[pct-l] Planning First Solo Hike (Jim Cribari)

[Andrea Dinsmore]

HOLY COW !!!!!

PCT MOM

*On Sun, May 23, 2010 at 9:34 PM, <mntmn4jesus at aol.com> wrote:
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> *In regard to hiking alone, I have never been on the PCT, but I have been
> in a lot of other areas in the back country.  I back country ski, snowshoe
> and climb mountains all over California and Nevada.  Some years ago I had an
> encounter with a mountain lion when I went on my morning walk at 5 am (less
> than 2 miles from where I lived at the time).  I decided after that to never
> go into the wilderness alone unarmed.  I have a concealed weapons permit
> (issued by the state of Nevada) that has served me well through the years.
>  I have never used my weapon even on a rabid raccoon that tried to gnaw his
> way into a hut I was staying at alone, but I was certainly glad I had a
> weapon as a last resort.  I have also had other encounters with wildlife
> including bears, wild stallions that weren't too happy with me as well as
> other encounters with mountain lions (Mt. Shasta at 2 am). While I have
> drawn my weapon in some of those encounters I never used it, but it
> definitely gave me an opportu
>  nity to defend my life should the need arise.
>
> You are naive if you believe that just because you are human all animals
> will automatically leave you alone.  Just look at stories of recent attacks
> on people by mountain lions, bears and coyotes over the last year.  While it
> is true the odds of being attacked are very small, remember you only have to
> be wrong once.  I don't carry my gun in my backpack but I carry it in a
> place where it is easily accessible at all times and under all conditions
> precisely because it doesn't do me any good if it is buried in my back back
> somewhere.  If I didn't carry a gun I would at least carry some bear
> repellent which would be a deterrent to any animal that had aggressive
> intentions.
>
> I would never shoot through a tent and am fully trained on the proper use
> of a gun.  I am always aware of my surroundings and I don't presume upon the
> grace of God just because I have faith.  I am thankful for my 2nd Amendment
> rights and I intend to make full use of them in the back country.
>
> Jim
> *