Bears not a problem, Guns not a problem, humans...well there the worst....especially armed with keyboards
RUNT ''13''
Originally Posted by Lone Wolf
Lone Wolf,
If you contest that humans are the biggest danger on the trail then how could you argue that a human equipped with a lethal tool is not extremely dangerous?
I appreciate both sides of the debate but, your logic escapes me. Call me baffled.
lotsa hikers carry guns while hiking and they're not extremely dangerous
and nearly 100% of hikers carry a knife which is a lethal tool. so by your logic all hikers are extremely dangerous
On the contrary, I disagree that humans represent a huge risk at all. On the other hand, of all humans I would consider those with firearms to represent a higher risk than those without.and nearly 100% of hikers carry a knife which is a lethal tool. so by your logic all hikers are extremely dangerous
Obviously the biggest danger is armed bears.
Actually, the humans with cars are the biggest threat; both to hikers and the general population. So can we now drop the gun arguement as its derailing the thread.
Both rogue bears and rogue humans are dangerous - This is why I carry concealed.
But they have the right to bear arms!
(Sorry, I couldn't help myself)
Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.
Thanks for that. I hurt myself a little from laughing.But they have the right to bear arms!
i have the right to bear arms but sometimes my arms get cold and I put on sleeves.But they have the right to bear arms!
(Sorry, I couldn't help myself)
Ticks. A friend got lyme disease and my wife now has Rocky Mountain Spotted fever from ticks, and neither hardly ever go into the woods. Use permetherin on your clothing, these are serious diseases.
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We simply disagree on some of the finer point of the English language. I do get where you are coming from.
While I am in the camp and that tends to worry mostly about ticks, heart disease and diabetes, the following statistics are probably 100% accurate.
If I am off with one or two, I would welcome corrections. For example, I didn't include Joel Polsom among my total of thru hikers who have been killed by a gun, because even though he was on the AT in Georgia in the month of May (1974) I wasn't sure he was thru hiking or not.
Any any event, I believe these numbers to be true:
Number of AT thru hikers killed by stranger with an axe: 1
Number of AT thru hikers killed by criminal with a gun: 4
Number of AT thru hikers killed by a responsible/legal gun owner: 0
Number of AT long distance section hikers murdered by asphixiation: 1
Number of AT thru hikers killed by knife or blunt instrument: 0
Number of AT thru hikers killed by accidental drowning: 3
Number of AT thru hikers killed (almost certainly) by unknown natural or human forces: 1
Number of AT thru hikers killed by hypothermia: 0
Number of AT thru hikers killed by lightening: 0
Number of AT thru hikers killed by falls: 0
Number of AT thru hikers killed by heart disease on trail prior to age 45 or 50: 0
Number of AT thru hikers killed (or even hurt) by bears: 0
Last edited by rickb; 12-01-2014 at 18:16.
Rick, the one question I have is why do you only include thru-hikers or long distance hikers? On the one hand I do not know if I would necessarily count someone who went a mile up to an overlook then headed back to their car, a person out for a few nights, or 20 or 30 miles should be Iincluded among such statistics.
igne et ferrum est potentas
"In the beginning, all America was Virginia." -William Byrd
Biggest danger = yourself. Ill-prepared, mentally and/or physically. Not listening to your intuition.
And then ticks. Bears are way down my list.
How about the dangers of missing your hiking experience by wearing headphones plugged into a cellphone the whole hike?
I traveled side by side with a bear and her cubs for three days. Ppl passing by saying that there were no animals to see...because they were listening to music! One guy passed me that way within minutes of my Bobcat/mountain lion sighting (I don't know which but it was a big cat
Mostly is because it is a population that interests me and I can relate to, but also because it a small enough community that these kinds of uncommon events become known.
To be honest, it is also because of a long-standing frustration I have regarding how the authorities will always put these tragedies in perspective for us. They invariably remind everyone that with 8+ million visitors to AT each year, one's chances of falling victim to a capital crime on the Trail is on par with winning the lottery.
I have a pretty good idea about how many people have ever attempted a thru hike. The fact that at least 5 of them were murdered (4 with gun) and zero (zilch, nada) were ever killed by a bear, lightning, fall, etc. cast's one's odds of mortal risks on the AT in a different light. At least to my mind.
Still all these risk remains small-- and smaller still for any hiker walking in the contemporary nobo bubble.
I think the biggest risks (at least for a well-prepared and cautious backpacker) are slips/falls, stray or unleashed dogs, and crazy humans. Bears are not even on my list of concerns. Honestly, in years of backpacking the only scary incidents I've personally had were with dogs.
I want to thank everyone for their input. This thread took some interesting turns which I enjoyed following.
I'll try to set these folks straight tactfully !
Last edited by brotheral; 12-03-2014 at 14:24.
He leads me beside still waters !!
Happy Trails..... BrotherAL
Only to criminals.
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