I most often hike alone in the mountains, off-trail and on steep or rough terrain. I don't carry a PLB, GPS or a cellphone. I sometimes change my planned route, exit date, or destination on the fly, often after starting out.
I'm guilty of all of the above myself, particularly in my younger days.
Still, I wonder why you wouldn't carry something like a PLB. Other than perhaps the weight, it doesn't impair your freedom, but could bail you out if need be. I've hiked with the best; I mean moutaineers that have done 20K+ peaks; and everyone has an accident sooner or later. Not a criticisim. I'm a backcountry traveller myself and I know how personal risk assessment is. Just asking. Dialog, particularly when entered into without rigid "right answers," can help us clarify our own priorities and decisions. As in life itself, most everything in wilderness survival is a series of trade offs. Rigid approaches seldom hold up under real world conditions.
By the way, I totally understand about the price, if that's the issue. $500 or so bucks is a bit daunting, particularly in a down economy.
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