Go solo

Michel Tremblay

Forest survival specialist, explorer, adventurer, trainer, speaker and author

Published on 06 July |Last updated on 11 September

Have you ever stopped yourself from doing an activity because you were alone? Come on, confess! I thought you might have. But you may have missed the trip or outing of a lifetime without knowing it. The idea to write this text came to me while sitting in front of my fire. Probably due to the inspiration and the quietness of the moment. A peaceful moment of introspection in this silence, alone and far away in the nature...

I believe that human beings are not made to live alone and the same goes for going out. There is nothing better than sharing a moment in good company, no matter what the activity is. But when it's impossible for those around you to accompany you, why deprive yourself?

It is often fears that prevent action. Fear of animals, of getting lost, of something going wrong, of the dark, of anything that moves in the forest, etc.

Practice make perfect!

But how do you prepare?

In fact, although each activity has its own particularities, the basic preparation remains the same.

Plan an itinerary for your outing and share it with someone close to you. If you ever get lost, you will congratulate yourself and be rescued quickly.

When we talk about outings, we often talk about orientation. Sometimes on a trail, everything is very obvious and well marked, but in the middle of a forest or a labyrinthine lake (well no, this word did not exist), you will have to bring a means of orientation such as a map, a compass, a GPS, batteries or even your cell phone.

Some nice applications are now available on our devices in order to find your way, even off the grid. A good example is the Avenza map application. Easy to use, you will just have to bring a fully charged cell phone or a way to charge it if necessary.

To face the weather, bring appropriate clothing for the activity, keeping in mind all possibilities of climate changes.

Hydration will be very important no matter what the activity. So always bring a water carrier such as a water bottle or hydrapack. Personally, I never leave without my filter in order to collect my water on the spot. This is a simple and efficient method to be lighter.

To be rescued if ever you are immobilized, the cell phone is the easiest if there is a network. But if there is no network, beacons such as the Spot or Inreach system from Garmin will offer you a very efficient additional safety.

Don't forget your food with a little extra, your cutting tool and your lighter. A few little survival skills in the woods with this.😊

So, I strongly encourage you to take a step forward by facing those fears that are holding you back. Start small as an activity. Once you get back into it, you'll find that it wasn't so bad in the end.

You'll gain confidence, developing skills that you didn't know you had and that you left to others, such as orientation, managing meals, camp, fire, etc.

You can only grow from these solo experiences and become better at the activities you practice.

Don't forget to tell someone close to you about your itinerary before you leave. A simple and wise precaution that everyone should adopt.

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