Missing GA Hiker Thoughts
Agents question man about missing hiker - Yahoo! News
So here are my thoughts on this story:
First of all, this girl is originally from Colorado. After living and hiking out west, I know from my own experience that you become complacent in trusting that other hikers on the trail are just that--hikers. It takes a lot of gumption and physical effort to get anywhere interesting to hike in the Mountain West.
In the East, along the Appalachian Trail, anyone can just drive up to the trail, get out of their car, and start bothering people at will. There is no "wilderness filter" or "terrain boundary" that keeps the dross out.
This young woman, I think, took for granted that hiking alone was safe, since she really was safe hiking out west. When I lived in Utah, I had girlfriends that went on solo backpacks; I would drive off from town by myself and go on awesome day hikes. I was never bothered, and I usually never saw another person.
But hiking here, so close to interstate highways and urban areas, you are going to get the odd percent of psychopaths and miscreants.
I suppose if I were to hike by myself here, the first precaution I'd take is having a can of mace in a VERY handy place. If I was grabbed from behind by my pack, that would leave my arms and legs flailing...but I would have plenty of time to get the mace ready. If a man approached me, I tell him to get lost right away and get my cell phone out. Criminals count on you being a nice, friendly person--believe me, I would be a total bitch to somebody that just walked up to me and tried to talk to me that was obviously not a hiker.
The second precaution I'd take is not hiking by myself if I could at all avoid it. The East is too populous, and parks and trails are too easily accessible; there will be a criminal element variable that is much higher than hiking in the West.
I am reminded of the case not long ago of the two girls that were murdered as they slept in their tent along the Appalachian Trail. I don't know if that case was ever resolved--but that was an anomalous, vicious thing that could have happened anywhere, town or country.
If you are a hiking nut and you just can't help hiking alone, just remember: don't be nice, try to put space between you and an unknown male as quickly as possible, even if that means running along the trail, have your cell phone ON, and carry mace. Practice scenarios in which you have to use mace.
UPDATE HERE...
So this story ended NOTHING like it began. Turns out the suspect was a known hiker AND possibly a serial killer. This is such a rare thing, a hiker with real blood lust. I've met some weird-o people hiking to be sure, but never anyone that I thought was the killing kind.
I would guess that the chances of meeting a someone like this on the trail is about the same as being randomly murdered in a city. It's more probable you'll be hit by lightning and die.
So here are my thoughts on this story:
First of all, this girl is originally from Colorado. After living and hiking out west, I know from my own experience that you become complacent in trusting that other hikers on the trail are just that--hikers. It takes a lot of gumption and physical effort to get anywhere interesting to hike in the Mountain West.
In the East, along the Appalachian Trail, anyone can just drive up to the trail, get out of their car, and start bothering people at will. There is no "wilderness filter" or "terrain boundary" that keeps the dross out.
This young woman, I think, took for granted that hiking alone was safe, since she really was safe hiking out west. When I lived in Utah, I had girlfriends that went on solo backpacks; I would drive off from town by myself and go on awesome day hikes. I was never bothered, and I usually never saw another person.
But hiking here, so close to interstate highways and urban areas, you are going to get the odd percent of psychopaths and miscreants.
I suppose if I were to hike by myself here, the first precaution I'd take is having a can of mace in a VERY handy place. If I was grabbed from behind by my pack, that would leave my arms and legs flailing...but I would have plenty of time to get the mace ready. If a man approached me, I tell him to get lost right away and get my cell phone out. Criminals count on you being a nice, friendly person--believe me, I would be a total bitch to somebody that just walked up to me and tried to talk to me that was obviously not a hiker.
The second precaution I'd take is not hiking by myself if I could at all avoid it. The East is too populous, and parks and trails are too easily accessible; there will be a criminal element variable that is much higher than hiking in the West.
I am reminded of the case not long ago of the two girls that were murdered as they slept in their tent along the Appalachian Trail. I don't know if that case was ever resolved--but that was an anomalous, vicious thing that could have happened anywhere, town or country.
If you are a hiking nut and you just can't help hiking alone, just remember: don't be nice, try to put space between you and an unknown male as quickly as possible, even if that means running along the trail, have your cell phone ON, and carry mace. Practice scenarios in which you have to use mace.
UPDATE HERE...
So this story ended NOTHING like it began. Turns out the suspect was a known hiker AND possibly a serial killer. This is such a rare thing, a hiker with real blood lust. I've met some weird-o people hiking to be sure, but never anyone that I thought was the killing kind.
I would guess that the chances of meeting a someone like this on the trail is about the same as being randomly murdered in a city. It's more probable you'll be hit by lightning and die.
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