Living Hazard: Personal Safety

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While attacks on backpackers in the backcountry have occurred, that is no reason to prevent you from enjoying the woods. Backpacking alone may be dangerous for a variety of reasons, but a solo trip can also be extremely fulfilling.

To realize the safest trip possible, a solo hiker should heed the following guidelines.

Give someone your itinerary listing where you plan to camp each night and when you expect to return.
Don't tell strangers where you plan to camp. You can make polite generalizations, but don't give a stranger your travel plans.
Bring a plastic whistle to use if you are immobile and need help. A whistle lasts longer than your voice, and the sound carries farther. You may also want to bring half-dozen small flares to use to signal for help if you need to be rescued. Generating smoke from a fire is another way to signal a helicopter that may be trying to locate you from above.
You may feel safer if you carry something to protect you. Pepper spray or mace will do the job. If you plan to carry such a defense, carry it in a holster or fanny pack and make it readily accessible in your tent. It is of no use to you if you can't get to it in seconds. One defense I strongly urge you not to bring is a gun. Weapons of that magnitude have no place in a backpack.

Another option for a safe backpacking trip is to travel in a group.

3 or 4 guys traveling together is a good-sized group. A criminal is less likely to attack a group than a single individual. And if someone gets injured, one person can stay with the victim while 1 or 2 people go for help. You can also share equipment and distribute the weight among the group to make everyone's pack a little lighter.
However, when traveling with others, don't let the size of the group give you a false sense of security. Be as cautious as you would if you were traveling alone. Don't let one person lead a group of blind followers every member should be involved in making decisions.
I have never found an activity that brings people together as well as backpacking does. Groups are good for companionship and laughs. It is comforting to share the struggle of a tough climb and the joy of a swim in a crystal lake.