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Two airplanes, two helicopters, six canine tracking teams and up to 100 ground searchers are all being used to try to locate the couple. Already they have covered "thousands of miles," said Land.
On Monday several rescuers were themselves overcome by the heat. One rescuer as well as canine units had to be airlifted out of the park, said Joshua Tree National Park Search & Rescue...
San Bernardino County Sheriff's Emergency Management team tweeted Tuesday, "Over 50 dedicated searchers from 3 counties and the US Border Patrol brave 110 deg temps to continue the search."
Sadly, I feel it highly unlikely that these two folks are still alive after all this time in 100+ deg heat and with no water.
Yet another instance of foolish people wandering off in a National Park as if they were expecting it to be like Disney World or something. Such incidents occur all too frequently, and I'm amazed at both the financial cost and the risks that rescue teams go through trying to find fools.
It's the desert people. It's August. Take lots of water and let somebody know where you are planning to hike. As they say, out of the gene pool. *sigh*
Sadly, I feel it highly unlikely that these two folks are still alive after all this time in 100+ deg heat and with no water.
Yet another instance of foolish people wandering off in a National Park as if they were expecting it to be like Disney World or something. Such incidents occur all too frequently, and I'm amazed at both the financial cost and the risks that rescue teams go through trying to find fools.
It's the desert people. It's August. Take lots of water and let somebody know where you are planning to hike. As they say, out of the gene pool. *sigh*
Dude, this year it's not 100 degree temps. It's 110. Those people were toast.
Who in their right mind goes hiking in the desert in the middle of summer to celebrate their birthday? Why not go to a beach or waterpark like normal people? Most of us are trying to get away from the summer heat, but not these two geniuses.
Sadly, I feel it highly unlikely that these two folks are still alive after all this time in 100+ deg heat and with no water.
Yet another instance of foolish people wandering off in a National Park as if they were expecting it to be like Disney World or something. Such incidents occur all too frequently, and I'm amazed at both the financial cost and the risks that rescue teams go through trying to find fools.
It's the desert people. It's August. Take lots of water and let somebody know where you are planning to hike. As they say, out of the gene pool. *sigh*
Sad as it does not look good for them. People frequently underestimate desolte areas like this, not realizing a short hike off a marked trail can cause a person to get lost in a few moments. They usually try to find thier way out and go further in in the process. Many areas its easy to fall into a crevasse, ravine or similar and never be found.
The line between being ok and life changing or ending is thinner then most people realize.
Dude, this year it's not 100 degree temps. It's 110. Those people were toast.
This is wrong.
Their car was found near a trailhead for the Maze, which is roughly between Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms. It hasn't hit 110F in Twentynine Palms since July 12, and since the Maze is about 2000' in elevation higher than Twentynine Palms (in the Mojave, temperatures decrease roughly 4.5F per 1000' in elevation gain) it hasn't been over 110F in the Maze recently - probably not at all this year.
Still, too hot to be out too far if unprepared... but that doesn't mean we need to fling around incorrect numbers.
PS - It should be noted that this is in the high desert developed part of the park. In the area of the Maze, you're never more than three miles from a road (one in the park running SE from the town of Joshua Tree, the other the highway beyond the northern boundary of the park). There's no reason that two fit people with water and a map can't be just fine out there for a few hours, even above 100F. Obviously, these two lacked some sort of knowledge or skillset that doomed them, but all the people babbling about how venturing anywhere off asphalt in the desert in the summer is signing their death warrant simply don't know what they're talking about.
Another example of people being woefully unprepared for what they are attempting to do. Sad story that could have been avoided with a bit of preparation.
Their car was found near a trailhead for the Maze, which is roughly between Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms. It hasn't hit 110F in Twentynine Palms since July 12, and since the Maze is about 2000' in elevation higher than Twentynine Palms (in the Mojave, temperatures decrease roughly 4.5F per 1000' in elevation gain) it hasn't been over 110F in the Maze recently - probably not at all this year.
Still, too hot to be out too far if unprepared... but that doesn't mean we need to fling around incorrect numbers.
...
The poster was quoting the temp from the article which states: "Over 50 dedicated searchers from 3 counties and the US Border Patrol brave 110 deg temps to continue the search."
Sadly, I feel it highly unlikely that these two folks are still alive after all this time in 100+ deg heat and with no water.
Yet another instance of foolish people wandering off in a National Park as if they were expecting it to be like Disney World or something. Such incidents occur all too frequently, and I'm amazed at both the financial cost and the risks that rescue teams go through trying to find fools.
It's the desert people. It's August. Take lots of water and let somebody know where you are planning to hike. As they say, out of the gene pool. *sigh*
Take lots of water? For a multi-day hike? Even for an afternoon, that type of heat and aridity would mean each hiker would have to carry a pack full of water. I tried hiking in the mountains outside Santa Fe for just a couple of hours. I consumed my entire water supply after about 20 minutes, and turned back. Too hot.
Summer is not the season to hike in desert regions. The CO forum just had a thread by a guy from out of state who chose a summer vacation hiking/camping trip in CO, and didn't understand how people manage it, in the heat and the monsoon lightning storms. The answer is--they don't even try. They do that stuff in the shoulder seasons, when it's cooler and there's no rain. Not to mention the heightened fire risk in the summers. Camping in the SW isn't even allowed some summers.
Seems like people should get Forest Service approval, or ranger approval, after submitting their itinerary, when they want to hike or camp in the national parks. I suppose that's not practical, but it would save lives.
Last edited by Ruth4Truth; 08-02-2017 at 09:36 AM..
I use to live in AZ and hiking during summer months was never a good idea. Temperatures were NOT hiker friendly. We constantly had people being taken to hospitals for heat stroke.
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Not to mention the heightened fire risk in the summers. Camping in the SW isn't even allowed some summers. 
