I think that any day hike beyond a very short distance should be undertaken with enough to survive an unplanned night out. This doesn¡¯t have to weigh very much, at least in the warmer months of the year. I always carry some upper body insulation (down parka), good rain gear, and an emergency blanket along with some extra food. Often I even carry my tent since it is very lightweight. As a solo hiker, it¡¯s even more important. Injury can happen at any time, as can getting lost.?
It¡¯s crazy how getting off trail can be very disorienting. On the Foothills trail in South Carolina, I got off the trail for a toilet stop at a bend in the trail, and when I got back on trail I went the opposite direction, back where I came from, until intersecting a familiar trailhead a couple miles later. In a heavily forested landscape, not paying attention, my sense of direction failed me badly.?
ravi_jmt2013