Since 1974, there has been 11 Appalachian trail murders, two of which were attempted.

It has to be noted that this is very low when compared to the 3 to 4 million people that hike the trail each year.

As Bill Bryson says in his 1997 book, A Walk In The Woods, if you drew a 2,000 mile line across anywhere in America, you are bound to come across a dozen murder victims.

But it’s terrifying, nonetheless.

2001

Louise Chaput, a 51 year-old Canadian, was stabbed to death in the White Mountains, New Hampshire. The experienced hiker was found near the Glen Boulder Trailhead, just south of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Pinkham Notch HQ.

1996

Julie Williams and Lollie Winans were found both with their throats cut  in the Shenandoah National Park in the Virginia, just a month after Bryson hiked through the area himself.

Darrell David Rice was indicted for the crime six years later, while serving time in prison for another attempted abduction.

1990

Molly LaRue and Geoff Hood, a couple who had met in Kansas, were found murdered in a shelter outside Duncannon, Pennsylvania.

The male hiker had been shot and killed, and the female hiker had been raped, tortured, and killed.

Paul David Crews, a troublesome loner, who continued hiking the trail was tracked down eight days later and arrested.

There is a full article about the tragedy here on Outside Online.

1988

Rebecca Wight and Claudia Brenner were having sex in the woods in a Pennsylvania State Park while hiking the trail.

Stephen Roy Carr shot at the women eight times. Brenner was injured but managed to escape. Wright died from the shots.

At trial, Carr claimed he had been enraged by the sight of the two women having sex. He was found guilty and sentenced to life without parole.

Brenner now crusades against violence aimed at gay people. You can read the details of the case here.

1981

Robert Mountford Jr. and Laura Susan Ramsay, 27 year old social workers from Maine, were both also victims of the Appalachian trail murders by Randall Lee Smith. Mountford was shot in the head and Ramsay had been beaten and stabbed.

Smith pleaded guilty to the double homicide and was sentenced to 30 years in prison, due to lack of evidence. He only ended up serving half of his sentence, much to the anger of Ramsay and Mountford’s families.

How Should You Stay Safe On The Appalachian Trail?

Blogger Mark Kelley suggests bearing in mind that most violence comes from people crossing paths with the Appalachian Trail, not other hikers.

“Take care when you do find a person in the woods that seems completely out of place. I met several people on the trail who clearly were not hikers, and each one of them was quite strange.”

Retired FBI profiler Mary Ellen O’Toole wrote a book called Dangerous Instincts: How Gut Feelings Betray Us. 

She gave the Appalachian Trail website these handy hints about spotting a potential attackers on the Trail.

Dangerous people are often impulsive, display explosive bursts of anger, narcissistic, hold grudges and lack empathy.

You’re more likely to encounter troublesome people within a mile of Appalachian Trail crossroads, rather than in the deep, dark forest

As a rule of thumb, you’re more likely to encounter troublesome people within a mile or two of crossroads, rather than in the deep, dark forest.

Be careful when hitchhiking. You never know who might pick you up in their car – even if you are travelling with a partner.

Make sure someone knows where you can. Check in with them regularly.

Don’t be afraid to stomp on the instep of an attacker or slam a knee into a male attacker’s groin. It’s better to scratch someone’s eyes in order to protect your life than it is to be a merciful victim.

If you must, fight for your life.  Avoiding trouble, however, is always your first defence.

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