Dangerous sections of the AT to traverse

[Trail Bug]

Enjoy reading the journals and posts of the different things hikers experience on the trail. Anyone have a section of the trail they thought was particually dangerous to cross over. Especially if you have a fear of heights or exposure. This did not bother me much when I was a lot younger, but I look at things differently now that I am older.

[Sly]

Nothing particularly dangerous unless you have bad weather.

[Smile]

Knife's Edge on Katahdin.


PS - on a really windy day.

[The Solemates]

even knifes edge is pretty tame compared to most mountains in the west.

[Doc]

Don't get too worried about the Knife's Edge. It is not part of the AT and it is not necessary to cross. It extends from Baxter Peak and looks inviting but can be an attention getter for those not comfortable with exposed heights. Again, don't worry about it. Also, what you will probably find is that your concern about this issue as well as many others really is not that big a deal when actually encountered. This is true of high places, wild animals, lack of TV reception and other scary things. Go hike and have a good time but don't worry about issues that many others have handled quite successfully.

[wrongway_08]

Nothing to worry about. Only times anything is really bad is if the weather lays down a sheet of ice over rocks. Other then that, if your watching what your doing and not drunk (yea, theres drunk hikers out there! They are funny to laugh at.) then you have nothing to worry about.

[bulldog49]

I would not call it "dangerous", but going southbound up Dragons Tooth is pretty dicey. It's easily the most difficult section of AT I've done so far.

[garlic08]

Like everyone else said, depends on the weather and your state of mine (sober, alert, etc). In an ice storm, a sidewalk can be dangerous. On a nice calm sunny day, the gnarliest knife edge can be fun if you're in the mood. I don't remember any single step on the AT that was inherently dangerous if you're paying attention. The bouldering sections have rungs and ladders. The Mahoosuc Notch just takes time. The Presidential talus traverse likewise. All of my hiking accidents have happened 1/4 mile from a trailhead on smooth tread when the mind starts to wander, thinking about other things.

[Frick Frack]

Crossing the Palisades Parkway (NY) terrified me.

[slowandlow]

Crossing the Palisades Parkway (NY) terrified me.

Amen!

[Tin Man]

it's been said there is a far more dangerous section of trail than any footpath in the woods traverses... the town party vortex will swallow you up whole and drain you of your trail funds if you aren't careful

[sly dog]

comming down off bear mountain in ct if it is wet can be a bit tricky

[Blissful]

Going up Speck mtn when you have to make a leap over to the ladder to your left or fall down the cliff face to points unknown.

I did not like the descent off North Carter in the Whites. Also I would think going SOBO down off Webster CLiff, there's one doozy of a descent there. But any descent with slick rock faces like in the Whites is bad. Thank God for tree roots and branches.

And in CT coming off St Johns ledges down to the road was no picnic. I nearly fell straight off except my hubby caught me by the pack.

[Tin Man]

Going up Speck mtn when you have to make a leap over to the ladder to your left or fall down the cliff face to points unknown.

I did not like the descent off North Carter in the Whites. Also I would think going SOBO down off Webster CLiff, there's one doozy of a descent there. But any descent with slick rock faces like in the Whites is bad. Thank God for tree roots and branches.

And in CT coming off St Johns ledges down to the road was no picnic. I nearly fell straight off except my hubby caught me by the pack.

st. john's ledges? really? I go up and down that regularly and with scouts. it's easy and never had an issue.

the madison gulf blue blaze nobo... that's one shortcut you don't want to take, trust me!

thanks for the info on north carter... something to look forward to this year, besides mahoosuc notch

[Slo-go'en]

Be careful of the bog bridges up here in New England when thier wet. Slicker than freash baby poo. I've slid off of those things more than once! The climb up to Wildcat from Pinkum Notch is interesting too, but you can blue blaze around it. It can get real interesting in Maine if the exposed ledges are wet.

[Hikerhead]

The trail going down Garfield northbound has been the most dangerous that I've came across so far. The trail is in a creek bed heading steaply downhill. Some of it being on slabs of rock that are like ice when wet. Had to hold on to trees, roots, rocks on the way down. I came very close to ending my hike when I slipped and came within inches of hitting the back of my head on a rock. It's a nasty little section.

[Bankrobber]

I found the entire Whites to be precarious. Especially the north side of Moosilauke during the rain. The Mahoosuc Range was also tough. I found that the trail got much easier from there.

On the PCT, traversing the snowfields on the high passes is a challenge. There are patches where the snow can be just a shell covering a hollow patch. Watch those ankles.

If you really want some death defying trail, check out the Mapiri trail that crosses the Bolivian Andes into the Amazon... I am glad I made it out alive.

[Gaiter]

roads

[4eyedbuzzard]

Although you're not supposed to "traverse" this part of the trail in this manner, fording the Kennebec is pretty dangerous.

[Kanati]

Going up Speck mtn when you have to make a leap over to the ladder to your left or fall down the cliff face to points unknown.

I did not like the descent off North Carter in the Whites. Also I would think going SOBO down off Webster CLiff, there's one doozy of a descent there. But any descent with slick rock faces like in the Whites is bad. Thank God for tree roots and branches.

And in CT coming off St Johns ledges down to the road was no picnic. I nearly fell straight off except my hubby caught me by the pack.

I thought the same thing. I met a group of teen girls going up (south) and cautioned them. Then near the road I met a couple of young guys from England going up to do some repelling.