[pct-l] Americas 10 most dangerous hikes

[Ellen Shopes]

I suspect the BA got that rating because of the volume of SAR events on that trail each year.  The park doesn't have an accurate count on the number of hikers on the trail each summer (hard to count the day-hikers), but there are about 100 heat-related problems each summer (roughly divided into 1 heat stroke, 90 heat exhaustion, 9 hyponatremia).  Add in the occasional trauma (usually sprains and fractures), and it does start to look dangerous down there.  My guess for that trail would be 1-2 fatalities/year, which is pretty high for a 9 mile long trail!
Ellen
(better to be a Canyon Cat!)

I can't believe the October issue of Backpacker magazine rates the Grand 
Canyon Bright Angle Trail America's 2nd most dangerous hike.
JMT Reinhold
aka....The Canyon Rat