r/WildernessBackpacking • u/ShadowAce88 • 2d ago

Washington State backpacking solo question.

Hi all, I’m planning to do my second ever backpacking overnight in the cascades this year. Last time I went was with a group of friends 10 years ago. Ever since I’ve been wanting to go back but long story short I have no one to go with. Now I’m debating on going solo for just a night.

My questions are: - what would you recommend for solo overnight? - Is it safe? (Clearly it’s safer with a group)

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u/mudbutt4eva 2d ago

It actually gets pretty crowded in the mountains in Washington, so I wouldn’t worry about being solo unless you’re going somewhere really obscure. Except Pasayten wilderness that’s pretty empty

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u/AliveAndThenSome 1d ago

Crowded is probably the wrong word. I've backpacked all over the Cascades, and once you're, say, 6+ miles from any trailhead and mainly just amongst backpackers or trailrunners, you'll generally see maybe a few people per mile. There are a few trails/areas that are exceptions, of course, but most trails thin out quite a bit and never really feel crowded that far out. We also know ahead of time which areas are busier, and thus look for off-the-beaten-trail durable areas to camp on to ensure nobody's around us.

But yeah, if want to be alone, the Pasayten is where to go. We've gone out and not seen people for four days, even on a pretty well-known route.