The 10 Most Dangerous Hikes

November 15, 2008

Backpacker Magazine has put a new feature up on America’s ten most dangerous hikes. The list has it’s customary highlights like Mist Trail in Half Dome, CA, or Muir Snowfield on Mt. Rainier, but there are also a couple of surprises. One of the surprise trails on this list comes to us from the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.

Abrams Falls, in SMNP, has been featured for it’s somewhat dangerous river and falls. A few commenters to Backpacker Magazine have already taken exception to Abrams Falls being included in this list. Most of their reasonings come from the fact that you don’t have to cross the river while on trail, or swim in the “dangerous waterhole” below the falls.

Backpacker Magazine goes on to give us details about not swimming in unknown creeks in the Smokey Mountains. They state that flash flooding is one of the biggest causes of death while in the park.

I also find myself taking objection with this article and the trail that they picked. In my personal experience, there are many more trails in the SMNP that could have been highlighted, but were passed by for a relatively normal trail to highlight flashflooding. Yes, there can be flashfloods in SMNP, but they are on a rare occasion, and even then, generally a park ranger will be around to warn people before the waters get high.

On a more dangerous note, I found many trails that led to sheer cliffs of 60 or more feet. The only thing separating you from the rocky bottom was your uncanny knack at balancing and not venturing to close to the cliff. Out of the deaths that were mentioned on the Backpacker Magazine site (29) since 1979, they did not mention how many were flashflood, or falling related. My guess would be that the danger of falls far outweigh the number of people who have drowned in SMNP.

Generally, that is the only problem i see with this list. Each trail has it’s own link with an in-depth article about each. It really is worth checking out. Perhaps you have ventured along some of these trails yourself and have a differing viewpoint, or perhaps you have a trail of your own that you would like to highlight, either way, you can leave your thoughts below.

Did you like this? If so, please bookmark it,