HOW SAFE.....

[grammynmaggie]

How safe do you think it is for a lone woman hiking trails geocaching?

How many solo women are there out there?

G&M

[+buttaskotch]

I do a lot of caching by myself in NYC, NJ, and lower CT. All manner of caching from urban to wilderness. While I think I am pretty aware of my surroundings there are times that I get preoccupied and don't realize that there are people approaching my direction.

 

Just the other day I was caching after dark is a barren marina. I retrieved the cache and then saw a man skulked very close to my car and then to me, walked off and then returned to my direction. Needless to say it was a little unnerving.

 

I saw a memorial to a woman who walked her dogs just after dark in the Ellicotville area (kinda close to Buffalo) of Northwestern NY State, she was stabbed to death and worse.

 

So caching by yourself is probably not the best idea, if you do pepper spray, a whistle and your wits about you is a necessity

[+Col. Flagg]

I cache a lot by myself. I just make sure that my husband(or someone else) knows where I am going and when I expect to be back, better yet I usually carry a cell phone with me( it has come in handy I had a creepy person following me once and I flipped my phone out and called my husband, once I did that he turned and went another way, coincidence?) If you are smart about it going alone can be just fine. It's just like caching in the city, there are certain places that I wouldn't want to go alone as a women. I also carry a can of mace with me, of course I bought it more for caching in the country because people let there dogs run here and there.

 

If you are still uncomfortable go to a local event or local forums and ask around if anyone wants to be a caching buddy.

[Luckless]

I suppose it all depends where you are.

Right now it is huntng season here and I try to avoid the forest.

[+Dive-n-diva]

I'm solo and do lots of caching alone. I also am from Texas so ......you know that means I carry and I am trained in the use of same. I have more fun if someone is with me but that's not always possible.

 

Take a course in self defense and you will feel better about being out there alone.

 

Happy Caching

[+Stripes]

I usually cache solo. If there is any place that I am uncomfortable in, I leave. Usually have my phone with me at all times too.

[grammynmaggie]

It is hunting season here also so I will not be on any trails right now

just wondering about out of the urban setting like the trails .we have one that fallows a local river ...toe path to Erie Canal Extention . I would love to go on it and some old RR beds converted to paths. No one in my family or friends are intrested in geocaching...they all think im a nutty 65 yr old grandma

[+StarBrand]

Too many variables to really make a comment. Depends on the area of the country, your personal knowledge of the area, preparation to go Geocaching etc........

 

Generally speaking, going geocaching is no more dangerous than any other activity you might partake in that takes you to a wide variety of outdoor areas - like jogging, biking, walking, frisbee etc....

[+briansnat]

It's probably safer than going to the mall alone. My wife hikes solo from time to time and has never had a problem. She has however been hassled in a mall parking lot.

[+flask]

How safe do you think it is for a lone woman person hiking trails geocaching?

How many solo women people are there out there?

G&M

 

fixed for you.

[+hydnsek]

I hike alone frequently, from suburban trails to backcountry treks in the mountains of Washington State. During hunting season, however, I am careful about where I hike. Like briansnat mentioned, I've found urban adventures to be more risky than woodsy ones. I'll take a backcountry trail over a dodgy back alley or homeless encampment in the local park any day.

[+AstroDav]

While I feel that lone females are USUALLY as safe, or safer, on the caching trail as anywhere, always use common sense about where you go & when. Even your own body language can go a long ways towards making a potential bad-guy think twice. Walk with confidence & act like you are perfectly secure with your surroundings when meeting someone. They sense this, even if they don't realize it, and it plants a seed of doubt in their mind about whether they really want to mess with you or not.

 

Always carry some small, but effective weapon tightly in your hand, sticking out from between your fingers. A car-key is a good choice. A quick jab to the face will often 100% convince an attacker to leave you alone...or at the very least give you the needed few seconds to beat a hasty retreat towards safety.

 

This really applies to ANYONE out by themselves...female or male. I worked for several years as a disconnecter for a major utility in a major city. The ironic part of that job is the very parts of town which are the most dangerous is the very parts we had to go into most often. I usually wasn't a very popular person.

 

I'm a big guy & a 13+ year veteran of the military. Not too many people can get the best of me. But I still developed the habit of carrying something in my hand, and still do. After a while, it just becomes second nature & you don't even realize you're carrying it.

 

Finally, if nothing else, carry a couple of these in your back pocket. You'll be okay.

 

[+brslk]

My opinion is... I have a 65 year old mother and would not like to see her wandering around the woods at night alone. Do your best to protect yourself and make yourself safe however you can and do not do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable.

 

Try to find a caching buddy if you can.

 

I agree with most of the advice offered here so far... pepper spray... a cell phone and a large dog are excellent.

 

The other day my GF and I were looking for a cache in the woods just off a major road when I heard a loud panting sound (I had hoped my girlfriend was feeling randy) but no... a very large dog came running right towards us. I told her not to move or look it in the eye (the gf that is).

 

Turned out the dog was just as startled by us as we were by him and he ran away quickly but kept his eyes on us.

 

At that moment I wished I had the pepper spray with me that I keep in the car (I am a courier that often delivers to rural locations with dogs running all over (never used it yet))

 

It was a relief to hear someone whistling to the dog a few moments later.

 

A dog, a wolf or even a bear... when caching in the woods even in the city, you may encounter things you wish you hadn't.

(not to mention creeps of the human kind)

 

Bruce.

[AZcachemeister]

A WELL PREPARED WOMAN is not necessarily any more vulnerable than a man.

Keywords --->WELL PREPARED<---.

I think you have been watching too many scary movies where the woman tries to run away from the monster and falls down within a few yards. She lies there helplessly as the monster comes to remove her pancreas.

The female of the species is always the most dangerous.

Black Widow spiders, Lions, flask.

[+ThePetersTrio]

I usually cache alone - though never at night. I agree with what has been said already, know your surroundings, be prepared, let others know where you are and when you'll return, have your cell phone handy. I am asking Santa for some pepper spray (not just for caching either).

 

I think the most important thing - for all of us, not just women, is to trust your instincts and act accordingly. I was approached in broad daylight near a bus stop while caching by a guy who was obviously looking for someone to make a drug deal. I wasn't afraid of him at all...but I didn't want to be anywhere near him if a bust was going to go down. I figured l could get the cache another time....

[+terrkan78]

A lot depends on where you cache. I have never in my life met anyone I'd describe as "scary" on hiking trials out in the Oregon forests. I don't doubt that they exist, but they must be awfully few and far between. Perhaps psychotic killers don't bother to go hiking? Too much effort? I suppose hiking during hunting season would up my exposure to people I'd be uncomfortable around--I've stayed clear from that. I've always felt pretty safe hiking alone around here. Now the city where I live--that's a different story and I exercise more caution.

[+copperdoc1]

Open up internet explorer and type in Glock 27 and you'll have your answer. : )

[+DanOCan]

The female of the species is always the most dangerous.

Black Widow spiders, Lions, flask.

 

Classic!

 

Back on topic, I think the answer is "it depends". Even as a solo male cacher there are some places I feel a lot more comfortable than others.

[+Opalblade]

I wouldn't risk it. When women DO get in trouble you often hear they were walking or jogging alone in a park. Normally the worst that will happen to a guy walking or jogging alone is a mugging.

 

Find your local geocaching group - perhaps if you post your city people can help connect you with others in your area. Also try meeting hikers or other walkers through a meetup.com and then introduce them to geocaching . Try doing a search in your area (on meetup.com) for hikers or walkers. Or start your own geocaching women meetup - no gps needed, you will show them what it's all about. And meet in a public place

 

There's a lot to be said for peace of mind.

 

I'm getting myself some pepper spray this week. My family encountered a huge wolf sized coyote by a cache this past wknd in the Dallas area. It wasn't aggressive at all but was also not scared of us at all.

 

I've cone across lots of unleashed dogs (my pet peeve since I have small children). A pack of feral dogs can be even more dangerous.

 

 

How safe do you think it is for a lone woman hiking trails geocaching?

How many solo women are there out there?

G&M

[+CanadaKate]

I take my dog with me. She's cute and fluffy but she barks and growls convincingly when someone is coming along the trail.

[+cycler48]

Even being male ... although not a young one ... I always carry pepper spray. If you're hiking alone, I would recommend it. Here in California it's legal, but I'd still carry it out on the trail if it weren't. That's just me.

Edited December 3, 2009 by cycler48

[+jicknarson]

I cache alone in remote areas often... that is my preferred type of cache, and I feel a whole lot safer out in the woods than I do in an urban setting - just me. I always carry pepper spray at hand, hanging from my belt pack and not tucked deep in some pocket, but more for the event that I get between a mama bear and her offspring than run into some shifty human. My cell is always with me, I travel with my vicious Golden Retriever (not! but at least she is company) and I make sure someone knows where I am headed. If I am attempting a cache I feel might be risky or more challenging than usual I try to find another foolhardy soul to accompany me.

 

On several occasions I have run into people out in the middle of nowhere - usually they are as startled as I am. The only one that gave me a moment of apprehension was a gentleman carrying a machete, who asked if I was alone. Turns out he was cutting balsam boughs and just trying to make small talk..... but I had a flash of stepping into some grade B horror movie. I agree with the previous opinions - male or female, be prepared, keep your head up, and chances are good you'll be OK.

[+cycler48]

Even being male ... although not a young one ... I always carry pepper spray. If you're hiking alone, I would recommend it. Here in California it's legal, but I'd still carry it out on the trail if it weren't. That's just me.

 

I should also mention that I have my cell phone with me at all times as well as a personal locator beacon for when I'm in an area with no cell coverage.

[+flask]

Normally the worst that will happen to a guy walking or jogging alone is a mugging.

 

 

...or getting killed.

 

women are not precious little retiring flowers in need of extra care. we do not need any more protection than men, and what is prudent for the gander is prudent for the goose.

 

 

the single most threatening experience i had on a trail (to the extent that police were involved) was a case in which i met a predator on a hiking trail. he had mistaken me for a young man and meant to take me in rough trade.

 

he was both appalled to find himself in the custody of police and embarrassed to learn he had gone after a "lady".

[+Isonzo Karst]

How safe do you think it is for a lone woman hiking trails geocaching?

 

Statistically, it's safer to be walking on those trails then driving your car to get to them. I'm never clear on what it is that people fear in the woods? venomous snakes? grizzly attack? human predators? all are incredibly rare. The real hazards are insects (a serious consideration if you are allergic to bee/wasp sting) dehydration, poison ivy or its local equivalent, and rolling an ankle or taking a fall. I'd say getting lost, but you have a gps - and will take the time to learn how to use it ;-) (+spare batteries, + cell phone, +a compass) .

 

I've lived in Florida for 30+ years. In that time there have 2 incidents of humans making random killings of hikers in the woods. I wonder how many drive by shootings and auto accidents have taken human life in that period? I know that there are way more deaths by bridge collapse and planes falling out of the sky.

RE hunting, I continue my normal pattern of use of the forest right through hunting season, except for opening weekend of the general gun hunt. I wear a vest. Again, the statistics are quite clear - overwhelmingly, people who get shot during hunting season are HUNTERS, nearly always shooting themselves, or a member of the their own party.

[+mountainman38]

I usually cache solo. If there is any place that I am uncomfortable in, I leave. Usually have my phone with me at all times too.

 

Being aware of that prickly feeling that you're not in a good place is very important. However, just having a phone with you isn't going to do much. You may be able to let someone know if there's a problem, but that doesn't stop an attack before help can arrive. The police are often good for reconstructing a crime, but that doesn't help the victim. Personal defense is up to us, with tools we have with us. That's why having a gun or pepper spray won't do any good at all if they're back in the car.

 

Taking an active role in preserving one's health and safety is the only way to really be safe. Women (and men) get attacked on trails in the woods too, so don't be lulled into a false sense of safety.

 

I'm a big guy, and I carry tools to defend myself everywhere I go. I still keep a careful lookout in the mall, the parking lot, the woods, and around my house for possible problems.

 

I make doubly sure that my wife is prepared when she goes out, by carrying pepper foam (doesn't blow back on you in a breeze), a very bright flashlight (a lot of attacks occur at night), and listening to her inner alarm.

 

Being prepared for trouble doesn't mean you're borrowing grief -- it means that when something happens, it won't be a life-devastating and totally unexpected blow from nowhere.

[+Castle Mischief]

How safe do you think it is for a lone woman hiking trails geocaching?

 

Statistically, it's safer to be walking on those trails then driving your car to get to them. I'm never clear on what it is that people fear in the woods? venomous snakes? grizzly attack? human predators? all are incredibly rare. The real hazards are insects (a serious consideration if you are allergic to bee/wasp sting) dehydration, poison ivy or its local equivalent, and rolling an ankle or taking a fall. I'd say getting lost, but you have a gps - and will take the time to learn how to use it ;-) (+spare batteries, + cell phone, +a compass) .

 

I've lived in Florida for 30+ years. In that time there have 2 incidents of humans making random killings of hikers in the woods. I wonder how many drive by shootings and auto accidents have taken human life in that period? I know that there are way more deaths by bridge collapse and planes falling out of the sky.

RE hunting, I continue my normal pattern of use of the forest right through hunting season, except for opening weekend of the general gun hunt. I wear a vest. Again, the statistics are quite clear - overwhelmingly, people who get shot during hunting season are HUNTERS, nearly always shooting themselves, or a member of the their own party.

 

From Aug 2006 National Geographic:

 

Draw your own conclusions.

 

[+Jennifer&Dean]

I travel for my job and often cache alone in urban, suburban and rural areas. I stay aware of my surroundings and am have no problem walking away from an area if I don't feel comfortable.

 

The only time I've ever regretted caching alone was in Florida at a cache near a graveyard. I was signing the log when a voice behind me asked what I was doing. An older man who was pretty odd looking was standing about 15 feet from me. Then he asked if I could spare any money. Luckily for me there was a Where's George dollar in the cache and he went away when I gave it to him. That was the weirdest-oddest encounter yet. Made me MUCH more aware of my surroundings after that.

 

That was probably 3000 finds ago though. NOT a common occurrence at all.

 

I have decided against caches several times when the parking areas and surroundings did not make me feel safe. For example, I have decided against caches when they were in a Highway rest area where a co-worker had been raped three weeks before and I didn't feel safe even getting out of my vehicle upon pulling into the lot.

 

It is a personal choice to cache in areas that feel safe to you, so have fun and be aware but don't let fear keep you off the trail and out of the game.

Jennifer

[+Renegade Knight]

...

Finally, if nothing else, carry a couple of these in your back pocket. You'll be okay.

 

 

Those do work well.

[grammynmaggie]

thanks all for you feedback....lots of good ideas