I'll bet a higher percentage of people who hike the Appalachian Trail LIVE than those who drive I-95 in NJ. Want to be scared witless? Drive that road anytime night or day.

In days of old, 70's early 80's, I remember when the West Virginia Turnpike ... all of 88 miles long ... would have a weekend death count of 10 to 25 EVERY WEEKEND, and on Holiday Weekends (4th July, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving etc.) that 88 miles would see 25 to 55 dead (I think I saw high 60's once). ("safer now that it has been "rebuilt", but still HATE it!)

Risks exist EVERYWHERE!! It is the nature of LIFE.

MANY MORE people die of Heart Attacks while hiking that trail every year than get killed (what is the average rate of killings? once every 3 years or so over it's 2100 miles)!!

Hike with a friend, or a couple, or hook up with some other hikers, and you just cut your hiking risks dramatically ... but mostly because of things like heart attacks, injuries where you just can't hike out (broken legs/ankles etc.) or allergic reactions to things like bee stings or snake bites.

I used to hike parts of the trail regularly ... but I ALWAYS had at least one hiking partner, the same philosophy when I would go on 2 week long canoe trips into the Canadian Wilderness. At least ONE other person with me.