and find out.
I almost had a deer run into me. They were more interested in chasing a mate than me
1. As for animals, don’t underestimate cows. Every year people get killed in the Alps when crossing a cow herd.
7. If you absolutely have to look over steep edges, crawl to them. It’s virtually impossible to lose balance that way, though still the edge could break of.
Carrying a loud whistle is no big deal, but it can be very helpful if you need to call for help or shy away animals.
7:20 In a tick territory you shouldn't wear shorts or smth like that. You need your legs covered. The most important reason is - efficient anti-tick sprays must not be used on bare skin because 1) they're toxic and 2) they last much longer on cloth.
Another point: good anti-tick sprays are only focused against them. General sprays against everything (tick+moskitos+smth+smth, etc) are significantly weaker.
Also, you're saying to just remove the tick and you'll be fine. That's not always true. Yes, most ticks are "healthy" but some carry pretty dangerous (even life-threatening) deseases. Tick bites need to be avoided.
If you're afraid of bugs, you need to stay inside and keep playing call to duty.
@@SoloHiker1 Are you a troll or just stupid? Google diseases like Lyme Disease, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Tularemia - all carried by ticks, this list might not even be complete, depending on region.
And if you're so not afraid of bugs then go hiking through African jungles, without any protective measures, just a week in a jungle, and have some friendly bites by local moskitoes and other buggies. And tell us your story of success. If you ever come back, that is.
"If you're afraid of bugs". lol
You should be -afraid- wary of bugs if you're not an idiot.
@@SoloHiker1 My comment seems to be deleted (censorship?), so I'm restoring it in a slightly milder form.
Are you a troll or just so ignorant? Search for diseases like Lyme Disease, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Tularemia - all carried by ticks, this list might not even be complete, depending on region.
And if you're so NOT afraid of bugs then go hiking through African jungles, without any protective measures, just a week in a jungle, and have some friendly bites by local moskitoes and other buggies. And tell us your story of success. If you ever come back, that is. (Spoiler: chances are high that you won't: lots of explorers of older and modern times lost their lives to African bugs. Almost everywhere except Antarctica - there are also many deaths related to 'bugs', including ticks, annually. In modern times.)
"If you're afraid of bugs". lol
Nr 14 (stop before looking at your phone navigation) is a life saving advice, I can tell from experience.
Great video!!! 💪😉
I also have some modest tips: 1 pay attention to the return of a trekking. Descents can be really dangerous. 2 Bring a poncho useful for rain and for spreading it on wet grass. 3 Carry a lemon in your backpack during hot trekkings. If you run out of water you feel less thirsty. Natural vitamin c. 4. Don't compete with others. Physical endurance is subjective. 5. Be careful of high altitude. 6. Observe and listen nature (clouds, sudden silence of animals). 7. Sing if you are scared. I know it sounds stupid but it works. 😅
Do not use tweezers to remove tick! Crashing it's back may cause intoxication. Use proper tool that costs 3$ and can be bought in any pharmacy. It's plastic, lightweight and allows to remove them without compression of it's back.
You got lucky if you think lume wasn't bad,!!!!! I have chronic lyme. It's absolutely terrible I was destroyed for 4 years borderline bed ridden!!!! Be careful with lume and get it treated immediately!!!!
That was the only advice I was like, WTF? Just because he didn’t suffer doesn’t mean many others haven’t suffered long term.
But the rest of his advice was spot on.
It's not a good idea to use the swiss army knife tweezers to remove a tick, you'll squeeze the tick injeting yourself with tick juice!! use some thing designed for tick removal - like a "tick card" or tick removal tool..
It's true that it can happen if you're not careful, but if you pick it right, then it won't "vomit" back into your blood system. But yes, I totally agree, the risk of this happening with tweezers is much higher compared to a tick cord.
I always love the straight forward, no fluff in ur videos. Makes me not feel like I’m wasting my time on UA-cam🙌
Also had a question about the free Gaia GPS: to preface, I have the premium and can download offline maps. How to you get the downloaded data from the free version???
So if you have the free version, you don't "download" offline maps as in clicking a button to download it. You simply zoom in to any area while connected to the internet. The app will then download this area in your phone's cache, so that next time you zoom in to the same area (even if not connected to the interned), you will be able to see everything. I've heard some people saying that relying on this is dangerous, but I literally hiked the whole length of GR11 this way, and never did the "cached" areas automatically delete by themselves. The app size just keeps getting larger and larger until you manually delete the cache in your phone's app settings.
@@OscarHikes thanks for the help Oscar!
Trusting your gut instinct is the best advice. I’ve been in many situations where this has saved me. Most recent was feeling I was being watched while hiking alone in a remote area, and I decided to turn back. Found out afterwards that wild dogs were very active in the area and attacks had occurred on other walkers several days prior.
Excellent educational video Oscar, not only for beginners but seasoned solo hikers and group hikers as well.Many times a group member will wander off and become lost and alone. I'm a solo female backpacker now in my 6th year and prefer to hike alone. You're absolutely correct with all of your tips, my favorite is "trusting your gut" it's happened to me a few times where I've bailed on multi-day hikes because something just didn't feel right. Thank you for all you do!
When hiking solo on high altitude mountains, make sure you atleast carry something with you that is visible from a big distance. Like a peace of clothing that stands out from the environment.
If something happens..you spray your ankle for example and you're not able to continue, atleast people that are able to help will see you sooner.
been hiking 14 years now, on & off.
this is Gold.
tips 3 and 16 are 100% critical for pros and beginners alike. very commonly overlooked
Living in Switzerland, hiking is kind of national sport .
I totally agree wirh you, I always plan my tours in advance and let a map for my wife at home.
And the other thing, I like my gear in signal colours, I don't go for hunting....
Thanks for these great tips. I am a (fairly) seasoned solo hiker and love the peace I get from it. Saying that, I'm starting to take my children out with me too. Knowing about safety statistics (re: accidents and ticks, for example) is very useful! New subscriber now :) Greetings from Switzerland.
İ really like your videos… and thanks for the important tips. My first solo hike was this year april. Actually i thought that i planned my hike but it turned out that i didint plan it throughly. First i didint learned about the water situation so in my first day i ended up asking other hikers for water. They were russian guys and they were very nice and shared their water with me. Second i packed to much food. And it made my pack heavy. İ packed the clothes that i planned to wear at the airport and city not to bother people with my dırty clotes and it made my pack heavy… as a result at the first say the route was hard and dangerous , lots of climbing, ups and downs and in some point i got so exhausted that i couldnt move in a rock passing and there was no room to rest. İ am glad that i was alive after that dangerous passing. Next day i left the trail went to a town and sent all the not important stuff to my friends house and lightened my pack from 15 kg to 10 kg. So i became free to pack the amount of water i needed. İt was the best decision that i made… i think without water a pack should be max 10 kg for a regular female person. İf you cant pack a pack under 10 kg dont go solo… sorry i learned it the hard way by risking my life. İ have a garmin watch and i couldn’t lower my heart rate under 180 for about an hour. İ tried breathing exercises, tried to stop and sit but because of the narrow edges of the rocks and cliff and the pounding sound of the waves hitting the cliff under my feet made me nervous. İf i had a light pack i could have passed that dangerous section in a short time and wouldn’t get so nervous that effected my heart rate so badly… because there were hikers passing me by and they had tiny backpacks and easily hopped through the rocks…
Excellent video, great tips. In Australia I know of some deaths from tree branch falls and lightning strike on top of a mountain, so I am very cautious where I camp. However the most concerned I've been in the wild was when a group of 20 pigs approached where I was camping. Ultimately they didn't do anything but I didn't get much sleep. Trekking pole tip is good - I bang it on the ground when walking through grass to (hopefully) encourage snakes to leave.
Good tips! I've also had a similar pig experience. And I also do the rest of the tips that you mentioned - I guess we all learn this stuff over time! :D
Excellent video! One recommendation would be to wear long pants if you’re trekking through a place that is known for a lot of ticks.
This was one of the best videos of this kind that I've seen in the past year since I took up hiking again. No bs, straight to the point, and 99% advice that I would have given, if I were to make this video, especially after my last trip which was solo. Big thumbs up!
Yeah Tip 14 - Always do one thing at the time. No multitasking out there plz. Applies to camp too.
This is one of the best videos of seen on this topic, well done. Really sensible tips and well explained. And so happy you included "trust your instincts"! This is always overlooked.
Dam shots fired at Kyle hates hiking😅
The sad part is that I used to watch his stuff and actually liked his channel before. 🤷♂
I'm the same, it's click-bait scare tactics. It's tragic, because just the hiking stuff was pretty good for sure.
He does say that any trail is safer than any city in a lot of the videos.
Oatmeal thought it said, "Dancers of Solo Hiking"...that sounds like so much more fun!
compass do not need battery. It is good backup. At least you keep direction.
Every one hour look back to remember where have you been walking. It helps to return if it is necessary.
Thank you for showing the comparison between the dangers of hiking and driving a car. That was really eye-opening.
Good video sir, and a great list.
The last point is something I can atest to as well. You just get a feeling...listen to it and go else where. It's usually you have seen something, or many somethings, and they haven't registored with your logical brain yet but you have seen signs and they are real. With experience you get much better at listening and also rationalising the feelings.
A point, Primus makes a "Winter" Gas and I can say that it works as advertised (minus 22 I think), I have had it down to minus 24 and it still worked. For me it was a game changer during colder camping trips.
Thanks for the comprehensive safety tips for solo hikers, Oscar! The guidelines you’ve shared are essential for anyone hitting the trails alone, and it’s great to see a no-nonsense approach to hiking safety. Very nice video!🙏
Great video. I have just completed my first solo multi-day trekking. It was an excellent experience. I fully agree with your points.
Good advice. I also leave a note on the dashboard of my car. On the outside it simply says "Read Me". On the inside it contains my name, cell, address, emergency contact, plans that day, when I expect to return and the date. I actually made a template and printed out lots of blank copies. I also talk to people on the trail. It makes the hike more enjoyable and if I disappear, perhaps they can provide a clue to the rescue team.
Late comment, but another tip: Hike in more civilized and well hiked areas. The risk of either getting lost or injured without any help is less than if you are in the middle of the Swedish tundra.
Also, I love Abruzzo spent 3 months there doing fieldwork for my Ecology Thesis.
Thank you, Oscar! For me, number 14 (don't walk and use phone at the same time) is a good reminder. Especially after a long days hike when tired and hungry, then try to reduce risk and don't multitask while walking.
Good tips; accurate info.
About water crossings, it’s important to know what to do if your intended crossing point cannot be forded. Refer to your map and look for other possible places to cross.
Just started solo hiking and documenting waterfalls I visit. Definitely need to work on it but I hope one day to be able to hike around the world without worrying about funds or anything, to be able to just go when and where I want, for as long as I'd want.
great video...I always listen to my gut feeling it is important to always do that. I have turned back a few times on the trail listening to my good old gut and have left some campsites a time or two also.
Good tips, thank you! My tip is to carry a whistle - we've 3d-printed a small, but loud one at home, but they are sold literally everywhere))) Helped me with the most of the dogs on my last through-hike (not herding dogs, but still)
And other one is you can download a chunk of Google map to use offline, not sure whether it would be useful for mountains. But might give you a paper-map level idea of where you are?
Have you ever startled a wild animal on accident before?
I've scared off boars and deer a lot, especially when trail running, but they've luckily always ran away. And once, over 10 boars tried to break into my tent (before I started hanging my food).
Hmm, I've never actually carried a whistle. I might actually look into that, thanks!
A great whistle to choose is one used to train dogs (not a “silent dog whistle”). These are small, loud, and with any luck, the dog may recognize it!
Thank you for a good video with many good tips!
Thank you for the your straightforward vidoes.
great vid. learned a lesson, on trekking poles, when crossing a fast moving stream without them !
Thank you!
Great video, Mahalo for sharing.
Great advice about food. So many people are relying on dehydrated packaged food with no backp.
The freeze dried backpacking meals can be hydrated with cold water,it just takes longer ! ✌🏼
You can nibble on dehy food, your saliva softens it.
Very interesting and important aspects. Cheers.
1:54 As a funny point, if they don't receive any messages from you then they need to first try to contact YOU and only then the authorities. 😄 Some people can be too jumpy (like "He said to contact the authorities if he doesn't send a message some day. It's already 6 PM and no message from him, I need to call ALL the local and federal emergency numbers ASAP!!11"). 😄
Useful video, thank you 🌞🤗
Glad it was helpful!
Many steep cliffs (example fjords) are steep because they are unstable and will regularly crumble, keeping their edges steep amd sharp. It is better to not go near steep drop offs at all! Even if they look stable to you, the cliff may have a crack much lower where you cannot see it.
Great video
In Australia it is a recommendation to freeze ticks using a freeze tick product or wart off. They should then drop off.
Hi Oscar, Hello from France, how are you ? Another great tips on this vidéo, i liké the exercices for hiking, i do exactly the samedi and it s better for me. Thank you very much for sharing, take care and see you 🙂👍
Thanks for the kind words! :) I'm good, thanks!
As to point 20, there is a book called The Gift of Fear which talks about gut feelings and the hair on the back of your neck as survival instincts. A little outdated, but a great read, especially for women.
I absolutely would not leave home without a miniature trained ninja warrior in my holster.
This is a great checklist for everybody. #13 stood out to me. Fatigue has played a big part in most of my bad decisions on trail.
Yeah for me as well! That's why I included this in this video.
Yup. My worst incident that landed me very stuck in a hole with no help around was due to me losing focus because I was tired and should have taken a break. Obviously I got out, but it took everything I had and hurt like hell.
bravo. you are perfect.
First aid kit
I actually had a tip regarding this, but I unfortunately cut it out because the video was already too long
@@OscarHikes First aid kit is not something to be cut, because in the wilderness you can get cut. Pun is below average but intended.
I think I like this guy.
"blushing"
Buenos consejos! Sobre la timidez de los zorros tengo mis dudas, a más de un excursionista lo han dejado sin comida.
Tienes el canal de UA-cam relacionado con el excursionismo más riguroso, de lo que yo conozco. No bajes el nivel.
Gracias. A ver cuándo volvemos a verte por España!
Un abrazo, Óscar!
Thank you for the kind words mate!
I'd love to return to Spain - they Pyrenees especially!
@@OscarHikes Picos de Europa, Sierra de Gredos, Guara, La Pedriza...
No sólo los Pirineos y el Camino de Santiago te darán la bienvenida en España, somos el segundo país más montañoso de Europa!
Un abrazo!
Hey Oscar! Any shoes recommendations for hiking GR11 in July - late August?
Decathlon Evadict MT2! I'm going through my third pair right now. :D Somewhat affordable, good traction, super comfortable, wide toebox.
wow! non sapevo fossi in italia, spero ti stia trovato bene, ti auguro buoni trekking
Grazie mille! Si, abito in Abruzzo piu di un anno gia. :)
I'm a novice hiker, and just got trekking poles mainly to defend myself if needed. I don't like sheperd dogs...
And someday i'll do an overnighter somewhere! 😊
Which topo map app is that?
No they are not the best defence tools!
Being correct you had to say legal allowed!
Like the x bow with magazine, 10mm glock 19
Or my choise P90 from FN
Ofcourse i dont own illegal stuff!
The x box with six arrows you can buy legally in Germany, without permit, but are only allowed for Target shooting!
Tthe campingground advise is a difficult one to support either way. In europe there are more people to encounter at campings. i've done them with or without my family and have had none problems in +30 years... It's like your statistics of the danger of hiking alone. ;-)
On my last hike I pretty much gave up on useing my phone for navigation because it died and my power bank went on the blink I now use map and compass
Plus you can burn a map to keep warm. Try doing that with a phone app.
I can confirm the first rule especially when going solo. Dogs can be aggressive as fuck. Trekking pole, treats and bear spray are good measures.
Wear long pants to avoid ticks.
Wear barefoot shoes in everyday life and do ankle exercises. Build that ankle strength for hiking
Slightly disagree on tip 6, yes hiking is relatively safe. Videos like Kyle's give you many lessons in how things can and will go wrong in the backcountry. Those videos aren't there to scare you imo, they can give you great takeaways about how you can do better to prepare in the wilderness. If just one hiker watches one of those videos and decides that carrying the ten essential is prudent then that's a win in my eyes.
I mean, yeah, you definitely got a point! You can learn some valuable lessons from them. But it's way, way too scare-mongering IMO. A beginner sees 5 of these videos, and he's instantly turned away from backpacking... Dan Becker is doing a really good job covering the same type of videos - he interviews survivors on longform podcasts.
@@OscarHikesbecause a beginner really shouldnt go alone especially
Maybe... The hiking safety rating is that low BECAUSE people are watching those videos and taking their safety and protection more seriously than they otherwise would have. 😜
Deodorant on a backpacking trip is wasted weight and space.
trecking poles 😂 get q gun bro 🤷🏻♂️
Thanks. Pray for Jesus for giidance
But use GPS, map and compass.
Always appreciate you stuff Oscar 🖤 It’s great to find hiking & backpacking content that isn’t focused on gear. Thanks for acknowledging that sketchy situations with other people are more challenging for girls & women too!
Thanks! I'm also a bit tired of watching the same stuff all over UA-cam - "Best gear in 2024", "This camping chair is a game changer", "this tent will blow your mind", etc. I mean, sometimes I watch those videos, but everyones doing them! So I'm trying to kind of make something unique, maybe a bit different, and something that I'd watch myself. Also, I think in hiking UA-cam specifically, a lot of people have a lot of interesting and useful stuff to say, but they really suck at making content that's "easy to watch". I try not to waste people's time in that regard, because it's really hard to win someone over new if you take 10 mins to explain something that could be done in 2!
BTW, one tip that I cut out because the video was too long - for girls hiking solo, don't put your real-time location on social media, and when signing in log-books, maybe use a gender-neutral nickname, because there are quite a few desparate guys out there that see a single girl and start to drool! :D
I WILL NOT STOP HIKING ALONE!!!.... sorry 🤘
I'm not an animal.
Advice 21
Never hike solo.
"No BS or Fluff"
Shamelessly includes a VPN ad...
All of these successful channels need sponsors to survive. He clearly states that they are a sponsor and then relates it to hiking. Nothing wrong with that.
Get a vpn, got it! Off to through hike he AT