Hiking Can Be Deadly

In 2008, I counted seventy seven hikers that died in hiking accidents. I did not count the troubled souls who went into the wilderness to commit suicide in my number. I did count the murder of Meredith Emerson and the shooting of Pam Amli by a young hunter. I may have missed some. It was depressing to go through the list of hikers that died last year. Hikers died at a rate of one and a half a week, in every month of the year. Most by falling, others by avalanche, heat stroke, natural causes, exposure, falling rocks, train, falling in a mine shaft, flash floods and unknown causes. The youngest was 11 a Boy Scout that died of heat stroke. The oldest was listed as in his eighties. I miss them all and hope they are at peace.

My condolences to their friends and family.