"If you play a Nicleback song backwards, you'll hear messages from the devil. Even worse, if you play it forward, you'll hear Nickleback." - Dave Grohl
Link to online version of "Trail Safe"
http://www.gorp.com/hiking-guide/tra...dwcmdev_056742.
OC Spray = Pepper Spray. OC is the active ingredient
You seemed to have missed the hundreds of thousands of posts about people who were not mugged, killed, or assaulted. The ATC estimates that 2 to 3 million people use the trail every year. Of these, 2 to 3 million are not crime victims. To put it in perspective, in the US for every 2.5 million people, about 300 will die each year in car accidents. Are you afraid to drive?
Fear is a powerful motivator. None of us can mitigate or get rid of your fear. Only you can do that. You talked about how to deal with cold or slipping and falling. You seem to have dealt with those fears and put them aside. Those possibilities are much higher than being assaulted on the trail. Yet you seem to be focused on the very small possibility you might have a confrontation with someone. Personally if I was 26, 6'4" and 215 lbs, it wouldn't even cross my mind.
You also seem to be concerned about "pink blazers". That concept should not be new to you either. Having served in the Air Force, I'm sure you've seen, and worked with, young women serving in the military. How do young guys act around them? They are away from home, alone and lonely. Sure they seek out female companionship. Not a thing wrong with that. It's not like every male hiker is stalking a female hiker looking to do her harm.
It's sad that you are allowing your fears to color what should be an adventure of a lifetime. I would suggest you make an effort to seek out and read the many journals of female hikers. Let them tell you just how justified your fear is. I think you'll find you are way over the top on this.
And yes.....if it was my wife, I'd send her to the trail BY HERSELF and not be concerned at all.
GA - NJ 2001; GA - ME 2003; GA - ME 2005; GA - ME 2007; PCT 2006
A wise man changes his mind, a fool never will.
—SPANISH PROVERB
I don't believe the OP's fears are completely unreasonable. If the AT is a little slice of regular society, then at some point you're bound to come across someone unstable.
Last year on our NOBO thru attempt, we met a crazy Vietnam veteran ('Teardrop', anyone?) who we later discovered had assaulted other hikers and threatened to eat a hiker's dog. AND 2 months after coming home, we discovered that poor Mr. Scott Lilly, who lived 15 MINUTES AWAY FROM US, was found dead and partially buried off the AT (death finally ruled a homicide) and that this Teardrop was wanted for questioning, amongst other hikers.
I'm not saying this 'Teardrop' definitively did it. I'm saying that he's a 'character' that you do have a chance of running into in the wilderness, and you need to have an idea of what you'll do in situations you thought you'd never encounter.
The likelihood that someone will experience a hardship on the AT beyond thirst, losing a possession or getting blisters is VERY slim. It is very unlikely that you will find yourself with a truly aggressive, deranged person who intends to hurt you in a colorful way.
But just once would be enough.
And putting your head in the sand is inaction. The mantra 'Be prepared' should apply to all aspects of life, and as much as it's satisfying to 'seek fellowship in the wildernress,' not everyone wants to be your friend, and you should have a plan should something arise. I'm not a 'Shoot first and ask questions later' kind of gal, but I know better than to be ignorant and everyone has a God-given right to defend their life.
A little common sense will go a long way, and pay attention to your instincts, and you'll be fine. If you're really worried, show the missus pressure points and have her take a self-defense course.
Formerly 'F-Stop'
If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one.
~ Dolly Parton
that escalated quickly. I feel like most of you read in to the first post and not the ones to follow.
I'll try to be more clear. I understand the chance of meeting unsavory types is just about 0. I get that. I do. the fear is not something that will prevent me from hiking, just as (as mentioned) the statistics for driving don't keep me from driving. Its also not so high that I wouldn't allow my wife to hike on her own. Perhaps fear is the wrong word here. I know these things will almost definitely not happen. BUT should they, I was curious what constitutes reasonable preparation. I always cover all my bases, no matter how unlikely something is to occur. Every time I plan anything I think of every possible negative outcome, even the ridiculous, then I plan for it. It keeps me sane, and prevents me from stressing about things that would otherwise drive me insane. I also plan to bring a snake bite kit, even though I know I know how to spot them, where they hide, which ones are venomous, how to act around them etc etc. I'm researching things like average weather conditions in the last 20 years, to get a better understanding. I do this with everything. and questions/concerns about people are often the hardest to figure out because thru hiking the AT is a unique situation, so I ask the people on here about it and take the advice. I'm not going to carry a gun, I know how to defend myself, I'm not super protective of my wife, but I know the potential exists for bad things to happen which could otherwise impede the success of an amazing trip, so I don't think I'm wrong to inquire about those things in order to reduce the likelihood of those things happening. in the end, I have to bring bear spray anyway, since my wife is afraid of nature. even deer. so if it comes to it, I have a form of defense that I wont break a hand or equipment using.
GREAT ADVICE!! I met a mentally ill "hiker," on the AT, in 2010 on McAfee Knob. He was not in touch with reality at all. I posted a thread about him on Trailjournals. A ridge runner had met him earlier as well. (same guy from my description) He wasn't threatening, at the time, but who knows when they can become a danger to themselves or others. Mr. Scott Lilly, is most likely PROOF, that we all have pay attention to our instints when out on the trail. Sometimes, I really don't like the comments of others on WB.... just sayin.
To me, personal injury is 1000x more likely and a more relevant concern, I sleep pretty hard, a bear would probably be 1/2 through eating one of my legs before I woke up................agree with hiking poles, they could be quite a weapon against people or nasty dogs, from growing up in Philly and what I have read, and experienced, standing tall, eye contact, confidence is key in an encounter.
American Arms, does have really small .22 handguns, with the right ammo this would be ideal, forgetting the legal risks.....if I were that concerned I would carry one of these in my hip belt pocket.
Finn
What if you miss ?
What if the rounds that you fired -in -the - dark and in -the -heat -of -the -moment - miss their intended target and instead strike an unsuspecting fellow hiker ?
What if nobody knows that person was hit until the next day or possibly days after -which would be true of somebody that was sleeping in a well concealed hammock
Finn
You're gonna be walking in an environment where cellphones usually don't work and where when minutes count help can often be hours and hours away.
My suggestion as a guy that was born and raised in NYC is to leave your weapon at home and instead to improve your situational awareness to keep yourself out of harms way
Sorry, North American Arms
Improve your odds of encountering unstable people by not staying in shelters.
Getting lost is a way to find yourself.
If your in the military your hands should be deadly weapons, but out there "the war is over" Dont make victims of predators. Plastic Gloc could be a solution, but your self esteem may be an issue. Will you hurt a flirt? Keep witnesses alive or you will become the ill one, just saying. Peace.
Actually the chances of MEETING unsavory people is probably not that low. The chances of becoming a victim of a crime carried out by one of the "unsavories" is much lower. Also, I think that everyone agrees that being prepared is a good idea. You will find lots of advice on what you can and should do to prepare in terms of modifying your behavior to minimize your risks (avoid shelters, be aware of your surroundings, trust you instincts, hang out with people you can trust, etc...). This is what I would define as "reasonable preparation". Where things get murky is whey you ask the question: Is it worth the trouble to carry an extra piece of gear (weapon, pepper spray, snake bit kit) only for the purpose of protection?
You admit that the crime risk is "just about 0" (and BTW, the bear, deer, and snake risk are probably much lower). Yet you feel the need to plan for any potential problem "now matter how unlikely" as way of preserving your sanity. I suggest that your bear spray and snake kit are not protecting you from bears and snakes, but they are protecting you from yourself. If you're OK with that, then bring them.
To alot of people the size of a human means nothing, to me its a larger target, easier to strike with accuracy. Being alone makes you(not you per say) a higher risk, because most attackers are cowards. If you read "the cactus eaters" you can see that his insecurity with himself made him think men were trying to take his women, fear can drive a person mad, just be prepared to handle things, and realize that sometimes no prep can get you ready for every scenario. If you whip out a gun, it better be to use it, or legally it can be taken away from you and used in a legal self defence manner to the real trouble makers. O.K. im done. Whatever you do, dont arm bears, there scary enough!
The Appalachian Trail is a dangerous place. You will probably get raped or stabbed or robbed before you get even half way. Don't even think about going on the trail.
And if a murderer doesn't get you then a snake will kill you or a bear will eat your arm off. Or one of the hundreds of cougars will jump on you from a tree.
You are much better off just loading your loved ones and all your dogs in the car and driving around to hiker bashes and sitting around the fire and talking about hiking.
The trouble I have with campfires are the folks that carry a bottle in one hand and a Bible in the other.
You never know which one is talking.