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I'm coming to the conclusion that desert parks like Joshua Tree should have "closed" signs on them during extreme heat events.
I disagree. I could agree with a "use extreme caution, extreme heat" sign or a "search and rescue will not conduct operations when temp is over 100" type sign, but never a "closed" sign. You should be able to go and explore in whatever national park/ forest in any weather condition that you choose to do so in. The fact that some uneducated tourists can and do easily die in extreme conditions, shouldn't prevent me or anyone else from entering if we so choose.
I disagree. I could agree with a "use extreme caution, extreme heat" sign or a "search and rescue will not conduct operations when temp is over 100" type sign, but never a "closed" sign. You should be able to go and explore in whatever national park/ forest in any weather condition that you choose to do so in. The fact that some uneducated tourists can and do easily die in extreme conditions, shouldn't prevent me or anyone else from entering if we so choose.
I was debating that, as well. A warning sign, then.
In this most recent case, the husband and wife had become separated, so she made a 911 call, and also reported that she was out of water. That was at just past 1:30 p.m. By the time rescue vehicles arrived, she was dead, as was her husband, not far away, it turned out. That's an awefully quick death. Estimates were that the heat in the precise location where they were was actually 113, not the 104 or 107 reported by weather authorities.
That does seem like an extremely quick death. They have lots of warning signs in Grand Canyon national park stressing to bring lots of water and not to attempt a rim to river bottom to rim hike in one day and yet still people die every single year there because they think it's Disneyland.
I used to do a lot of hiking in the desert and would bring insane amounts of water and electrolyte replacements in my pack to the point of it almost being too heavy for me to handle. It came in handy more than once for me as well as a few times for unprepared fellow hikers.
It always made me cringe when I would see someone hiking out in a crazy place with no pack and holding a single water bottle in their hand. These people didn't even sound like there were in that crazy/remote of a place if they were able to get cell service and relatively quick emergency response time.
That does seem like an extremely quick death. They have lots of warning signs in Grand Canyon national park stressing to bring lots of water and not to attempt a rim to river bottom to rim hike in one day and yet still people die every single year there because they think it's Disneyland.
I used to do a lot of hiking in the desert and would bring insane amounts of water and electrolyte replacements in my pack to the point of it almost being too heavy for me to handle. It came in handy more than once for me as well as a few times for unprepared fellow hikers.
It always made me cringe when I would see someone hiking out in a crazy place with no pack and holding a single water bottle in their hand. These people didn't even sound like there were in that crazy/remote of a place if they were able to get cell service and relatively quick emergency response time.
I would only go to Grand Canyon in fall or winter. I see no point in going in the summer. And I'd be going mainly for sightseeing, not for serious hiking. If I wanted to go to the bottom, I'd take one of those guided tours on horseback, or burro-back. What do you think is the best season to go?
The couple was visiting a crater that's a tourist attraction somewhere between Needles and Barstow.
I disagree. I could agree with a "use extreme caution, extreme heat" sign or a "search and rescue will not conduct operations when temp is over 100" type sign, but never a "closed" sign. You should be able to go and explore in whatever national park/ forest in any weather condition that you choose to do so in. The fact that some uneducated tourists can and do easily die in extreme conditions, shouldn't prevent me or anyone else from entering if we so choose.
I have a very hard time thinking that the park doesn't already have many warnings about heat and dehydration....in one on one ranger contacts at entry stations, brochures, visitor centers, signage, website (for those few who bother to educate themselves before visiting), plus local weather, radio broadcasts, and tv stations as travelers approach the area. It boggles the mind to think that anyone could arrive in the vicinity and not know to expect risks of high temperatures in July. Even closing trails or certain areas of the park won't do much to dissuade people who just have to ignore what they don't want to hear.
Sadly, these people were overconfident, unprepared, uninformed, and made a very bad decision on their own. Ironically, if a park plasters warnings everywhere for the less astute visitor, they get bombarded with complaints about the clutter blocking the pristine views. As the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. Its a no-win situation.
My favorite time in the grand canyon is early spring and late fall. No serious amounts of snow, maybe a dusting at the very top, and waayyyy less people than during the summer. I've always been able to get a back country permit by just walking up in March, some people wait over a year or more for a busy summer weekend. It's hot enough for me at the bottom in March.
I've been to the bottom near phantom ranch twice and once in Supai, just outside of the park, which is arguably better in some ways. I've always hiked, but was extremely jealous of the people on the mule trains on the way back out. Going down isn't too bad but coming back out is a hell of a hike.
You definitely need to make it to the bottom to get the full canyon experience. Looking down from the top is OK but going down in, and hopefully safely back out , is the best part.
I disagree. I could agree with a "use extreme caution, extreme heat" sign or a "search and rescue will not conduct operations when temp is over 100" type sign, but never a "closed" sign. You should be able to go and explore in whatever national park/ forest in any weather condition that you choose to do so in. The fact that some uneducated tourists can and do easily die in extreme conditions, shouldn't prevent me or anyone else from entering if we so choose.
Likewise here. People have different skills & experiences, abilities, vehicles, equipment, provisions, etc. What is unsafe for one at 95 °F is a stroll in the park for another. We live in a good time with good technologies, but common sense is still valuable to bring. Don't leave it at home.
I'm reminded of the sad case of James Kim, R.I.P., from San Francisco, freezing in the Oregon snow. Fortunately his wife and daughters were rescued. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Kim
The Lost Germans was a riveting read. I read that earlier this year and exchanged some emails with the author, because I was a Marine training in the Mojave Desert in the mid-1980s when a young Marine lost his life stranded alone at 29Palms Marine Corps Base. Sad, and tragic. I read one report about how it happened, and when and where he was found.
As that author emailed, "I seem to recall a number of years ago there was a large group of Marines from 29 Palms training near Amboy and they "lost" one of their guys. It was Summer, and by the time they went back and found him it was too late."
And Amboy Crater is where that recent couple from Yorba Linda CA was found.
Tragically sad ending. Careless, unprepared hikers get lost and needlessly die all too often these days.
Hikers should wear a fluorescent vest with reflectors on them, to make it easier for rescuers to spot them from above.
The downfall is that in Joshua Tree there are a lot of mine shafts. If these two fell in a mine shaft, you still wouldn't be able to see them from the sky.
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, is the best part.
