Recent comments in /f/Washington

geronimo2000 t1_j82o1r3 wrote

Reply to How dangerous are western Washington's woods for a chronic forest wanderer? by cinderings

I wouldn't worry about wildlife - they are more afraid of you than you are of them and getting to see a wild animal is a treat. I would worry about terrain. The understory in the foothills of the Cascades is really dense and hides rocks, small cliffs, and all kinds of obstacles and hazards. When you're by yourself you don't have many options if you get hurt. I would also worry about other people. If you stick to 3-5 miles out of town you might as well be exploring in a greenbelt. There are other folks who find the woods to be curative and some of them cook meth or do other things they don't want anybody to see - and even without considering illegal stuff you're asking for trouble if you stumble on somebody's camp.

I've done my share of off-trail travel out here and I understand the attraction. You'll find it much more socially acceptable if you present it as goal oriented - pick yourself a list of peaks to work on and start knocking off the easiest ones. It doesn't matter if you actually summit, but for what it's worth most of the minor peaks in the Cascades are non-technical and the approach is 90% of the challenge. You'll still get some pushback about solo backcountry travel but you'll find it a lot easier to explain and a lot more acceptable.

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Matrand t1_j82lt6b wrote

Reply to How dangerous are western Washington's woods for a chronic forest wanderer? by cinderings

Call them hikes, make sure you know your location and exit points, be aware of your surroundings. People who act like the woods is some scary place 9/10 times haven’t themselves ever been alone in the woods. Common sense goes a long ways. Nature is amazing for your mental health, as long as you’re not purposely getting yourself lost and endangering yourself and those who try to rescue you.

If you go out of service areas, bring a Garmin InReach so you can check GPS or hit the SOS button in an emergency.

If you have common sense and basic survival skills you’ll be fine. Take care of yourself.

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TVDinner360 t1_j82kw62 wrote

Reply to How dangerous are western Washington's woods for a chronic forest wanderer? by cinderings

One thing you could do to minimize the risk would be to take some classes on outdoor survival. I think REI offers some for free. You could keep a pack with the essentials all ready to go in the trunk of your car, so if the mood strikes you’re ready.

Another risk is if you’re on private property and trespassing, someone might shoot you. Hopefully that’s a low risk, though.

Some people have had good luck managing depression by bicycling, if that’s a thing you’re interested in trying. There’s some weird response the brain gives when you’re moving through space like that. Some skaters get it, too. It’s supposed to be very effective. But maybe it’s not your thing.

I wish you well.

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PhuckSJWs t1_j82klxn wrote

Reply to How dangerous are western Washington's woods for a chronic forest wanderer? by cinderings

it is dangerous.

there is the wildlife.

there is the ever changing weather. we can get snows and freezes as late as April in the lowlands and much later at higher elevations. rains and winds alone can be chilly enough to trigger hypothermia.

the terrain is hilly and mountainous all over the place , and you could experiences a landslide, rockslide, whatever.

and then, rarely, there is the risk bumping into someone with ill intentions.

No one should be wandering randomly in the woods alone. Ever. Regardless of mental state.

IMO, you need more therapy and less random wanderings. But tat is the choice for you to decide.

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FrothytheDischarge t1_j82jzzq wrote

Reply to How dangerous are western Washington's woods for a chronic forest wanderer? by cinderings

It is very dangerous unless you have experienced survival skills. People who do day hikes but are not experienced or prepared with the correct clothing, equipment, and tools can and do get lost only a few miles off the road or trail head and get themselves into serious trouble. Its not the animals that are the most dangerous, its being in unfamiliar terrain and not wearing proper attire for unexpected inclimate weather. There are many stories of hikers in WA getting lost to never be found. Wandering off into the wild with just a bottle of water and phone is irresponsible.

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PizzaAndTacosAndBeer t1_j82iror wrote

Reply to How dangerous are western Washington's woods for a chronic forest wanderer? by cinderings

It's true that wild animals generally avoid trails because they mostly don't want to run into humans. More true of species that are hunted.

It's not the case that bears and cougars are on patrol looking for people to stack when nobody is looking. Attacks on humans are pretty rare. They've been more common in recent years but still not common overall.

Washington has black bears, maybe one or two grizzlies in the NE wilderness. Black bears are skittish and usually very frightened of humans. They can be trouble if they become habituated which is more of a problem near campgrounds.

I would honestly be more worried about breaking an ankle on a rock I couldn't see through the vegetation personally. Or getting cliffed out. That kind of thing. Not wildlife. But there are no guarantees.

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