AT Death Rate

[coach lou]

Thru hikers are still a relatively small community.

With the advent of the Internt the very few deaths that do occur -- whether it's a hiker getting hit by a train or one falling to a heart attack-- hardly go unnoticed. Even before the Internet the grapevine was in force.

To my way of thinking what doesn't happen is just as interesting as what does-- i.e. no AT thru hiker seems to ever have perished from lightening, bears, snakes, drunk drivers, exposure, heat stroke andperhaps even by a fall.

To discuss such things is not to suggest one need to be overly concerned about such things. Those who are uncomfortable with the topic should ignore this thread.

Thanks Rick, was kind of my thoughts all along.

[Wise Old Owl]

Unless I'm mistaken (and please correct me if I am), none of these occurred on the AT.

RainMan

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You are mistaken.

[Jack Tarlin]

WOO---Your quote above does not quite do Rain Man justice. If you look at his original remark it is clear that he wasn't referring to all of crimes we've been discussing; he was referring specifically to the Wight-Brenner shooting and the Williams-Winans case of 1996. These crimes did NOT actually occur on the A.T. itself, so no, Rain Man was not mistaken at all.

[Rain Man]

WOO---Your quote above does not quite do Rain Man justice. If you look at his original remark it is clear that he wasn't referring to all of crimes we've been discussing; he was referring specifically to the Wight-Brenner shooting and the Williams-Winans case of 1996. These crimes did NOT actually occur on the A.T. itself, so no, Rain Man was not mistaken at all.

Well parsed, Jack! And right you are.

RainMan

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[Wise Old Owl]

point taken how much closer do you need it to be the AT? The list was an old list - it was compiled by my guess was the press and was posted on AT websites. I pulled the original stories,and data. Close enough for me.

Pennsylvania - May 12, 1988, Rebecca Wight was shot dead and her partner, Claudia Brenner, was seriously wounded.Wight's death, and her ordeal -- Eight Bullets

In May 1988, Wight and Brenner were hiking the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania. They had parked their car at Dead Woman Hollow, and hiked into Michaux State Forest where they set up camp.


Dead Woman Hollow (Rd) is the place they parked the car that day to hike the trail.The trail doesn't have a lot but people dump the car at the side of the road. What do I have to get the book?

come on its the Internet

[Jack Tarlin]

You're right....it is indeed the Internet, meaning one frequently has to question the absolute accuracy of what one is reading. As WOO certainly knows, places like the Smokies or Shenandoah Park have hundreds of miles of side/adjoining/adjacent Trails other than the A.T. And all along the rest of the A.T., there's a vast network of side and secondary Trails. In regards to crime on the Trail, it is a fact that much of the crime that is described as having taken place ON the Appalachian Trail did not in fact do so, and when these horrible incidents are continually described as having occurred on the Trail, it helps foster the widespread perception that the Trail is unsafe. That's why accuracy in reporting and discussing these incidents is indeed important. After all, if you Google "Appalachian Trail murders" you'll likely get hundreds of thousands of hits. In point of fact, many of these hits describe these crimes inaccurately, i.e. they say flat out that the incidents took place on the Trail when, in fact, they frequently did not. So the fact that you feel that the data and descriptions were "close enough for me" isn't really good enough. And it's bad for the Trail. I am NOT saying these horrible incidents and crimes should be downplayed or not discussed. But I think it's important that we make an effort to be as accurate as possible when discussing the subject. The A.T. is, in fact, a very safe place, and anything that helps to falsely give some people the opposite idea.....well this is something to be avoided. The actual amount of violent crime that has taken place ON the Appalachian Trail is significantly smaller than most people think.

[rickb]

Well parsed, Jack! And right you are.

RainMan

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If I am not mistaken the victims first encountered the killer at the twin Birch Run shelters on the AT. That encounter led to the shooting and murder.

[Tuckahoe]

If I might add to discussion, I agree with what Jack has said. On the otherhand with many I think there is want to qualify events that happen (whether accidents or crimes) on or near the trail to such a degree, so as to be able to point out that nothing really happens at all. The AT is not insulated from the outer world and hikers and the AT does pass through and is affected by other communities along the way.

[Blue Jay]

The AT is not insulated from the outer world and hikers and the AT does pass through and is affected by other communities along the way.

Since cyber hikers are insulated from the world, this quote specifies EXACTLY why this type of thread exists.

[rocketsocks]

Since cyber hikers are insulated from the world, this quote specifies EXACTLY why this type of thread exists.

Blue Jay, not sure I'm following you, the thread just asks is there a lot of deaths on the AT, and does it seem to happen each year. Got nothing to do with cyber hiking, unless your saying if CH were out there they'd know the answer, is that what your saying.

[rickb]

Not speaking about anyone in particular, but I do think it natural to be protective of the places and institutions that they love.

By and large that is a good thing, and reflects some very admirable qualities in those individuals.

That said, sometimes such noble intent is not really being helpful in the long run. Consider how it took a federal law to get well meaning administratora at colleges and universities to reveal reports of on-campus crime. They did want to worry students and parents or have there institutions linked with anything that was not positive and uplifting.

The AT is very different but sometimes I think the same mindset comes into play.

[hikerboy57]

Since cyber hikers are insulated from the world, this quote specifies EXACTLY why this type of thread exists.

how was this comment helpful?apparently youve kept up with the thread. are you a closet cyber hiker?

[Blue Jay]

how was this comment helpful?apparently youve kept up with the thread. are you a closet cyber hiker?

"closet"???? No a ghost typed this.

[Rain Man]

Consider how it took a federal law to get well meaning administratora at colleges and universities to reveal reports of on-campus crime.

Exactly. ON campus.

Rain Man

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[Wise Old Owl]

Let's go in a different direction. How about all the accidents heart attacks falls drownings and get away from the murder stuff.

[coach lou]

Does anyone want to hear about my new Black Diamond Trekking poles UPS just brought me. They are red, Green is my favorite color....olive drab to be precise, but they got flip locks and cork handles, NICE! After Driver8 and I finish are day hike up and over Everett, I'll let you all know how they worked.

Oh, I am sorry about the thread drift, but it's my thread and in 4 pages No one has answered my original question, and I'm tired and sorry that some of my friends are battleing over this. Did I mention it's 92 here in Connecticut and 400% humidity!

[Wise Old Owl]

Ok I am a nicce guy the answer is........ Kneed. Taps talk

[Wise Old Owl]

There isn't a good answer to the original question.

[tdoczi]

Exactly. ON campus.

Rain Man

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to say someone who was killed on a side trail while hiking to or from the AT i think is silly. sure, technically sure its not "on the AT" but are you really arguing that the AT is safer than the side trail that it connects to? thats a rather ludicrous statement to make.

likewise, if a student were killed on a sidewalk that was 5 feet from the entrance to campus while on his/her way to class, while technically not "on campus" to say it does not reflect on the safety of that campus would be ridiculous.

[WingedMonkey]

I am sorry about the thread drift, but it's my thread and in 4 pages No one has answered my original question,

No, this year is no different than any other on average of people doing things that got them killed while in the woods.