[pct-l] End of Earth in 2012

[Nathan Miller]

>I'm going to have to disagree with this one, and I've been there.
There are lots of dangers on the PCT, and people do get hurt and die.
It is not Disneyland out there...

>With preparation, training an planning, the trip is safe, but you ARE
out in a wild environment, usually without a whole lot of gear. Go
unprepared, or make a couple of dumb mistakes, and you can be the next
statistic.

I think perhaps one of the most important things to remember in thinking about the hazards that exist on the trail -- and I agree that they're there, real, and certainly underestimated by many -- as well as those that exist in civilization is that a lot has to do with risk management.  Take, for example, commuting to work.  Some of us go by car or bus, others by bike or on foot.  People are injured and die in traffic accidents all the time.  Yet we seldom think twice about getting on our car and driving somewhere, except when we plan our route to avoid a known dangerous intersection.  Why?  It's because we not only recognize and accept the risk inherent with driving (or cycling) as being something necessary to go from one place to another, especially to and from work, we've learned how to manage that risk as part of our everyday lives.  When it comes to the risks and hazards of the wilderness, those of us with little experience may overreact simply
 because we haven't learned how to manage them, since they're no longer part of our daily life experience.  Conversely, the Amazon native knows how to manage the risks of his own evironment -- poisonous snakes, insects, etc. -- but might be terrified of our big cities.  The risks and hazards are different.  And yes, I think I'd agree that the most dangerous animal on the planet is our fellow human -- we're far more destructive than a wildfire and arguably more unpredictable than a cougar.

>If I recall my LOTR correctly, Middle Earth was a pretty dangerous
place too. At least there are no Orcs or Nazgul on the PCT....are
there?

There have been rare and unconfirmed sightings of what reports have called, "ghost hikers."  Details are sketchy and data are still being assembled.

-Nathan Miller
Newberg, OR