The first, and biggest, step towards staying safe in the backcountry is making the right choices: Wear the right layers, tell a friend where you're going, and bring a map and compass, and you'll stand a much better chance of coming home safe. But what about the places that carry an element of risk no matter what you do?

From a slippery Sierra catwalk to a treacherous Hawaiian paradise, we name the country's 10 most hazardous hikes. Then we break down the dangers and provide local beta for conquering each route.

Mist Trail, Half Dome, CA

The iconic symbol of Yosemite grandeur, Half Dome just begs to be climbed. Only 300 visitors per day are allowed on the seven-mile route to this granite landmark, and only 50 on the summit. People endure fatigue, altitude sickness, and dehydration in their determination to stand atop Half Dome's broad 8,836-foot-high crown. Read more.

1 / 10