What's really going to kill you outdoors

Interesting article. Funny that they didn't mention Killer Bees (Africanized honey bees). There must be a number of injuries or death due to bee attacks in the back country. There's no running away. The only way down may is the switch-backed trail you just hiked up. Bees fly in a straight line. You have to follow the trail. I think the author needs to expand his article.

I winced at this statement, though: "Realistically, avoiding any of these fatalities can largely be summed up with the advice: don’t be a dumbass, do take basic precautions for the weather you’re likely to face. Outdoors, it’s stupidity that kills." (It's in the last paragraph.)

That seems harsh and doesn't get the point across. The way I see it, it boils down to a couple of actions we can do: 1)Pay attention to your surroundings. 2)Use your wits/lore when making decisions.

We use the same strategy in everyday life. We just don't think about it.

I found it interesting that you're 8x more likely do die from a fall when walking or hiking than climbing.

I operate under the assumption that water and gravity are always trying to kill me.

I'm surpised this wasn't mentioned a few weeks ago that a guy and his sister were in a prohibited area of Yellowstone looking for a place to go hot-tubbing! (with his sister?) Anyway. they found a place that looked inviting, so the good bro' kneels down to test the temp, 'cuz boiling steaming water might not be quite right. Well, sis is busy with her camera, making a video of bro' as he topples into the pool! Splash...bubble bubble bubble, blub blub...gone!

Somehow a rescue team arrived to pull his body out of the pool, but a thunderstorm caused them to wait until tomorrow. Well, by the next day the body has dissolved!

The cellphone video was not shown because it was too disturbing.

I'm not 100% convinced that his comment about having a good dog (and the associated story) are key to preventing bear encounters, but I'll leave the discussion of that to people who (a) have had bear encounters, and (b) have an appropriate breed of dog for such things. (my point being that, while he makes an interesting point in that one situation, many dogs will serve to agitate the bear and then run...bringing it right to you.)

Hopefully nothing will kill me in the great outdoors, and if it does, it's my favorite place to be. Bed would be a close second.

As for dogs, no thank you! Mine would get me killed in no time. They're pretty dumb.