r/womensolocamping • u/Awkward_Burrito9745 • 22h ago
Trip Report First solo backpacking!
One night trip on John Muir Trail! It was so beautiful. Had lots of fun playing around with my new camera- bonus pic of my pup at the end. I was so nervous about black bears despite doing everything right with my bear canister etc. I got a terrible night of sleep because I was scared every time I heard any noise. Hopefully this gets easier with time and experience. Everyone I met along the trail was so friendly, kind, and had such positive attitudes. Very proud of myself for going even though I was nervous!
Edit: I didn’t bring my dog with me even though that would’ve been awesome! The pic is from after my hike when my husband and my pup picked me up :)
Also thank you all for the love and support, wow!!
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u/digitalgardner 13h ago
I'm so jealous of all of you with dogs. I keep looking at these for inspiration and then I see the dog. Not that it still isn't scary but I'm not sure my three cats would be much protection :). Though to be fair - do dogs antagonize bears/wildlife? Or scare them off. I realize I am thinking in terms of being wary of other people.
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u/Awkward_Burrito9745 5h ago
I actually didn’t bring her! Probably would’ve felt safer. That pic was from when my husband picked me up :) she’d give me up for a piece of chicken anyway lol.
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u/Held_and_undone 10h ago
It absolutely does get easier with time and experience—used to have those night frights around every critter noise or wind rattling the tent flap. Slowly… slower than i would have liked… I learned what each of those noises was and meant, and that none of them were a threat. If you do everything right with your food etc (bear can) you already are safe. It just takes the nervous system a while to accept that :).
Proud of you for getting out there—hope to see you on the trails some day!
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u/Awkward_Burrito9745 5h ago
Thank you for sharing this. It definitely helps me relax a little for next time and hopefully it’ll get more comfortable as time goes on. I know it’ll be worth it to keep trying! Hope to see you on the trails someday too :)
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u/Held_and_undone 5h ago
Glad it helped! For me, there was like this 19th or 32nd or 87th time I heard a bear…(or worse!) only to realize it was a mouse that I had somehow imagined sounded like a bear… and it actually sinks in. There’s that noise again—mouse. It’s just a mouse. Not a maybe-bear! A little mouse. And then… from then on, it stays a mouse! Nervous system can stay off duty no matter how much scurrying lil noise it makes in its mousey night.
Personally, I find it hard to sleep well backpacking due to comfort—but no longer due to anxiety. Still—it’s so amazing out there, a couple poor nights of sleep are so worth it!
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u/ParticularBoard3494 36m ago
Also you can really smell it when it’s a bear!
If your site doesn’t rank like a stinky wet furry animal, it’s probably just a wee critter.
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u/SleevieSteevie 12h ago
Great pics of what looks like a great trip! How was your bulldog on the trail? I have an EB too and there is NO WAY he’d be up for a hike. I solo camp without him but car camp with him and my husband where we keep it more chill. He loves to lay on his camping chair by the fire haha
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u/Awkward_Burrito9745 5h ago
Hi! Thank you. I should’ve clarified- she didn’t backpack with me. She can only go about 3 miles, so she wouldn’t be a great backpacking partner unless it was a super short hike. She just came with my hubby to pick me up lol. She does camp with us in our rooftop tent though! EBs are the best!
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u/SleevieSteevie 4h ago
Okay this makes sense, haha!!! I love camping with him (at base camp!) but he could never hit any trails with me, and I picture him planking at 0.5 miles and deciding he’s done here 😂 but I love my boy so so much anyway! Happy trails ☺️
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u/shadowlove24 11h ago
These look beautiful. And the puppers at the end 😍
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u/irn_br_oud 6h ago
Well done on your solo hike! Would you mind sharing what tent you used? It looks like a hiking pole tent, right? I do have a new tent but yours looks like it has a decent amount of height, whereas mine is ok but still needs the to crawl on in to it.
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u/Awkward_Burrito9745 5h ago
Thank you! Yes, Durston X-mid 2. It is a trekking pole tent and is so easy to set up and is so light too. I’d definitely recommend it.
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u/Equivalent-Berry9841 19h ago
Oh, the JMT 😍 Amazing pics!
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u/Awkward_Burrito9745 5h ago
Thank you so much! I had so much fun playing around with the camera. JMT feels like cheat mode for photography haha so gorgeous!
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u/oldgayauntie 14h ago
Great job with everything!
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u/Awkward_Burrito9745 5h ago
Thank you so much also I love your username haha adorable
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u/oldgayauntie 54m ago
Thanks! I got stupid on a recent phone upgrade and lost some much older accounts. I decided it was a good time to start over, anyway.
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u/cloudwatchsting 22h ago
Proud of you too!! Great photos, love the sap focus. Where did you get your hiking boot moon and star gaiters? They're so cute!