I'm in colorado and ready to spend some time alone in the woods. I need someone industrious to give me a list of the bare essentials I can survive with. I want to take as little as possible. I can live off of very little. I don't want to be paranoid or scared. If you have done this... no experience in backpacking... and have just done it... please offer your kind advice. Please. I'm safe, I'm smart and I need this time. I'm verrrry industious with money and need some advice on what I HAVE to have for as little cost as possible. And any must have manuals that I can purchase asap. I want to figure this out as I go. I'm ready but will take some time to be careful. So pllllease help me out. Emilee
PS God bless!!!

I have a question... what are the bare essential things I need to go backpacking in the woods by myself for a couple weeks? I eat very little and want to take as little as possible. I do not need comfort just don't want to be stupid. I really need to do this at this time in my life. Thank you. Emilee
Any practicle must have manual that I can learn from while there?

This should not be attempted. It is a good way for a newbie to die.

Even the most experienced hiker and campers know they are taking a big risk going into the bush alone. If you need to be alone and in the woods I’d suggest setting up at a camp sight that is monitored by rangers or a staff of some sort. A place that gives you easy access to civilization, you could even have your car parked at the sight.

Practice making fire, setting up shelter, anything….in safety.

This should not be attempted. It is a good way for a newbie to die.

Even the most experienced hiker and campers know they are taking a big risk going into the bush alone. If you need to be alone and in the woods I’d suggest setting up at a camp sight that is monitored by rangers or a staff of some sort. A place that gives you easy access to civilization, you could even have your car parked at the sight.

Practice making fire, setting up shelter, anything….in safety.

I totally agree. That is very good advice. Thank you. I will do that. After thinking more about it last night...I knew that I might be too scarred in the dark woods at night alone and would need to take smaller steps. Man I would be brave to handle that but in reallity that is a pretty major thing to handle. Have you done it? Alone in middle wood at night fire out? Emilee

If you are asking us what you need to know in order to be prepared in the woods alone, you are not prepared to go out in the woods alone.

If you're serious about this, tell us what sort of skills and gear you have already acquired and let's get a baseline as to where your preparation are.

But something tells me that you are far away from being ready to handle this.

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If it's in your pack, but you don't know how to use it...it's useless. So, always test your skills as a form of preparation...Don't wait until your life depends on it. That's a lesson you don't want to learn the hard way.

If you're not ready to spend the night alone, you're not ready to face even bigger challenges of being alone in the wilderness.

Out of curiosity, how old are you Emilee?

Like anything else in life, my advice is to start with baby steps and work your way VERY SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY toward other goals.

Can you start a fire without matches or a lighter? If not, you're not ready to spend an overnight in the woods alone.

Do you know how to build different types of shelter from materials found in the wilderness? If not, you're not ready to spend an overnight in the woods alone.

Do you know how to purify water from a stream or pond? If not, you're not ready to spend an overnight in the woods alone.

Get the idea?

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Please don't take my avatar to seriously. I'm really not a bible thumping armageddon prophet.

I wouldn't go very far from civilization alone in the wilderness with your skill sets- it sounds like you would be better suited to day hiking, camping close to trailheads, and becoming more familiarized with the outdoors.

The outdoors can kill you if you are not careful. Hypothermia is your biggest risk above 7k ASL, regardless of the season.

Bears are easy to avoid- just hang everything away from your camp, and keep all food items out of your tent. This includes garbage.

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