Although hiking in the wilderness especially when you’re all alone may not seem that comfortable in the beginning, you are likely to enjoy every moment you spend in the woods. In this article, we’ll be listing some of the common fears most people have when it comes to hiking in the wild and ways to overcome them to make the most of your wild adventure.
The Scary Part of Hiking in the Wilderness:
The fear of getting lost in the woods
Undoubtedly, this is one of the biggest fears of hiking in the wilderness. The this is, the hikes in you see in the national parks are man-made stuff. You can see a clear trail, most times with different signs and markers.
To make a successful hike in the wild, you must know the proper way to read the stars, the direction of the wind, the compass, and a map because in the woods, all the trees appear the same to your eyes which creates further confusion in your mind.
The fear of tripping and dying
One of the scariest thing in regards to hiking in the wild on your own is the fact that you may trip, suffer an injury, feel helpless throughout the night, and have little to no reception on your cell phone device.
No doubt, these are some of the major concerns. Nonetheless, you may trip and die at any place, which also includes a city area. The lone certainty in our life is that we will die one day.
The fact is, safety is just an illusion. If you skip everything simply because of the fear in your mind, you’re most likely dead from within.
Rest assured, hiking in the wilderness is similar to walking. The only difference would be the ground that may not be as smooth, hence you need to stay cautious while walking in the wild.
The fear of a serial killer
Most probably, you must have seen at least one of such movies where a woman decides to go all alone into the wild and gets murdered by a serial killer. However, the fact is the people you meet during your hike can be very helpful and friendly. Way nicer as compared to the urban areas.
The fear of animals
Getting attacked by a wild animal is a top fear among most individuals. This is particularly true for places like Alaska, where black bears are readily seen walking in the woods. To overcome this fear, it is best to communicate with the locals. They can tell you exactly what you expect during your hike.
If you’re considering to hike in places like Alaska, note that the bears usually try to stay away from humans. Hence, you need to remain calm and composed, allow the bear to do whatever it wants and walk away. In case you try to run, it may activate the predator response of the bear.
In New Zealand, you’ll hardly find any scary animals in the woods. You can simply walk during the night time without worrying much. In Norway, you’ll only find reindeer that immediately runs away once it sees humans.