Hikers Missing In Joshua Tree Park Amid Soaring Temperatures
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I've done many hikes in the desert when the temp was above 100, but I also lived and worked in it daily. If you're used to high temps and physical exertion you're going to fair much better than those who are not. It's all about knowing your limits and bringing the proper supplies. Too many people go into the desert unprepared and end up dead or in need of rescue.
I'm starting to think they should require people to take an outdoor safety course prior to being allowed access to state or national parks.
I'm wondering what could have happened in just a few hours. They entered the park in the afternoon, I think, and than around 4 pm there was a ping from a cell phone. In just 4 hours, they wouldn't have been dangerously dehydrated. What could have happened? One of them fell off the trail or injured themselves? But they both disappeared by the next day's search? Apparently whatever happened was a sufficient obstacle that they couldn't turn around and go back. They got lost, due to wandering off or falling off the trail? I guess that must have been it. Even if they'd had enough water with them, that wouldn't have helped them find their way again, or deal with an injury.
Colorado Rambler, good for you. You sound like a seasoned hiker, backpacker, outdoors person. The average person would probably not have fared as well as you did. I hike a lot and knowing that to get from one landmark to another, the terrain from where you start to where you'll finish will have uneven ground, fresh holes dug by animals, nocturnal animals out foraging, eroding spots of rock and soil, and drop-offs so bush-whacking in the dark can easily lead to a fatality.
I should have prefaced my reply to you with a "Kids don't try this at home!" warning. I am as comfortable with the out-of-doors as I am in my own home - the mountain west IS my home. Yet it was my overconfidence that led to my little adventure. Lucky for me that things didn't go south - which they could have easily done - and I lived to tell my tale and learn from it. This incident happened many years ago and I've never had such a close call since.
To everyone: Always carry plenty of water even if you think you'll only be on a half mile hike. Do not step off the trail to explore - it's too easy for a person who is unfamiliar with an area to become disoriented and get lost in as little as 15 minutes. Stop in at the ranger station and ask about advisories and warnings. Let them know where you plan to hike and let your friends know as well. Keep in mind that Mother Nature can be fickle and that you may experience unusual heat or sudden downpours that can turn dry washes and arroyos into raging torrents of water. It's possible to drown in the desert as many before you already have. If you are exploring off the paved road and can't tell the difference between a dry wash and a jeep trail, stick with the pavement.
I read that tragic story of the German family who got lost in Death Valley. They would have been alive today if they had not decided to go off road in a 2wd vehicle - most likely to camp since they probably could not have afforded a motel room. At the very least, stay in a designated campground. I am not personally familiar with either Joshua Tree or Death Valley, but I suspect that the National Parks and Monuments out in that region have designated campgrounds just like the National Parks and Monuments in Colorado, Arizona, Utah and New Mexico do. Stay in a designated campground, especially if you are tent camping and more at home in downtown LA or NYC than in the great out of doors.
Be aware and be careful, peeps. Always carry water and happy adventuring to you all. Please don't wander off trail and get lost like those two kids in Joshua Tree did. Such a shame and such a waste of young lives.
The Backtrack GPS works by setting your position before you leave. Then when you are ready to return, push the button and it shows you which way "home" is. I know I wouldn't send inexperienced people out without it.
They also make units that store various waypoints, so that you can follow a more complicated path if you need to. It's not always possible to simply go in a straight line, but, still we have all heard the stories of hikers dying less than a mile from camp. They just didn't know which way to go.
One of these makes it a LOT safer to venture out into the area to look at scenery or whatever.
The Backtrack GPS works by setting your position before you leave. Then when you are ready to return, push the button and it shows you which way "home" is. I know I wouldn't send inexperienced people out without it.
They also make units that store various waypoints, so that you can follow a more complicated path if you need to. It's not always possible to simply go in a straight line, but, still we have all heard the stories of hikers dying less than a mile from camp. They just didn't know which way to go.
One of these makes it a LOT safer to venture out into the area to look at scenery or whatever.
Sounds like a handy gadget, but it sounds like it would also encourage people to go off-trail. Maybe that's not a bad thing, if they have this gadget, but going off-trail also means you could increase your chances of having a bad fall.
The Backtrack GPS works by setting your position before you leave. Then when you are ready to return, push the button and it shows you which way "home" is. I know I wouldn't send inexperienced people out without it.
They also make units that store various waypoints, so that you can follow a more complicated path if you need to. It's not always possible to simply go in a straight line, but, still we have all heard the stories of hikers dying less than a mile from camp. They just didn't know which way to go.
One of these makes it a LOT safer to venture out into the area to look at scenery or whatever.
My last couple of garmin watches have the same capability, nice to have for sure
Last edited by Lowexpectations; 08-05-2017 at 05:33 PM..
visited a friend once at the Dugway Test Site in the middle of Utah. He took us to an old mining relic which required us to travel even farther into the middle of nowhere along 30-40 miles of unmarked dirt roads. We had almost nothing in the way of provisions and this was long before cell phones were a thing.
Long story short, we got stuck in some loose gravel on the shoulder of the road and attempted to use a section of corrugated tin as traction under the wheel. This got us out but the tin was kicked up back and under the vehicle and we soon started smelling gas. Turned out the rubber vent line for gas tank was nicked and leaking pretty bad. Amazingly enough, he had a tie-strap with him and we were able to double over the tube and strap it together and stop the leak. Stuff happens out in the middle of nowhere and if you don't have tie-straps you may be forced to eat your friends to survive.
I'm wondering what could have happened in just a few hours. They entered the park in the afternoon, I think, and than around 4 pm there was a ping from a cell phone. In just 4 hours, they wouldn't have been dangerously dehydrated. What could have happened? One of them fell off the trail or injured themselves? But they both disappeared by the next day's search? Apparently whatever happened was a sufficient obstacle that they couldn't turn around and go back. They got lost, due to wandering off or falling off the trail? I guess that must have been it. Even if they'd had enough water with them, that wouldn't have helped them find their way again, or deal with an injury.
Well, they aren't seeing them from the air, so I would guess they sought shelter under a rock ledge. Very sad, I believe they are calling off the search today.
I'm starting to think they should require people to take an outdoor safety course prior to being allowed access to state or national parks.
Many parks already do this. Unfortunately requiring a safety orientation is often limited to visitors who plan an overnight. Requiring registration or a permit is often the way they can get some safety info into the people before they head out. Whether they listen or not is still a gamble.
Well, they aren't seeing them from the air, so I would guess they sought shelter under a rock ledge. Very sad, I believe they are calling off the search today.
I was wondering if there was any progress made in the search. Sad to hear there was not. The odds were never great under such conditions. It won't be the last people either who venture out into the wild unprepared thinking nothing will ever happen to them.
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