Hello, Jesse--I take your concern--and any concern of a future person--as a compliment. That's saying you care about my well-being. I understand that my person isn't just trying to be a controlling jerk, restricting me from doing what I like to do. There are legitimate concerns. Expressing hesitation about me going backpacking alone is a way of expressing worry about me. I don't want anyone to have to be stressed out, worrying about me.

And you're quite right, that concerns about getting hurt and injured are just as worrisome as fears of harm from other humans and bears. I get that my person wouldn't want to have me get injured and then heli-vacced out of the mountains and then I spend 2 years rehabbing trying just to walk again.

I like that you went from saying "I'd be concerned" to "Go, but take a sat phone".

I've wondered how I could 'negotiate' so a person would become ok with me backpacking but not stressed while I'm away. I thought through what that would look like. Would my person be more ok with me backpacking if a) he could come with me? I'd be happy for that. But if he didn't want to come with me, then...b) if I carried a tracker that shows my location at all times and lets me text every day and receive every day even in locations with no cell phone signal? c) if he hiked with me the first few days just to see what it's like, seeing it's not as dangerous as he imagined? d) if he and my various friends met with me every few days to check in? e) if I showed him all the stuff I do in preparation including all the contingency plans I make?

So I'll keep thinking through how to make someone feel more comfortable with the idea of me being out backpacking but...I guess it's a bit hard to take sometimes. If my person wanted to do something that was an essential part of his identity, I would easily be ok with that. I'm big on giving him his freedom, even knowing I too would suffer if he ended up with bad consequences. I wish for the same in return but know I can't expect someone to think or behave like me. Ach well.