Hiking alone – how to amuse yourself?

"Bob, just be careful not to wander so far that you lose sight of the trail.. not that I have ever done that."

I did that once right before sunset, in Nepal, around 16,000 feet elevation, without a flashlight. I had to feel my way back to camp using the backlight of a GPS receiver as my flashlight. I suspect that is the last time that I will pull that prank.

–B.G.–

Whenever I hike alone, I almost always have a nice fire at night. I also recently found a small speaker and have taken to listening to music while I do camp chores. This might clash with some people's idea of a "true wilderness experience", but I am one to embrace such technology and I find that it really enhances my experience.

I am easily entertained. I take an mp3 player, but I don't use it much, and it is usually while hiking. I always only use one ear bud, so I can listen to my surroundings still. I used to take books, but I would barely read them.

I am just content, hiking, doing camp shores, and sitting there just looking. I do swim some, take pictures but that is about it.

I love doing nothing.

If it's been a long day, a little booze and Benadryl for allergies, and I'm zonked. If the days are shorter and no one is around, I bring an iPod and notebook, take a look at the constellations on a clear night, maybe a financial magazine with some worksheets to work out some ideas without distraction once night falls. Haven't soloed in the winter so not sure what I'd do with really short days; usually hit the ski resorts and fireplaces Dec/Jan/Feb now.

I like getting into heated ethical, political, and philosophical discussions with myself. Haha. But really…

Being out alone does tend to lead to long days of hiking but I typically always see someone on trail and I guess I'm 'that guy' that will stop anyone and talk to them for 10 min. Not a ton of interaction but it does break up the day some.

i amuse myself by listening to the wind in the leaves and the grasses and cupping my hands in the river and splashing my face four times and wandering looking for stones that no other human wanderer has ever known and remembereing that i am an animal too and then i laugh with the ravens and look for tracks in the mud and listen and….

I find writing at the end of the day and during breaks can be great amusement. And who knows you might come up with the next great travel memoir :)

Talk to the animals. That sounds crazy but I do. Sometimes they even take interest as you may be the only or one of the very few humans they have ever seen. I was out on a little day hike today and thought a raccoon was gonna chase after me when I said "Hi Raccoon!" The thing probably had rabies or something.

"I was out on a little day hike today and thought a raccoon was gonna chase after me when I said "Hi Raccoon!" The thing probably had rabies or something."

Nah. He just wanted to cop some of your grub. ;-)

Maybe it's just a winter thing, but I've been daydreaming MYOG designs for the past few months. I wonder if I'll have even better ideas on the trail this year? It can be helpful to document your trips and ideas for improvement, and this can be an "activity" when you're solo.

since the majority of my trips are solo, i bring a very small ham radio with me – it receives more than just the ham bands and weights under 8 ounces. perfect companion once the sun has set and the fire starts to dim.

i also amuse myself by exploring the area around camp. walk a mile back to some cool thing that i pushed past to make sure i had time to setup camp or watch the birds soar over a valley from an outcropping.

i was once told intelligent people are never bored. man, i get bored all the time :)