The words “solo adventures” can often trigger feelings of danger and risk or sadness and loneliness. Whether thinking about your own abilities and goals, or observing a friend or family member, the conventional tendency is to judge and to discourage. Instead, the words “solo adventures” should trigger feelings of accomplishment, confidence, and wisdom.
I first began adventuring solo after I went through a divorce. I thought I knew myself and my passions. However, it turned out I had actually spent quite a few years trying to please and conform to someone else’s expectations and desires. When faced with weekends alone without my kids at home, I needed a hobby of my own, a hobby I could learn and master all by myself.
I found that hobby and my passion. Passions, I really should say, because as I got better and better at the first passion, I found myself branching out and adding more, all done solo.
My first passion became hiking, and I stumbled into it almost by accident. Hiking, after all, is just walking in wilderness. I thought it would be a great way to enforce my self-image of being “outdoorsy.” I always felt outdoorsy, but after taking a step back and looking at my lifestyle, I realized I wasn’t doing anything on my own to live that outdoorsy life.
So one day, I decided to suggest a hike as part of a date. And on that hike on that date, I felt alive. I was taking someone on a trail I had done before, but the other person had not. I got the chance to feel smart, capable, and fun. The feeling resonated with me so much that shortly after, I decided to go hiking again.
Only this time, I went alone.
Baby Steps to Solo Adventuring
Going into the wilderness alone for the first time can be very intimidating. I decided to hike trails I had done with other people before so that I felt comfortable with the area and terrain. As I was hiking by myself, I felt amazing. I never felt scared or alone. I simply felt CAPABLE. “Look at me,” I said to myself, “out here, miles from town, in the dirt and rocks, having a good time by myself.”
The feeling was addicting! I continued to solo hike other trails I had done before. But then, I realized if this was going to continue, I’d have to brave new trails alone. None of my close friends or family hiked, so I pondered the possibility of going somewhere new and hiking something unknown.
Things snowballed from there.
Angels Landing . . . Alone
Suddenly, I got a crazy idea of traveling by myself on a kid-free holiday weekend to Zion National Park. I had never been to Zion but had heard stories of this crazy hike called Angels Landing. So, I booked myself a room in a local motel and went for it.
I entered the park for the very first time . . . alone.
I did the Riverside Walk, the Emerald Pools, Hidden Canyon, Observation Point, and Angels Landing . . . alone.
That Zion trip was truly life-changing. It was the first time I traveled to a new place and explored it alone. It was the first time I hiked unfamiliar trails alone. Words cannot describe how empowering it was to get up each morning of my stay, get into the park, and go where the wind took me.
Redefining Solo Parenting
I started to feel like maybe I could take my kids, who were just around 4 and 5 years old at the time, camping on my own. I soon took them down to a close location I was familiar with: Moab. We camped and explored Arches and Canyonlands, just the three of us.
Moab and its two parks felt comfortable, so I had fewer nerves about adventuring with my little kids. And we did so amazingly well! I set up the tent, cooked all the food, made all the fires, kept everyone warm and comfortable, and managed to take them hiking and exploring.
And I did it all alone!
After that Moab trip, I just kept going! I set a goal for myself to hike 100 hikes in 1 year. I knew that in order to accomplish this goal, I’d have to brave new trails alone, and I’d have to take the kids to more and more places!
I bought trail books and trail and map apps, and I hiked about half of those 100 hikes completely alone. The other half I hiked with my kids. We completed the goal list with a 13-mile hike to Emerald Lake just below the summit of Mt. Timpanogos. My kiddos were just 5 and 6 years old. While that 100th hike was a huge achievement for us, it also taught me some valuable lessons, because things didn’t go exactly as planned.
A Lesson on Safe Solo Adventures
Emerald Lake is where I first glimpsed some of the risks that can come with hiking alone (I say alone here because hiking with two small children and no other adult support can feel VERY alone). For one, that hike was longer than we anticipated. As a result, the kids hit their wall. We also hiked later than we should have and ran out of daylight with not much light to get us down the trail. We were lucky to encounter a lovely couple who passed us on their own descent and realized our situation. They came back up trail with motivation, headlamps, and piggyback rides to get the tired kiddos down as the last light turned into darkness.
Emerald Lake taught me to plan better, whether doing solo adventures alone or my kids. In addition to the basics of leaving an itinerary with someone at home, carrying proper amounts of food, water, first aid gear, and an SOS device, I learned to always have a planned turnaround time, always carry a headlamp and spare batteries, and most importantly, always know our limits.
Now, over the next several years, I experienced and learned A LOT more about how to adventure alone and with my kiddos. I invested in better gear for all of us, learned more about animal safety (bear encounters) and avalanche/winter safety.
Solo Adventures Beyond Hiking
Since my solo adventures began, I have traveled to over 30 National Parks and Monuments outside of Utah and always have the next trip in the works. I’ve hiked, snowshoed, kayaked, ran rivers, car camped, cabin camped, backpacked, paddle-packed, explored mines, caves, islands, peaks, ruins, mountains, deserts, plains, volcanoes, lakes, rivers, and oceans–all done solo. If it’s within a two-day’s drive, I’ve either gone or have a plan to go!
For bigger trips, I usually take by kids. Being the only responsible adult on an outdoor trip can be lonely and daunting. However, it has taught me and my kids that we are a strong and capable little trio. We bond through our trials and celebrations and sometimes tease that we are a trio of solos… But aside from my little trio trips, I have ventured on about 15 or 16 completely solo overnight or weekend trips and hundreds and hundreds of completely solo hikes in all 4 seasons.
Guidebooks are my friend. I join Facebook groups and read about other people’s experiences. I read travel reviews and ask questions of those who have more experience than I do. I never go anywhere without first reading about my destination. I research weather, water conditions, smoke conditions, etc. There’s just no such thing as too much research.
The Power of Being Alone
With the right gear, proper knowledge and preparedness–and the inspiration to do great things, anyone can be a solo adventurer! Sure, adventures with friends and family are amazing, and often preferred. But there is something special about my solo trips throughout the West.
You see, when doing something alone, you are forced to stay inside your own head. You only have your own thoughts to keep you company during a hike or as you fall asleep. It takes a certain level of strength and bravery to learn to be comfortable not only being alone, but thinking alone. You face demons and fears, learn, improve, and grow.
To rely only on yourself for your preparedness, your safety, your entertainment, and your joy is truly validating and empowering! Give it a try – you just might surprise yourself!
3 thoughts on “Solo Adventuring: Finding Power in Adventuring Alone”
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Your story is inspiring! I Have been wanting to go on near by trails by myself and I have talked myself out of going so many times! You’ve given me the inspiration to go!
Two weeks from today I will go on a solo hike on a nearby trail!
Thank you Thank you 💜💜💜
I love you are solo hiking….and even more that you’re exposing your kids to how precious and beautiful our world is. It is a great gift! Thanks for sharing!
I love this so much! I’ve shared a lot of the same moments post divorce that you put into words so well! You give me inspiration to be willing to do more on my own with the kids. I’ve done a lot solo, but you’re right, solo with the kids is a different level! AndI often get overwhelmed thinking I can’t do it
Thank you for your post.