June had some tragic hiker deaths - but how common ARE trail deaths?

So if you love hiking, like Sponge - you notice a headline like "Hiker, 19, plunges 50 feet to his death." It stands out among political, sports or entertainment news - as ANY hiker doing a major trail could ALSO fall 50 feet and find themselves in a similar news story. Then there was this one: "3 Hikers Die in Separate Incidents at Grand Canyon National Park." The culprit? Heat. Finally, "Hiker's cause of death revealed after body found with neck marks." A deeper dive into this one reveals the neck marks were insect bites and the cause this female's death was actually alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

But what's shocking is NOT the content of the stories, but rather the fact that they were in the news in just the last 15 days.

So are hiking deaths more common than we think?

Not really. The National Park Service shares this 'mortality' stat: an average of 358 deaths occur each year across all National Parks (from 2014–2019). This makes a mortality rate of 0.11 per 100,000 recreational visits in 2019. The top 3 causes? Motor vehicle crashes, drownings, and falls , in that order. Throw out the car crashes and the morality rate falls even further.

Compare this with the CDC's 2019 stats on motor vehicle mortality rates: 11.1 deaths per 100,000 population...or 36,355 deaths nationwide.

So yes, you're FAR more likely to die driving to a trail than being on one. But that doesn't stop the headlines from pulling out the most gruesome, painful or mysterious hiker deaths out there.

But WHY do hikers die on trails in the first place?

This question is a toughie, as many hiker deaths are unique to the actual individual, the terrain and weather involved.

A desert trail like those found in Arizona or Utah will have more heat exposure deaths, whereas summit trails in Colorado may see more deaths from high falls or exposure to the cold. Lightning strikes, floods, and high winds can turn even the tamest of trails into tragedy.

And then there's just terrible, unexplainable rotten luck. On August 27, 2019, 28-year-old Finn Bastian perished on the PCT, when, as he was crossing a wooden bridge, a tree fell on him.

So is there ANY good reason for news to keep highlighting hiker deaths???

Actually, there is.

What many hiker deaths have in common is a simple denominator: the hiker involved made mistakes or was not adequately prepared for the terrain or weather they would face.

Bringing attention to these deaths also educates those with ambitions to hike the same trails or areas. Having lived a good 25 years in Arizona, Sponge knew better than many visitors not to hit desert trails with a few 16 oz. water bottles. A big reason WHY he knew this is because a multitude of news stories constantly assailed him with tales of stranded visitors being rescued by helicopters...or more tragically, a body being found days after the individual is reported as missing.

So, these news stories, although sometimes sensational, can also be preventatively informative. As a matter of fact, it would be wise for ANY hiker considering a trail to run a quick internet search for "hiker deaths + name of trail." See when and how hikers perished, and soak up what you can.

Accidents happen, sure, but good preparation is less about luck. Let's enjoy the trails and enter the news cycle only when it's about doing something amazing.

Contact

Reach out for tips or gear advice

Email

spongethehiker@gmail.com