View Full Version : In Memory of... Gallery?
noselicious42
06-26-2012, 07:39
I've been browsing through the great pictures that people posted in the gallery section of this site, and I came across the In Memory of... Gallery. Some of the people there seemed really young! I've heard that the animals aren't a problem, and that if you use some street-smarts then scary people from outside of the trail won't be a problem. But are there other reasons why the AT is dangerous? As in, inexperienced people doing silly things and then geting seriously injured? But also things like slipping off ridges in storms...? I'm going SOBO, and sometimes I worry that I'll be stuck in the 100 Mile Wilderness, fresh on the trail without a whole lot of know-how, and hurt myself somehow. How do lone hikers keep themselves in touch with the outside world in case of emergency? Is there cell phone reception everywhere? Or at least enough hikers on the trail?
How do lone hikers keep themselves in touch with the outside world in case of emergency? Is there cell phone reception everywhere? Or at least enough hikers on the trail?
i kind of strive to stay out of touch, actually.
Cookerhiker
06-26-2012, 08:09
It's very unlikely that you won't meet other hikers in the 100 Mile Wilderness. And although there are no paved public roads, parts of it are still accessible using the private logging roads so you'll even meet day hikers.
Regarding "staying in touch," don't bother. Tell you family/friends/whoever that you're out of reach for a few days. I realize that sounds strange and abnormal in 2012 but so what? We managed to do without cell phones until a generation ago.
noselicious42
06-26-2012, 08:14
Regarding "staying in touch," don't bother. Tell you family/friends/whoever that you're out of reach for a few days. I realize that sounds strange and abnormal in 2012 but so what? We managed to do without cell phones until a generation ago.
Actually I prefer leave my cell phone at home! I meant in case of an emergency. I was reading a blog where the guy's wife made him bring a locator device, but it looked heavy. So in case of emergency most people use their phones, and these are effective during emergencies, right?
bigcranky
06-26-2012, 08:57
I suspect 99.99999% of the folks in the "In Memory Of" photo gallery died off-trail from the usual sorts of things - cancer, heart attacks, accidents. That gallery isn't supposed to scare you off the trail.
The AT isn't all that dangerous. It helps to have some backpacking experience if you're going to start in Maine, even just a few weekend hikes will help.
noselicious42
06-26-2012, 09:43
I suspect 99.99999% of the folks in the "In Memory Of" photo gallery died off-trail from the usual sorts of things - cancer, heart attacks, accidents. That gallery isn't supposed to scare you off the trail.
The AT isn't all that dangerous. It helps to have some backpacking experience if you're going to start in Maine, even just a few weekend hikes will help.
Yup, I've got tons of weekend experience, and hopefully between now and 2014 I'll get in some longer trips to test out gear and perfect pack weight... I'm so excited!