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Do you ever go solo backpacking? If you do, you'll probably agree that it isn't a matter of it being better or worse than backpacking with friends. It's a different activity altogether.
Backpacking with others is a social event. You enjoy the scenery, enjoy hiking the trails, and you get to know people in a different setting than usual. There's usually a lot of good conversation, and you feel relatively safe as part of a group. It's a nice experience.
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When you're alone in the wilderness, it's different. There is a peacefulness that can never be there with others. With nobody to talk to, you stop defining everything and start seeing things more clearly.
I remember sitting next to an alpine lake at 12,000 feet in the Sierra Nevadas, after not seeing anyone for days. It was sunny, and the silence was broken only by the clatter of rocks falling from the cliffs above. I was relaxed, and I felt like this was the most beautiful place on earth. It isn't the same when I'm with friends.
It's also true there's an "edge" to solo backpacking. There's nobody there to help you if you run into trouble. The grizzly outside my tent in Montana, or the rockslide in front of me in Colorado - these things were felt viscerally. You become aware of how vulnerable you are. This is an interesting experience - but not necessarily a bad one.
My favorite aspect of hiking solo, is that your action is more natural. We're social animals without a doubt, but when with others, our decisions are made as part of a group. There's always a little tension involved in balancing all the individual needs.
Consider a decision as simple as resting alongside the trail for ten minutes. While it is a needed rest for one, it can be an unatural break in the rhythm for another, and yet a decision must be made to stop or not. On the other hand, action flows almost without thought when you're alone. What a relief from the complications of ordinary life.
If you haven't tried solo backpacking, get out there and at least go for an over-nighter. How often have you actually spent a day without seeing another person? You might appreciate the experience. For more information, visit the page: Solo Backpacking Tips.