Safety in hiking

[Peakbagr]

As a moderator, this has been a pretty good discussion. Lets pls remember to keep this related to hiking. Held my breath a couple of times with a concern it would take a turn toward a firearms or dogs thread.

As the father of a young woman, I too was creeped out by the recent crime and some of the experiences you've had personally. It would concern me if my daughter wanted to hike alone, but I also respect those who've found a way to do this safely.

Thanks.

 

[king tut]

I think the death penalty may be too humane for him. Lethal injections kill the person with little to no pain as far as I know, I just find it hard to fathom that people like this can cause so much physical and emotional pain to others and then possibly die in a humane way. A part of the law I disagree with. Let him rot in a cell. I read that he had some sort of terminal or degenerative condition, I would rather see him waste away. There are two parts of the crime, the damage he did to Meredith and the damage he did to all others who now fear to hike alone because of this one isolated incident. That just makes me mad. Being a large male, 6-2 220 pounds, I do not fear for my safety in the wilderness, but I just feel bad for all others that need to alter their plans due to one lunatic.

 

[HapyHkngSmile]

Thank you everyone who added to this forum topis. I am planning two solo trips out west this year and I am terrified. I almost changed my plan and canceled one of the trips after reading this story.

I went hiking solo a few times and was stricken with fear which took the enjoyment out of the hike - all but for the first few moments. Many of my buddies agree that nothing scares them more in the backcountry than other people. However... I have a story quite the opposite of the missing hiker.

I was hiking breakneck in Hudson Valley and got stuck on a scramble. Scared and shaken - two men hiking together came and helped me! I almost denied their help because I was afraid of what would happen after I got to safety. But I would be reallllly hurt if I didn't take it...

Thank you for posting this again! I will not stop doing what I love due to other peoples fears and weaknesses - but I may start carrying more protection...

DaydreamerSSSS

 

[--M.]

I will not stop doing what I love due to other peoples fears and weaknesses - but I may start carrying more protection...

This of course has its own risks. Unless you have regular practice with a tool in realistic scenarios, you are not as likely to be successful with it. More to the point, it may even end up being used against you. Besides, personal-use thermonuclear devices are heavy!

Again, just be smaht!

 

[hikrgrl]

I hike by myself A LOT...and to date, have not run into any problems...and my dog probably wouldn't be much protection.

However, this whole episode about Meredith Emerson has given me pause. Even last night, I went for a walk in the woods after dark (better, so I thought, than walking my dog on the streets around my house). There was a car that blasted down a rarely used woods road which would have intersected my trail in ~100 yds - I could see the headlights stopped at the top of the hill, it waited a few minutes, turned around and went back toward the main road - I got kinda freaked out, turned around on my trail, and headed home

While you do have to be aware on the trail, sometimes it's not a bad thing to talk to the people you meet - on New Year's I hiked Tecumseh and met Silverfox, who, after we chatted, met up with some skiers who gave him the camera I dropped and he was able to contact me to return it.

Yah...like --M. said...be smaht...

 

[Skennenden]

My daughter has backpacked the entire NPT alone and hikes and camps with only her dog, frequently. I also hike/woods walk, with only my dog, often. My husband suggested that we get a horn. Today I got both of us one of those blaster horns that are suppose to be heard a mile away. I can't find a place that sells pepper spray anymore since the new laws. But, as a cyclist, I used pepper spray in the past against a dog and I got it in my eyes as well, and it wasn't pleasant. So I'm not a real fan of pepper spray. I never have been overly afraid, but I must admit, that when I'm alone I do get uneasy when I see a vehicle on woods roads and even though I love to walk the back roads in state land, I've stopped doing it without my husband because I do get so nervous. I don't feel nearly as uneasy on more remote hiking trails.