Originally Posted by
rickb
In the 10 years or so that I have been on this website, and 30+ years since I thru hiked, I can't remember a single decent discussion on what contributes to risks thru hikers face from other people on the Trail.
This is odd, given that 5 thru hikers have been murdered by complete strangers while many hundreds of miles into their hikes. That number eclipses the sum total of all thru hikers that have been killed by lightening, bees, bears, dogs, snakes, drowning, hypothermia, and falls.
Our culture and individual sense of well-being when out there seems to either deny this reality, or to minimize it. The ATC has this down to an art. Their response is already written for the next time there is a murder. It always begins with the observation that 5 Milliion people visit the trail each year. If the murder was not on the White Blazed trail itself (like the 5 thru hikers I reference) that is pointed out soon afterwards.
When a thru hiker is killled there is never any discussion of common circumstances. More likely, there is a concerted effort to of denial or the hiker death "to be put in perspective".
When long distance-section hiker Scott Lilly's half-burried body was found a couple years ago, the authorities would not even confirm there was a killing until the coroner's report was required to be released by state law-- exactly 6 months after he was found. Up to that point, all they we way was that the circumstances were "suspicious" (accidental shooting by a hunter, perhaps?), and that there was no reason for hikers in the area to be especially concerned.
I count myself among those who feel comfortable sleeping in the woods, and I think under all but the most exceptional circumstances others should as well. But why is any examination of what has happened to 5 of our fellow thru hikers including WM's question so taboo?
Those who minimize any risk can take comfort in the fact that no thru hiker -- either alone or not -- has ever been killed in the modern wave of northbounders. But that is not everyone who hikes the AT, is it?
I can't draw any conclusion as to the relative risk of hiking alone vs. in the company of another, but it turns out the majority of people killed on the AT or close to it have been with a hiking partner. Until relatively recently men hiking alone or with a male friend have been left alone, but the killing of Scott Lily and the (unsuccessful) attack on the two male fishermen by the Wapiti Shelter killer (who was later released after the double killing) even makes that observation out of date.
One obvious common thread is that most of the killings either took place at a shelter, or the victims had an interaction with the killer at a shelter-- and women are at a greater risk.
I sure as hell would not recommend on ask a stranger what shelter they are camping at, much less share that information with them-- especially if you are outside of the NOBO bubble. If you part of the hoard, it probably maters little,
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. My fear of sleeping alone in the woods outweighed my fear of hitchhiking, neither of which I'm afraid to do anymore 
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