Hiking Precautions

[SpeakEasy]

Speakeasy, was that on Jenny Lake two summers ago, maybe July?  

Wow - I never saw this reply, and so I never replied back. Sorry.

That was on Jenny Lake in summer, 2003.

-Speak

[zamboni]

Old thread (I hadn't read)...

My first thought, when I read:

We do have venomous snakes, though.

was...

I don't know many lawyers that cruise hiking trails, so you should be OK; you're more likely to find them slithering up to your camper, wanting to help you "solve" any defect problems!



(joking -- apologies to lawyers, but I'm in a goofy mood)

[gpn02]

I have to agree with what some of the others stated about running across some strange people. I have back packed alot starting in the Scouts and at a early age.I still do a week to ten days a year backpacking with my best friend as a yearly ritual. I have came across alot of animals in my time including bear, bobcat,moose and lots of snakes. I have always carried a firearm with me and have never had to use it on a animal. I have ran across more people that have made the hair on my neck stand up and give me the heebie jeebies out hiking or camping in some remote to some not so remote areas. I have had a few close calls with animals also. Like someone else said be smart and dont get in their way and they generally stay out of yours.We all have a appreciation for what a car speeding down the road at 65mph can do to a pedestrian in the city,The same rules apply to wildlife have an appreciation for what they are capable of and that we are sleeping,camping hiking in the animals world. Unfortunatley this applys to some human beings as well. I had a guy follow my buddy and I to a place in KY known as Indian Staircase where we would camp for a night and climb and hike the next day. This guy tried to steal our rope and packs when we were asleep. Fortunatley for us he happened to be a little out of shape alot less familliar with the area. We were able to stop him with a little encouragement from a few nice size limbs and fair warning about the cliffs in the area. Not a good place to be running around at in the dark. Not to mention this guy smelled like he had a few swigs of liquid courage.  So this go to show ya no matter where your at a posh campground or in the sticks people are stranger then fiction.