Would you go by yourself?

Like swimming, I would never go hiking alone.

Every time I've met a bear in the wild, he's been going away as fast as he can travel. I've seen them in Montana and northern Minnesota and Canada. It's a rush, but I've never felt threatened, no more than I have when diving with sharks, which I've also done several times, and not in controlled shark feeds or cages.

The most dangerous animal in Yellowstone is the bison. You will see a lot of them, and you'll be wise to give them a wide berth. A guy I worked with was gored by one while trying to get a closer photo. They are unpredictable and look quite tame.... believe me - they aren't.

kfreels wrote in post #13785724
Like swimming, I would never go hiking alone.

I've spent half my live hiking alone in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and Montana. You just have to use your head and know your limitations. Don't take foolish chances when you don't have any backup.

Thank You all for replying...

Preeb wrote in post #13786478
I've spent half my live hiking alone in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and Montana. You just have to use your head and know your limitations. Don't take foolish chances when you don't have any backup.

This.

For what it's worth, I am a 5'3" female and I spend quite a bit of time hiking in the Colorado mountains alone for my job (which does not suck ). I have a radio on me and am always aware of my surroundings but I've never felt the need for a gun. You just have to be careful, know your limits, and listen to your gut. I'm not saying hiking alone is perfectly safe because it most certainly isn't but not many things are yanno?

No grizzlies or bison here but lots of other things that could harm you. Personally I worry the most about sneaking up on an unsuspecting moose ... or squatter.

DegasGoneDigital wrote in post #13778870
If you were going to go to Yellowstone for a week, not hike any trails and mostly shoot from the road, would you take someone with You or go alone?

You'll be fine. Yellowstone is very tame, no matter your size. With any trail, you should take a buddy, with backcountry trails the rangers require you to go in pairs.

mcluckie wrote in post #13796225
You'll be fine. Yellowstone is very tame, no matter your size. With any trail, you should take a buddy, with backcountry trails the rangers require you to go in pairs.

Is that new or specific to Yellowstone?

I've gone into backcountry areas in two other parks and a USFS-run wilderness area (Glacier, Canyonlands, and Never Summer) in the last year, and never had a partner or been bothered about it.

Centrarch,
I think that there may have been some misinformation disseminated here. I have never heard of rangers requiring that backcountry hikers go in pairs. I've read all of the regulations, and seen nothing about this whatsoever. Don't believe everything you read on the internet.

centrarchidae wrote in post #13798844
Is that new or specific to Yellowstone?

I've gone into backcountry areas in two other parks and a USFS-run wilderness area (Glacier, Canyonlands, and Never Summer) in the last year, and never had a partner or been bothered about it.

Actually its my experience from Glacier and Grand Canyon. I concluded all nat parks. I hitchhiked into the south entrance of Glacier and wanted to hike the Kintla Lakes into Waterton. Its about 5 days. Theres a trailhead camp to set from in the AM. I had to wait for another solo hiker to partner.

mcluckie wrote in post #13800104
Actually its my experience from Glacier and Grand Canyon. I concluded all nat parks. I hitchhiked into the south entrance of Glacier and wanted to hike the Kintla Lakes into Waterton. Its about 5 days. Theres a trailhead camp to set from in the AM. I had to wait for another solo hiker to partner.

Maybe it was something specific about that trail. I never got that far. I tried to get a backcountry permit but all of the permits for Kintla had already been given out for the week that I was there. And they wouldn't give me a permit for the CDT since I left my ice axe at home (in July! Even here in Colorado who needs an ice axe below 4000' in summer???)

(Sorry, I'll stop hijacking the thread now )

I'm not going into the backcountry at all.... Just wondering how one would feel being in the park alone.....

I feel very sad that this question has to be asked. The sensationalism of news broadcasting has instilled fear way out of proportion to any actual danger in too many. If you are driving, the driving itself will be about a gazillion times (I just made that up, by the way) more dangerous in real terms than your stay in the park.

Go. Get over your fear and start enjoying your photographic life.

DegasGoneDigital wrote in post #13815336
I'm not going into the backcountry at all.... Just wondering how one would feel being in the park alone.....

You probably have more to worry about in the populated parts of the park than you do in the back country. Be aware of your surroundings in the same manner you would anywhere anywhere and you'll be fine.

I went and just traveling along the roads I saw tons of shots.. Definantly do it.

Thank you all for your replys

Id definatly go alone, that sounds like heaven to me, being alone with the camera and nature, no one to bother you and free to work as you please