Managing anxiety: solo hiking edition
Solo hiking provides an incredibly empowering and gratifying experience. However, the responsibility of keeping yourself safe can weigh heavy.
It’s normal for anxiety to peak on solo adventures. Your brain is on hyper alert for threats. But for those who struggle with their mental health, or newcomers to the sport, anxiety-related fears can be debilitating.
In contrast, group hikes make anxiety is easier to tune out. If you’re chatting with a trail buddy, you’re not stuck in your head. Concerns about risk taking are subdued when you have someone else to rely on.
I won’t sugarcoat it—there is always risk when recreating in the Alberta Rockies.
Outside of physical exertion, fast-changing weather, wildlife encounters and navigation add layers of difficulty to hiking. In the winter, daylight is minimal and conditions can change drastically day to day. Navigating these unknowns requires both resilience and trust in yourself.
Taking a breather on Windtower after a bear spray mishap. I had planned a solo hike up to Windtower Summit, but decided to turn back after I lost my safety on my bear spray.
This is why investing time in backcountry education, learning effective trip planning techniques and setting boundaries are critical to successful solo hikes.
4 years ago, when I started hiking on my own, I would do the bare minimum to plan for my adventures. For that, I endured long treks after dark, animal encounters and panic attacks on terrain I wasn’t entirely comfortable with. Eventually, I re-evaluated my risk to reward ratio when heading out to the mountains.
Since prioritizing my peace of mind over my ego, I’ve enjoyed more gratifying trips, and fewer moments of panic. By simply planning my time more effectively and setting personal boundaries, solo hiking has become a completely different sport for me.
A big horned sheep licks the salt off the road near the winter gate to the Highwood Pass.
Here are some ways I reduce anxiety on the trail:
1. Educate yourself
Read up on the trail you plan to undertake. Seek conditions, terrain descriptions and hazards. Learn what wildlife inhabit the area and if there have been sightings recently.
Resources for trail info include: guidebooks, trail reviews/blogs, National Park Websites, AB & BC Parks websites, and AllTrails reviews
Determine what gear you need to be self sufficient (and what you can reasonably live without). Look up the 10 essentials for backcountry travel, modify this list for your own practicality and comfort.
Useful tips:
Sign up for avalanche safety courses, read up on wildlife safety or take webinars on specific topics (more on this below).
Check trail conditions in the days leading up to your hike. Pack for worst case weather scenarios.
Check sunset and sunrise times weekly.
2. Expect to encounter wildlife
It’s no secret that bears, mountain lions (cougars) and other territorial wildlife inhabit the Alberta Rockies. It’s likely you’ll spot big horned sheep roadside. Smaller mammals like squirrels, chipmunks, marmots, frogs, and rabbits are common sights on trails.
Key tip: Research the area you plan to hike in, and find out what animals are native to it. If you are wary of an encounter, learn what those animals’ behavioral patterns are. Learn what you can do to protect yourself and reduce your chances of startling, aggravating or disturbing them.
There are options to take wildlife safety training and bear-specific safety training in most towns in person or via webinars. These courses will help you build awareness and respect for wildlife, rather than fear it out of ignorance.
Online resources include: Alberta Parks (Outdoor Safety | Alberta Parks), Parks Canada (Visitor safety (canada.ca)), & Bear Safety and More (Bear Safety & More - Bear Safety Workshops, Bear Spray Training, Wildlife Conflict Solutions).
Other Tips:
Opt for busy or heavily trafficked trails
Stay in the “front country” (eg. hikes close to townsites or within cell service)
Hike exclusively during daylight hours, avoid hiking near dawn or dusk. Typically, wildlife is most active in the early morning and evening hours.
Educate yourself on periods when animals are most active (mating, calving and and months close to hibernation). Avoid hiking during these periods or areas where wildlife is prevalent.
*It is still possible to encounter wildlife by following these tips
Carry and learn how to deploy bear spray safely
3. Set Boundaries
Make a list of conditions that will end a hike for you, and create a list of backup activities. If one does not work out due to a violation of one of your boundaries, ensure you have something else to do to avoid the temptation to stick it out.
As a photographer, taking my camera on adventures gives me have a “backup” activity. I can stop somewhere and do astrophotography, explore a lake, or take photos from my car. This helps me get out of my head, and focus on something to feel a bit accomplished.
Some situations where you may decide to turn back include:
New evidence of bear/cougar activity
There is no one else on the trail
There is a sudden turn in the weather that may affect your ability to navigate
You are running low on water and there is no water source nearby; you are going through food much quicker than normal and doubt your ability to ration for the remainder of the hike or in case of emergency
A previous or new injury is affecting your ability to walk/hike
You are feeling atypical exhaustion, pain, weakness or cognitive fatigue
There is an unexpected terrain hazard (exposure to a fall, scramble, high river crossing… etc)
5. Give yourself permission to back out
Hiking requires investment—physically, financially and time wise. But I’ve learned that backing out of a hike isn’t the end of the world. If you’re met with a boundary, and feel tempted to invade it, remind yourself that the mountains will ALWAYS be there. BUT, if you injure yourself or worse, you may not be able to try again. Respect yourself enough to not put yourself through unnecessary trauma or suffering.
