Originally Posted By: Dagny
I doubt "most rapists" stalk the Appalachian Trail but two women backpackers were savagely murdered on the AT about a decade ago.


Does anyone know how many people have been struck by lightning on the Appalachian Trail in the past decade?

I'm not being facetious. Whenever you look at emergency preparedness, you run into this problem with people worrying about high-profile, low-probability scenarios. I think this is one.

Yes, I understand that many, or most, women fear for their safety when doing things like hiking alone. But fearing for your safety and being at risk are two different things.