I hate to hear about deaths from poor preparation. Over and over again I read the stories about people who die on the trail and it almost always comes down to novices who die from taking stupid risks, or 'experienced' hikers who die from hypothermia.

The take-away lesson is: every dayhike is a potential all-nighter. Be prepared to spend a night out, adequately warm in worse weather than you expect. Notice changes in weather and adjust what you're wearing. If you do get cold and wet, treat that like a life-threatening emergency, not a small inconvenience.