What are ways you stay safe while hiking/trail running alone?

9 comments

1. Go with a dog if you have one, stay off your phone, don’t wear headphones, carry pepper spray.

2. Going during daytime when there’s likely to be other people along the trails

   Checking in with friends or partners pretty frequently

   Carrying a weapon on me, whether it’s pepper spray or a utility knife. When hiking it’s also great having a sturdy walking stick and knowing how to use it. There’s some good videos around of basic self defense with quarterstaffs that are excellent.

3. My friend that runs has a Garmin watch with an emergency alert feature that will send location data to a listed contact… Pretty neat, and she rocks colored pepper spray.

4. Geez, pepper spray and weapons, really?

   I was thinking along the lines of: bring some emergency food and a first aid kit, tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back, bring a phone, wear layers.

   I’ve hiked alone plenty of times, including nights but I’ve never armed myself or needed to, nor know anyone who does.

5. Along with the other suggestions, you can share your location with someone using your Google Maps app.

   Click on your photo in the upper right next to gle search bar, then location sharing, then New Share.

   You can also do this from some fitness watches and those apps, my boyfriend shares his location with me when biking.

6. Take a gun or other weapon that you know how to use effectively with you.

7. I always wear only one headphone, am very aware of my surroundings, and carry a taser.

8. Other people have given good tips, but I’d say carry a whistle. If for whatever reason your phone, etc. isn’t working, and maybe you have an injury, are super lost so you decide to stay in one place, or something, a whistle can alert anybody who may be looking for you to your location. Would save yourself from having to shout.

9. Print out a map…you may not have GPS or any Bars where you’re going. Tell more than one person where you are going and expected to be back. Bring enough food and water with you to last at least three days. Do not leave the trail…no matter how fit you are or how many times you have done this/been there; nature can and absolutely will kick your ass without a second of hesitation if she so desires.

   Know who to make and maintain a fire, know how to build shelter and find something to put a barrier between you and the ground. Get an actual physical compass. You may not be able to use the one on your phone.

   If you see others on the trail, make your presents to them know just incase you go missing. At night, the wood, the mountains, are a completely different animal.

   If you see a random flight of stairs…don’t go near them. If you hear a random vaguely familiar voice calling out to you and you’re not lost…don’t answer it, go in the opposite direction.