I used to pick empty trails to avoid crowds. Getting stranded with an injury changed my mind for good.

4 comments

4 Comments

Empty trails are still the better choice if you're prepared right. Carrying a proper emergency beacon and knowing basic survival skills makes you your own best rescue. Relying on random strangers to be around when you're hurt is a gamble too. The peace and quiet of a solo hike is worth planning for the worst case. Crowds ruin the whole point of being out in nature anyway. You just have to respect the risk and not go out beyond your skill level.

miataylor1mo ago

Six hours alone and hurt sounds absolutely brutal.

fionagreen1mo ago

My cousin slipped on a rocky pass in the Adirondacks and had to wait six hours for help. That kind of wait, hurt and alone, messes with your head in a way no beacon can fix. You start hearing every little noise, and the quiet stops being peaceful. I get why you changed your mind. There's a big difference between knowing the risk and feeling it in your bones when you're helpless.

jana88112d ago

My friend got lost for just two hours and said the panic was unreal.