View Full Version : This will open the door to some thought….
What is the most most dangerous section of trail/or particular spot on the trail and that includes all 2185 miles (and any section can be the worst if you wear steak round your head in your tent at night or cross a hiway at night wearing dark clothes,no head,
lamp running circles backward.)
Depends on which danger you consider. NJ has the most bears. The White's, the most unpredictable weather (I believe more people have died of exposure on Mt Washington, than on Everest). Mahoosic Notch is considered the most difficult mile. Trail towns and shelters next to roads, probably the most danger from drunks.
Slo-go'en
01-07-2016, 22:05
Probably the seemingly easy and level sections. That where I'm most likely to roll an ankle as I'm not paying as much attention to where my feet are then I do on difficult sections of trail.
Starchild
01-07-2016, 22:12
The majority of White Blaze website member is the most dangerous for future thru hikers for trying to convince you that your hike is not important. It is one of the most important things in humanity, but they will make you feel otherwise here.
As for the trail itself, it's just walking and that gives all of humanity a better future.
GoldenBear
01-07-2016, 23:39
If the questions you're asking are, "Which part of the AT has the most fatalities per hiker-mile?" or "Which part of the AT is the most unforgiving of arrogance or carelessness or stupidity?", then my (uneducated) guess would be The Whites. Friends periodically ask me if I'm afraid of bears on The Trail, and I always respond that bears are pretty much a non-issue. I then note that failure to properly prepare for even moderately bad weather in The Whites can be rapidly fatal.
Wise Old Owl
01-07-2016, 23:56
What is the most most dangerous section of trail? Hmmmm.
The section you are not prepared for.
The Owl has spoken.
dudeijuststarted
01-08-2016, 00:13
First place: Damascus vortex
Second place: The Presidentials
Third place: 100 Mile Wilderness (don't get giardia in there!!!)
Fourth place: Smokies in the winter
I haven't done the entire trail yet, but so far I'd vote Dragon's Tooth or a few places on the ridge nearby. I hate heights.
Traveler
01-08-2016, 06:51
To expand a little on Owl's comment, the section you get complacent.
Lone Wolf
01-08-2016, 06:52
What is the most most dangerous section of trail/or particular spot on the trail and that includes all 2185 miles
PA. it's where most deaths and assaults have occured
My vote would be the short road walk just north of Front Royal. I had to jump off the road to avoid being hit by a cop car.
PA. it's where most deaths and assaults have occured
Good point.
By way of contrast, I would note that while 5 (possibly 6) THRU HIKERS have been murdered on the AT itself, none of them were killed in a state north of PA.
While a statistically rare occurrence, homicide is by far the leading cause of death ON THE TRAIL for both male and female THRU HIKERS under the age of 45.
Good thread. Good comments. Be prepared. Be aware. Enjoy.
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Conductor
01-08-2016, 08:29
Dangerous is a strong word, but the Whites and the first parts of Maine with unpredictable weather and crazy steep terrain are the first things that come to my mind. Bears really shouldn't be a problem anywhere if you follow basic guidelines. People? just let your gut tell you when to keep movin.
peakbagger
01-08-2016, 09:19
I remember trying to cross parkway in NY as pretty scary. Cars whipping by at 70 plus miles and hour and lousy sightlines.
The whites can be very dangerous if you hit crappy weather. It has snowed on Mt Washington every month of the year, exposed hiking above treeline for several miles combined with wind and rain can cause hypothermia even to the well equipped and there is some lightning hazard in the summer. Of course the exposure above treeline on a nice day makes it one of the most memorable spots on the trail for many so its a two edged sword.
I do get chuckle about a prior post listing Dragons Tooth, that's just a normal day in the whites and Maine ;)
garlic08
01-08-2016, 09:37
Dangerous is a strong word, but the Whites and the first parts of Maine with unpredictable weather and crazy steep terrain are the first things that come to my mind....
Gotta agree with this. I got stuck in flash flooding on the steep descent of Mt Moriah, probably the most "exciting" day of my AT hike.
In any place there are rocks and roots, especially when wet/muddy, the risk of falls is pretty high. It pays to remember that slips and falls are the most common backcountry accident, not bears or lightning or hypothermia.
bladnik26
01-08-2016, 10:33
This is speaking not from experience, but research only. I would say probably parts of Pennsylvania due to the extreme variation in terrain, or the 100 miles wilderness on the final stretch to Katahdin simply because of the inability to get help if you're in the middle (it supposedly takes most 7-10 days).
peakbagger
01-08-2016, 11:01
This is speaking not from experience, but research only. I would say probably parts of Pennsylvania due to the extreme variation in terrain, or the 100 miles wilderness on the final stretch to Katahdin simply because of the inability to get help if you're in the middle (it supposedly takes most 7-10 days).
Your research is a common misconception, the stretch from Monson to Abol Bridge near Katahdin is hyped as the "100 mile wilderness" but it is crisscrossed by a fairly extensive logging road network. Rarely are you more than a few hours from a road crossing, there is traffic on these roads but unless the area is actively being logged it may take awhile (hours not days). The Mahoosucs actually have a longer distance with no road crossings public or private but there are several side trails that drop down to roads in a few hours (although like the 100MW they maybe logging roads with variable use)
bladnik26
01-08-2016, 11:22
Huh, well like I said, research not experience. Thanks though, it's a little releaving to hear that and not have to consider the thought of being totally alone for a week or more out there :D.
mudsocks
01-08-2016, 12:11
What is the most most dangerous section of trail? Hmmmm.
The section you are not prepared for.
The Owl has spoken.
To expand a little on Owl's comment, the section you get complacent.
This and that.
One night at dusk I got a hitch into town with an older lady who as I soon discovered could not see crap. She hit the dirt shoulder twice and once I thought we were going to roll. Danger is often found where you least expect it.
Plenty of cliffs in every state that would not leave me feeling well if I hit the bottom in a hurry.
But, why attempt to judge and label? (My weak attempt to be thought provoking like Owl)
for me, it was going across the fire scald ridge just south of Jerry's Cabin in NC. At that time, I was insistent on sticking to the white blazes so I went up there close to dusk. A hard freezing rain/sleet storm greeted me there. It took me forever to make my way through that mess. No place to stop and set up a tent and wait things out...i was a bit scared. Getting to Jerry's in the dark and finding out that a fire was already going was one of the happiest moments of the trail.
aside from that, crossing that highway up there that goes into NYC and going down MT. Moosiluakic (sp?) in the rain were scary as well.
johnnybgood
01-09-2016, 20:44
Crossing any busy highway at dusk/bad visibility . Then add a blind curve or hill .
Sarcasm the elf
01-09-2016, 20:55
Crossing any busy highway at dusk/bad visibility . Then add a blind curve or hill .
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=47697&catid=member&imageuser=26465
squeezebox
01-09-2016, 21:34
In the other direction I was standing on the side of a 2 lane rd. in MD. and cars in both directions stopped for me and insisted I cross safely.
peakbagger
01-09-2016, 21:37
Pallisades Parkway, that's the one, why they don't have a hikers bridge over or a tunnel under is beyond me. Amazed no one has been hit (that I know of )
Okie Dokie
01-09-2016, 22:32
If the questions you're asking are, "Which part of the AT has the most fatalities per hiker-mile?" or "Which part of the AT is the most unforgiving of arrogance or carelessness or stupidity?", then my (uneducated) guess would be The Whites. Friends periodically ask me if I'm afraid of bears on The Trail, and I always respond that bears are pretty much a non-issue. I then note that failure to properly prepare for even moderately bad weather in The Whites can be rapidly fatal.
Absolutely....the only time I felt "threatened" on my thru was when a storm whizzed in while I was in the Whites...had to shelter on the lee side of a knife edge ridge for 3 hours before walking on could be considered safe...80 mph winds and cold....take this section of the trail seriously in terms of preparedness...
Overcoming "situations" along the rest of the trail amounted to only minor inconveniences (read as not really life threatening)...you can walk around a snake, etc...
IMO complacency gets NOBOs in the whites, when/ if they reach there they are fit, fast, ready to be done and used to easier/ better maintained trail - commonly ending up in Berlin hospital
while Mahoosuc Notch may be called the most difficult or slowest mile, I did not find it particularly dangerous unless you did it with wet rocks - I have never heard of injuries being common
to me the climb up Katahdin contained the most concentrated hazards - but this is mitigated by 2 things - for almost everyone it is a short day with no hurry - and it is the only place on the trail with access limited for weather and time of day
while winter in any of the northern AT can be hazardous, it just is not that commonly attempted without suitable preparation - not so with the smokies in winter, it is used year round by hikers with a wide variety of preparation - it also has the most remote areas of the AT, and little cell phone reception - so to me it adds up that winter in the smokies would be the easiest scenario for a mishap to result in a fatality
Wise Old Owl
01-09-2016, 23:26
PA. it's where most deaths and assaults have occured
Disturbing...Honest LW ... where would anyone find this fine information you are repeating?
my guess is leading cause of death on the AT is heart attack (much like everywhere) - so the location of the most deaths would be fairly random
my guess is leading cause of death on the AT is heart attack (much like everywhere) - so the location of the most deaths would be fairly random
For AT thru hikers under the age of 45, homicide is by far the leading cause of death on the Trail itself.
None of the 5 (possibly 6) thru hiker homicides was committed north of PA.
Traveler
01-11-2016, 07:31
For AT thru hikers under the age of 45, homicide is by far the leading cause of death on the Trail itself.
None of the 5 (possibly 6) thru hiker homicides was committed north of PA.
Is the 6th Largay? If so, the ME has ruled that natural causes so statistically its not in the mix.
Is the 6th Largay? If so, the ME has ruled that natural causes so statistically its not in the mix.
No, not her.
The possible 6th THRU HIKER killed on the AT was Joel Polsom in 1974. Some reports identify him as a THRU HIKER but I am not certain he was.
Here is a link to a 1974 newspaper article detailing the strange circumstances surrounding the kidnapping of his hiking partner after Mr Polsom was murdered, and the capture of his killer.
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19740512&id=sXssAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xMwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3061,2653391&hl=en
Traveler
01-12-2016, 10:13
No, not her.
The possible 6th THRU HIKER killed on the AT was Joel Polsom in 1974. Some reports identify him as a THRU HIKER but I am not certain he was.
Here is a link to a 1974 newspaper article detailing the strange circumstances surrounding the kidnapping of his hiking partner after Mr Polsom was murdered, and the capture of his killer.
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19740512&id=sXssAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xMwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3061,2653391&hl=en
What an odd story, I had not heard that before. Thanks! I put a post-it note on my water bottle not to take up with new people that have plastic bags large enough for a water melon.
Woodturner
01-12-2016, 15:39
No, not her.
The possible 6th THRU HIKER killed on the AT was Joel Polsom in 1974. Some reports identify him as a THRU HIKER but I am not certain he was.
Here is a link to a 1974 newspaper article detailing the strange circumstances surrounding the kidnapping of his hiking partner after Mr Polsom was murdered, and the capture of his killer.
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19740512&id=sXssAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xMwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3061,2653391&hl=en
I think this have happened at the Low Gap shelter. The story I heard from one of the locals in1975 was that it was a lover's triangle - but he also said that they were all fro the same area, which, according to the newspaper article, was not the case.
Also, in 73 or 74, a thru-hiker drowned trying to cross a rain swollen river in VT. Getting up in the morning entails some risks. Living entails even more.
I think this have happened at the Low Gap shelter. The story I heard from one of the locals in1975 was that it was a lover's triangle - but he also said that they were all fro the same area, which, according to the newspaper article, was not the case.
Also, in 73 or 74, a thru-hiker drowned trying to cross a rain swollen river in VT. Getting up in the morning entails some risks. Living entails even more.
Most accounts state that the convicted killer (Ralph Fox?) was a fugitive from Michigan. I think the drowning was at the Clarendon Gorge which is now bridged.
Mt. Moosilauke coming down on the north side when it's frozen with ice and racing through Mahoosuc Notch in the early morning after a night of sleet taking a high hiking bouldering route and having a "I'm an invincible thru -hiker, gotta go gotta go gotta be somewhere else, not in the moment" ignorance.
Wet leaves, wet roots, slippery rocks, wet trail construction, loose gravel, and pointed snubbed small saplings cut/snapped off near the ground on descents are particular hazards to be aware of.
Road crossings are another place to be vigilant!
The biggest dangers on the trail are rooted in our own ignorance, complacency, and cavalier attitudes! It's not the trail. It is not the wildlife. It's not even the rocks, wet stuff, etc. It is us!
T.S.Kobzol
01-12-2016, 20:18
What is the point od this question? Are you going ymto skip all these dangerous sections? 😁
No, not her.
The possible 6th THRU HIKER killed on the AT was Joel Polsom in 1974. Some reports identify him as a THRU HIKER but I am not certain he was.
Here is a link to a 1974 newspaper article detailing the strange circumstances surrounding the kidnapping of his hiking partner after Mr Polsom was murdered, and the capture of his killer.
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19740512&id=sXssAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xMwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3061,2653391&hl=en
did anyone else read the cartoon at the bottom of the article? Gas .60 a gallon! Sad that i can tember that.
Mt. Moosilauke coming down on the north side with ice
+1 for coming down the Beaver Brook Trail when it is slick.
What is the point od this question? Are you going ymto skip all these dangerous sections? 😁
It's just a build up to everyone (except Lone Wolf) concluding that the answer is the Kennebec River crossing, followed by a somber reminder than the canoe is the way to go.