I am a short (although inclined to stoutness) older woman. I guess that puts me in the vulnerable class. I have, however, solo hiked for years and have never had any problems, nor do I feel particularly vulnerable. I do not carry a gun, partly because they are too heavy and partly because my previous history (including a target shooting class in college) proves that I can't hit the side of a barn when I'm inside it. My idea of the ideal defense weapon is a double-barrelled 12-gauge shotgun (most impressive from the business end), but that's far too heavy and bulky for anything but home defense. I won't carry bear spray unless I'm in grizzly country, which I don't hike (there aren't any grizz in Oregon, and in Washington there are only a few along the Canadian border, a long way from where I hike). And it would be just my luck to spray the stuff in the wrong direction....

My hiking buddy is a dog (mostly Lab) who is about the most non-threatening animal alive (the most dangerous thing about him is his wagging tail, which keaves black-and-blue marks on people's legs). However, there have been a couple of occasions when he has growled or barked at suspicious acting characters, and from that I suspect that if I were attacked he just might put his teeth into play. I also carry a pair of sharp-ended trekking poles. If someone wants to attack me, he might win, but he sure won't get off unscathed. I believe that just the presence of the largish dog and the trekking poles act as a deterrent in many cases.

However, I believe that the most important defenses are alertness and a confident attitude. Acting scared (as in Bill Stephenson's story) just reminds others that you are vulnerable. I hike a lot in the Columbia River Gorge which is close to a major interstate highway and has lots of non-hikers (tourons, as we call them privately) near the trailheads. I greet everyone I meet on the trail in a friendly fashion, with a smile, but as I do that I'm also carefully sizing them up. I get my dog close to my side to reassure those who are nervous around dogs and so we can pass without the dreaded crotch sniff. That also has the dog right beside me should someone decide to make a move on me.

It might be that a few self-defense classes are all you need to gain that confident attitude! The other possibility is, of course, to join a hiking club of some sort. Start by asking at outdoor stores in your area. Another advantage of being in a club is carpooling, especially in these days of $3.50/gallon gas.

Without getting into too much math, let's do a little risk assessment on this topic: By far the most dangerous part of hiking is driving to and from the trailhead--especially the "from" portion when you are fatigued. The risk gets higher if, as some do, you stop for a beer on the way home. It's higher yet if a lot of other drivers have stopped for a beer or six on the way home. The risk of being out on the road in a motor vehicle far outweighs any risk you'll meet on the trail! The biggest risk on the trail, is, of course, hypothermia (or hyperthermia, alias heat stroke, depending on the weather). The risk from four-legged beasts--cougars, bear, rattlesnakes, other wild animals (deer, elk and moose have all been known to charge)--and from the two-legged variety are very minor. I'm sure that you know the old journalism saying, "When a dog bites a man, it's not news, but when a man bites a dog, that's news." Auto accidents don't make news healines because they happen all the time. Hikers being attacked--whether by two or four-legged animals--do make the headlines because such attacks are so rare--they are in the "man bites dog" category.