Solo Explorer Responsibility

Risk Acceptance
With any activity (or even inactivity) there comes some level of risk. As a solo explorer/adventurer these risks are increased, and so must the responsibility of the solo explorer increase.

To mitigate these risks, nearly everything is done to reduce the risks, and/or help compensate for being only one explorer. Hence, if the solo explorer gets into trouble, there is no immediate help available. I believe this philosophy has to go farther. Not only does a solo explorer place themselves at more risk, they also place many more people at risk in different ways.

For instance, it might be fine that you are a solo explorer, but if you need to make an emergency call (because you didn’t have the benefit of being at least a team of two), you place the emergency responders at risk, the support personnel to the emergency responders, and perhaps dozens to hundreds of others that may help support your rescue.

Because of the increased risks, I believe it is the responsibility of the solo traveler to accept a lesser level of emergency response, or even forgo emergency help altogether. If you cannot trust your skills and own sense of self-responsibility, you have no business being a solo explorer. Only upon a severe life-threatening emergency, that would not unnecessarily endanger others, will I make an emergency call for help.

I’m not a fatalist, and I value life very much. I believe that a solo explorers self-responsibility is imperative to their safety, and the safety of others.

Here’s a good rule of thumb if you’re not sure if you should be out on a solo adventure or not. Imagine if everything went wrong, how would you deal with it being alone. If you are willing to accept this level of risk and little to no emergency support, then you are likely a good candidate for solo adventure.

Be safe, have fun, enjoy this wonderful planet!