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sassy_cheddar t1_j86412g wrote

I wouldn't worry as much about wildlife as general outdoors safety. Volunteered with SAR for awhile and very experienced people can still have weird accidents like their foot hitting the wrong spot on a rock when they stand up and breaking a leg. Being alone without a designated itinerary introduces some extra risks and it's a good idea to take some extra self-preservations steps accordingly. Our cell reception varies wildly in the outdoors here and I wouldn't rely on it.

Carry the 10 essentials and be prepared to keep yourself alive. Keep it all in a grab-and-go pack that you restock after you use anything so you won't have to worry about getting everything together before you head out the door. Learn route-finding skills and consider getting a personal emergency beacon since you'll be harder to find if you get hurt or lost when you aren't sticking to a known trail. Text a buddy to let them know your starting point and expected return time and call-911-to-report-me-missing-time.

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