I know that area very well. The woods and terrain are a bit rugged but all she needed was a compass and the most elementary knowledge to get back to the trail.
The problem is that tons of people think they can always do just a “paint-by-numbers” approach to following the little white trail blazes on the trees along the AT. That works so long as you don’t leave the trail, but as this lady discovered, wander even a couple of hundred yards away and you may be in big trouble.
No one should go on these trips, especially alone, without taking the trouble to acquire some simple basic knowledge. She paid for her lack of knowledge with her life.
Interesting. Have you done it? I enjoy being an armchair traveler when it comes to the Trail.
A 66 year old woman should know better as should her husband. Weirdly, I had an idea it was her exotic version of suicide.