Tragic Tale: Father And Daughter's Hiking Adventure Takes A Fatal Turn In Canyonlands National Park 

"It's not for us to judge, but it is for us to learn." Well said.

Many moons ago I was a young, strong athlete --a virtual immortal super-being. Until I went onto the Appalachian Trail, in the heat of summer, alone, with insufficient water. At the end of this fun day hike I literally crawled back into Harpers Ferry WVA and spent the rest of the night cramping from electrolyte imbalance. I am lucky to be alive. Overconfidence + Arrogance = Kryptonite.

The best thing I’ve read said, ‘you might be Pennsylvania woods smart. Doesn’t mean you’re Montana woods smart’

I almost died while visiting dead valley in July, we had a whole case of 1.5L water bottle in the car, we had our 2 dogs with us. It was 6 AM, cool, the sun was not up and we decided to go down Ubehebe crater. It was loose rocks all the way down and gravity made it easy. We took 3 L of water with us. We explored the bottom for a while and decided to start our way up. We ran out of water pretty quickly, for each step up we slid 2 down, crawling was the only way and so hard. At one point my shepherd mix did not want to move and lay down. I could not make headway. My husband took his shirt off and laid it over a low bush and I lay behind it with my golden retriever while my husband took the other dog over his shoulder and very slowly made his way up. We could see the car from where we were and knew there was AC and water there, but heat exhaustion is a real thing. He finally made it to the car, turned on the AC, grabbed water bottle and started tossing them my way. I kept seing bottles going left and right, hard to catch. Got one, then he made his way back down to us, he grabbed the other dog, I drank and we finally both pushed up. We both at some point did not believe we would make it. It was a determination that made the difference and the fact we had prepared for hot temperatures, just not enough. Huge lesson for me, I do not hike in summer in the desert anymore, I hit the mountains or the beach and wait for better climate.

Men often times forget that they aren’t 18 anymore. When I was 20 years old, I was working construction in Florida. I was into power lifting. I would work all day in the summer heat, then go to the gym for a two hour workout, then go home, eat something, go to bed and do it again the next day. I did this for about 4 years. If I were to try that now, 40 years later, I would end up in the hospital, if not dead. You have to aware of your limitations.

Once long ago, i had to rescue an elderly man near Death Valley. It was August 100+degrees. He and his son and daughter in law went for a little walk. I passed them thinking they were just resting. When i returned they were still in the same spot, the old guy couldn't walk, the two dumb relatives had no clue what to do, i basically ordered the son to help me carry the older man to their car, while the wife did nothing,the old guys legs kept getting stuck in the boulders, i had to yell at the daughter in law to move his legs around the boulders! We got him to his car, and they headed to the nearest town, which was far away! There was no cell service out there. I still believe that if i did not come across them by chance, they would all have died out there!

I remember the mother, father, baby and dog that died a few years back in Arizona, similar situation. Here in Southern Utah, we hike starting at 5 or 6 in the morning and done by 8AM.

Also, remember guys. If you plan on a good hike, hydrate the day before. Dont wait until you start hiking to start hydrating. As someone who does marathons and ultramarthons, it's very important to start fueling well before you do the activity. Water alone isnt good enough. You need electrolytes as well. Take some electolyte packs with you or things like pickles, bananas which contain sodium and potassium. If you get a headache, feel aches, or start getting fatigued, its a sign you are lacking electrolytes.

Years ago I hiked to the base of Half Dome, intending to do the cable climb. There's a sign near the start that warns against climbing if storm clouds are visible. Storm clouds were nowhere in the early morning, but by the time I reached the sign, they were visible, and a few hours later the rain began. I paid attention to the warning and didn't climb Half Dome. Disappointed, but probably saved my life.

I think people confuse "Staying hydrated" with protecting themselves from heat exhaustion. Drinking water constantly won't prevent heat exhaustion. Once your body exceeds a certain internal temperature, you're dead and drinking water doesn't stop that.

Recently a well-respected and famous doctor died in 2 hours flat on a hot day on a Greek island. Took a wrong path, too hot found just 250 yards from a busy beach.

Tragic and avoidable. In April, my son and I were hiking in a remote part of Death Valley to get to a mine we wanted to see. Short version is that we decided to go back a different way then we came in to take advantage of the 1600 feet of elevation gain we had between us and where we left a jeep. Even after lots of research, the exit we thought we would have from the alternate way back didn’t exist. It added 3 miles to a 6 mile hike with the last mile and a half gaining 500’. We hadn’t planned on that and didn’t have enough water. It was one bad decision that almost cost us our lives. When we started going up that last 1-1/2 and gaining elevation, we were already past dehydrated and got to the point of 2” steps. Realized at that point that the satellite rescue device I carry doesn’t do you any good if you don’t use it soon enough. Grateful for the experience. Humbled us a lot. Got complacent with our preparation and will not ever do it again.

My partner and I almost died on that very trail for the very same reason. We were Montana woods smart but not desert smart. We didn’t have enough water. 103 degrees. Bad day for us. Hid under a rock outcrop. Then moved to each outcrop along the way. Tiny sips of our very dwindled water. Scary as hell. We were lucky we were in decent shape but it was close.

Water is not going to stop you from a heat stroke ... water and electrolytes will keep you from dehydration

This is so very sad. My son who is an avid hiker and has even hiked in other countries besides the US had big trouble on this trail 2 summers ago. He left early in the morning and we knew he was going to Canyonlands but he did not tell us which trail he was hiking as he usually did. He would always call me once he got off the trail and tell me what he was going to do next. It started getting past dinnertime and no phone call. Then 7 then 8 and it was getting dark. We were worried. I knew something was really wrong but we did not know what trail he was on but we knew we needed to get out to canyonlands. On the way there we got his phone call. Mom I'm really sick. I need to go to the hospital. I'm in the main parking lot in my car. There is no way I can drive. What had happened was in a section where the trail was not marked he got off course and could not find his way back to the trail. He ran out of water even though he had a of water with him. He got back on the trail finally but was in very bad shape. He'd taken off his shirt dropped it on the ground. A litter later he dropped his hat. Then he was having so much trouble even walking so he left his backpack on the side of the trail with his expensive camera and lenses on the side of the trail. He was hoping to leave a trail to him for us to find him. He did make it to the end of the trail and someone found him on the ground. They quickly got him water and drove him down to his car in the main parking lot. They stayed with him for quite a while and until they knew that we were on our way to get him. He had horrible cramps all over his body. He was in agony. He could not walk. He spent the whole next day in bed. He said he didn't want to go to the hospital now that he'd had some water and some special drinks that he had in the refrigerator of our camper. It can happen to anyone. He's hiked all over the world and even did the Wainright's Coast to Coast 192 mile trail across England in 8 days. You always need to tell someone nearby what trail you are hiking and when you expect to return so they can go looking for you.

The ole Boy Scouts say "be prepared" which also includes "just don't go..."

I don’t understand the need for the average person to be doing these extreme hikes. The warning was right there.

When we moved from Provo Utah to Chicago we did not understand humidity and the heat index. My husband and his friend, who also moved from Utah, went out to play basketball. The temperature wasn’t bad but they both came back feeling horrible. The humidity and heat index made it much hotter. People don’t always understand the differences in the weather conditions in different parts of the states. I don’t know if that played a part in this tragedy. Don’t ignore warning signs.

In 2019 I secured really hard to get permit for the Subway in Zion. I along with my 17 and 20-year-old daughters learned to repel. We went on the trip and when I went to pick up the permit the Ranger said, “Oh, I guess they’ve started issuing permits for it. No one‘s been through there in a month because of high water so it could be kind of dangerous.” I took the permits and he wished me well. Within the next hour an outfitter and a shuttle operator both said “Do not go.” I listened.

It is not even safe to stay in your vehicle in 110 degree summer temperatures. If your car breaks down, you are cooked.

Condolences to the family of these two hikers. Truly tragic story that's very sad. Reminds me of a time several years back when I was in Valley of Fire state park in Nevada passing through on my way to Zion. Valley of Fire is a beautiful park, but the day I was passing through it was nearly 100 degrees. Being out of the car for more than 5 or 10 minutes felt like being in a blast furnace. As much as I wanted to hike some of the trails that day I decided not to and just drove the park and stopped at some of the overlooks for 5 or 10 mins and got right back in the car. Hiking 8 miles in the desert in reasonable temps is hard enough. I can't imagine trying it with temps approaching or exceeding 100 degrees.

I'm a lifelong hiker. Over the decades, I've encountered trail and/or weather conditions that are too risky, so no matter how much I may want to continue, I reverse course, forego the adventure that day, and vow to return at a later date. Also, I will not put my dog in danger.

Last summer, I got mild heat exhaustion (also in Canyonlands, but it was only on a hike about half as long). I'd been hiking and camping all my adult life and never experienced anything like it. I had 2 Nalgene bottles with me and drank one on the way in, But the water got so hot in the other one, I couldn't drink it. It took me hours of hydrating afterwards, well into the evening, till I felt normal again. Lesson learned. First thing next morning, I bought a 40oz insulated bottle - 1/3 ice cubes and 2/3 pre-chilled water. Every hike after that (4-5 miles in desert heat), I was fine. I could even hear the ice cubes clinking in my backpack on the way back to my car. Last summer was my first real experience with desert hiking and I'm just grateful that I was able to learn my lesson instead of becoming a statistic. I feel horrible for those two folks. Unfortunately, nature doesn't care one way or the other.

Sad story and I hope they didn’t suffer. I got caught kayaking in Lake Superior heading back to Munising from Grand Island. It’s a short, fast kayak, but between 2pm and 6 pm, the wind picks up and if it’s coming out of the south west, you’re screwed. I was distracted on the beach looking at stones and left too late, and soon I realized I was in a tough way, paddling against the wind, but I was determined NOT to have to get rescued by the Coast Guard, so what normally took me 20 minutes to paddle, took me 3 hours. Waves were coming over my bow. By the time I got to shore, I was so physically spent, I fell out of my kayak and just laid on the shore for 15-20 minutes.

Last week I almost was overcome by the 100+ felt degree temps on a 2.7 mile hike with only 32 oz. of water here in central Florida. It prompted me to buy a 100 oz. military water bladder for my rucksack. NOW I'm prepared for the heat down here, at least for a 3 mile hike.

Another thing to know about the desert is just how fast the weather changes and how extreme. I have been there in spring and gone from hot dry desert with almost no water to over a foot of snow overnight and flash floods in previously dry washes. The good part is there's almost nothing as amazing as a desert bloom right after.

Sad situation… I have always leaned on the side of caution and tried to be as prepared as possible. I was beaver trapping and fell through the ice, only an elbow keeping my head above the ice. I usually trap alone, luckily for me a co-worker was curious and wanted to tag along. He was able to get a tree branch to me and I was able to climb out, he save my life! I can still hear hear him, Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!

Thanks for raising awareness. Nature will always win in the end.

Even here in the mid-Atlantic heat exhaustion can start in 15 minutes in 90 degree heat and high humidity conditions . I’ve been overcome surprisingly quickly while doing yard work or pool chores. I’m 49 and have always been active and athletic. Your body responds differently than it did in your teens, 20s and 30s. Listen to your body!

I am an Eagle Scout and back in the day when Boy Scouts was more like a paramilitary organization we trained for emergencies. One was knowing the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

One time in the summer I headed out on the Prairie Path in IL. I had listened to the weather report before heading out and it was supposed to be in the mid 80'.s. I like long bike rides and thought it would be fine. Well the temperature soared into the mid 90's (I saw 97 degrees at one place) and I ran out of water stuck in the middle of nowhere. I never take long rides when it gets that hot. Anyway, there was nowhere for me to get water and i had to pedal back to civilization. By the time I got to a water fountain I was light headed and shaking like a leaf. Now I always take plenty of extra water whether I think I will need it or not.

I grew up in Texas and have lived in Arizona. As you say, preparation is key. So is knowledge. If only they had sun protection on, cooled themselves with dampened clothing/bandanas etc, an occasional little sip of cool liquid , moved at a snail's pace, and sought shade regularly, they'd probably be alive today. Also, there's wisdom in the phrase 'Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noon day sun'.

I think you had the best advice regarding getting out of a deadly situation. And, that is knowing when to tell yourself "No" and walk away. Understand that you bettertry it when the conditions are better.

In 2007 myself, my husband and our son who was 10 years old at the time did the Syncline trail for the first time. It was late August and over 100F. We were experienced hikers with a compass and GPS with us. We took one wrong turn on the trail and we were right off course. It is not marked very well. We knew where the car was, but the issue was trying to figure out to climb out of there. What should have taken us 4 hours, ended up much longer. We all had large camel backs with us , but everyone except me ran out of water, as we were there much longer than we had expected. It was the most scared on a hike I have ever been. We finally found the trail again, and made it out in one piece. Due to this, we immediately bought a SPOT locater and have it with us on every hike now. When I read about this father and daughter losing their lives on the same trail, it really hit home for us.

This is a man worth listening to. Anticipating and avoiding trouble when possible is a survival skill. The opposite mindset is one my fiance and I joke about: "Hope this works." Sometimes it doesn't.

Very sad story. 50 years ago, in the Army, our battalion(BN) commander(CDR) decided that we should train on a CAT IV day(94*). Regs said no training but he was cool in his air conditioned office. We went out and trained. My LT took us in the woods where it was cooler than out in the open. He was recently back from NAM and had heat stroked several times and didn't want to again. All of a sudden there was dustoffs coming in fast and furious. It turned out that we had 25 heat strokes and we got a new BN CDR. Two years ago I was doing trail magic on the Appalachian Trail in CT. It was hot and most of the water sources had dried up. A middle age guy came in and he was in trouble. I'm pretty sure he had heat exhaustion. I made him sit in the shade and gave him cold powerade and water. After 1/2 an hour he was well enough for his friend to drive him home. I've had heat exhaustion sneak up on me when I go to tractor shows. I always have a cooler of drinks. Good Luck, Rick

I spent 20 years as an U.S.(Grunt) Infantry, All ways prepare, never assume All is safe..

As Sierra Club hiking leader (in FL) we had strict rules, but we also were empowered to add our own (since the leaders were legally liable). I'd sent rules to the signed-up hikers, and they included requiring a minimum amount of water, a hat, proper hiking shoes, and mandated water stops. I had a hiker arrive minus the hat and was wearing sandals, and I should have banned them. But I let them hike with the group, and sure enough, miles into the hike, halfway, at the top of a ridge....they felt nauseous, vomitted and went flush and weak. Two hikers had to two-person-seat-carry them down the 'mountain' (and forego their hike experience, and put themselves at heat exhaustion risk). She recovered, but I admitted to myself that I should have banned her in the first place.

We were there at the same time and it was hot. We were on a hike and the Apple Watch said my heart was beating at 170 beats per minute. In the shade and sitting it would only go down to 155bpm. Resting is 70 to 80. Heat is very serious.

I have a detailed list of everything to take on a hike and do beforehand. It has probably fifty items. I always tell two people my details, and I leave a note on my dash which says "READ ME". Inside is full details on my plans and emergency contacts. And I would _never_ hike in 100F.

Having the knowledge and skills to get you through an unplanned issue is great. But if the odds are stacked against you to begin with, don't go! No self inflicted emergencies!

I hiked to the delicate arch in arches national park in Sept 2015. I drank all 6 bottles of my water hiking there. I was so scared to hike back. The hike back was more than an hour. I said i will never again do this and I was 28 at the time. Imagine someone over 40. Super dangerous

Years ago we were training for a full Ironman, in the Florida heat. We started our 100 mile bike ride at 4 AM and were within 10 miles of finishing when one of our group started to get dizzy and had leg cramping. There were no businesses to go into to cool off so we found him some shade, gave him water and ride to our transportation. We went back for him in a van. In hind sight someone should have stayed with him but he was ok when we arrived with a van to get him. He hadn’t prepared his body for the heat by using electrolytes prior to the long ride and just wasn’t trained to do a long ride in the heat. We learned a lot that day.

I was born in and live in Phoenix. Many people have visited here and gone hiking in our extreme heat and perished because of not bringing enough water with them.

New subscriber here. I don’t backpack but am out hiking with my dog every day. I am overly cautious as I know my limits especially now that my dog and I are seniors. Heat is so deadly- I walk at dawn and in shaded woods this time of year. I’d like to live a few more years- trying to stay safe.

Courage involves humility. Best to turn around and hike out when in doubt before you become physically unable to do so.

In MD the heat and the humidity can give a heat index well over 100 degrees, any gardening work I need is done before 10 or after 4. Same with hiking or playing a sport.

When in Arizona ALWAYS have jugs of water in your car & more than you think you need on your person. Same when you’re passing through New Mexico. You may travel over 100 miles until you see a gas station or a trooper. Some of the highways are truly desolate.

Used to be in Grand Canyon Nat Park, that if you were caught on the trail in the canyon without water by a park Ranger it was a $5,000 fine. This was the cost of a rescue operation involving search and rescue teams, mules and helicopters so that's what they set the fine at. Haven't been there in a while, so it could be more,

On June 30, 1999 my son and I biked Courthouse Wash in Arches National Park. The trip was planned using a map and guidebook. We had all of the water, snacks we thought we needed. We had bicycle repair tools and knowledge. We still got lost , ran out of water and were in a perilous situation. When we finally saw Highway 191, we were able to muster the strength we had left and rescued ourselves. That was a bad situation and things went wrong very quickly.

This is a good channel. I lived in Moab for 30 years. Once I hiked in Arches in July and it was stupid. I am lucky to be alive. I didn't do that again. I hiked the La Sal Mountains instead. I took a gps, safety blanket, water, extra clothing, hat, knife, sugar snacks, etc. A friend left me on the trail alone because I was too slow. I was glad I had survival gear.

A number of years ago, my wife, daughters and I spent the night at the Grand Canyon in mid-August. We arrived on a hot mid-afternoon, and I planned to run from the South Rim down to the Colorado River and back. The Park Service has warning signs posted telling people not to attempt to do that in one day let alone the heat of the day. I took off at about 2:30 pm and headed down Bright Angel Trail with a waist pack and two full 22-ounce water bottles. I knew there was water available at Indian Garden to refill. I was 43 years old, had been running 100-mile weeks and heat training, so I was very fit. The canyon was close to 100 degrees. It took me less than 4 hours to complete the run and when I got back, I was a bit tired but neither overheated, nor dehydrated. The moral? One needs to be physically prepared for whatever physical effort they plan to attempt. Running or hiking in the heat of summer without proper planning and preparation can be a recipe for disaster, including serious injury or death.

100 degree summer day. Going solo with 1 gallon of water. A rarely traveled desert mountain loop with no shade. I made a wrong turn and boom! I was accidently off trail, but I didn't know it. I unwittingly kept pushing forward. I dropped down in to a dry waterfall, in to a splash hole, and found an impassable dry waterfall after the first one blocking the way forward. I turned around to go back, but there was no way to get back out from where I came. No cell reception, I was on my own. I built a rock pile tall enough to scramble out, but not without a cost. My exposed knees and elbows were raw and bleeding. My water was gone, but I was out. My decision was to abandon the loop and return from the direction I came. I made it about 100 yards before both legs were cramping intensely. I crawled and walked and crawled as best as I could up a mountain pass, hoping and praying to stumble across a random hiker who might share some water. But no such luck. I made it out, healed up, and completed the mountain loop hike later in the month, except I brought a companion and started earlier in the day, before it reached 100. Lessons: tell someone where you are going, and when you will be back. bring as much water as you can carry, because the capacity of your backpack's bladder may not be enough.

I camp hosted for the month of June in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and was amazed by all of the rescues, almost daily, many with confusion issues from dehydration. And the temps were in the 80s. Amazing to see people start up a trail in flip flops and with no water. Then rescuers are put in danger to rescue folks. IMO no one needs to be hiking out west in 100 degree temps, let alone on an 8 mile trail.

Some years ago my wife was attending a medical conference in Phoenix Arizona and I tagged along. While she at the conference, I decide to go for a hike at White Tank Mountain Park west of Phoenix. I thought I had plenty of water, but I under estimated the heat. I used up my water quickly, but managed to get back to my car and to the ranger station and rehydrate. My advice: figure out how much water you think you will need, and then increase it by 50% , and use an electrolyte !

I spent the day on a boat and then fishing and swimming. By the late afternoon I had the symptoms of heat exhaustion. It can happen even without exerting yourself

The first rule is to assess the situation before you succumb to it, or, prior planning prevents poor performance. An 8-hour hike with no intervening water sources in the extreme heat of summer…what could go wrong? Second rule: if you can’t avoid the situation, mitigate it by being prepared. With heat exhaustion/stroke, it’s not just about hydration. It is about how the body reacts to extreme heat. Hydration replaces water lost, but it is critical to stay out of the direct sunlight. It is raising your core body temperature and that’s not good. Mitigating factors may be a reflecting umbrella to provide shade. Remarkably effective. Also, cooling towels are helpful although you need a water source for these to work. Third rule: carry emergency communications equipment if you find yourself in extremism. It may be embarrassing or costly, but at least you will be alive. Last rule: “only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun”. I’m fortunate to have been trained as a Boy Scout and learned prudence as an antidote to hubris. As a result, although ive been in uncomfortable situations and challenging situations, I’ve never been in a threatening situations where my life was in jeopardy because I’ve always been prepared by trusting my training and adhering to these rules. Last thought: a friend once advised me that “the consequences of stupidity should be painful.” But, death goes beyond pain and the lessons learned are only there for the rest of us.

30-35 years ago, I was always hiking, climbing, trail-running, and in amazing shape. Now that my kid are grown, I want to get back out doing a bunch of those things. But you have to know your limits, both physically and mentally. I can't go out right away and do those same things. I may not be able to do half of those things, or go to the places that i would have 300 years ago. Taking a steep trail a mil e or so reminded me hard that my body is not what it used to be.

Thank you for raising awareness. I am planing some hiking in the area a month from now and you could say I am a "dumb tourist". What is obvious to locals can be hard to understand for visitors. I recognize that I am likely to underestimate the dangers of extreme heat as I am not familiar with these conditions. Your video certainly helps me to reevaluate my own fitness and the hiking trails I have been looking at.

This is especially tragic since the park service is so very clear about not hiking this trail if you're not absolutely certain you can handle it. The majority of the rescues in Islands in the Sky occur on this trail! I'm a serious hiker here in the Great Lakes region and have it on my "don't even think about it" list because I'd really like to avoid needing rescue or worse!!

I can believe how easy it would be for this to happen. I hiked this trail last year in April and even with much cooler temperatures and a lot of water, I started to overheat a little.

Two weekends ago some friends and I did a simple 4 mile loop in Tennessee. The temperature was only in the mid 80's but the humidity was through the ceiling. I left some extra water behind so I wouldn't have to carry it and I would have it when I got back to the truck. That was a big mistake. One of my friends was carrying extra water and without it I don't know if I could have made it back. You should always carry more than you think you will need.

I worked on a civilian led search of an endurance athlete who went out for a short 5 mile maintenance run, on the trails. In summer at 104 degrees, just his running shorts and a bottle of water, he never made it back to his car. Never think your fitness level can beat the deadly physics of a hot day. In backcountry, run with others.

Once in Cyprus I spent literally ten minutes in a cliff face cave, I was taking photographs and sweating….a lot. Only when I left this cave did I lose my senses, discordinated, dizzy and energy crashed completely. I made it to a taverna only yards away which is why thought it was a safe sort of tourist spot in the first place…..I guzzled water and found one of those little handheld fans in my pack which I pointed at the back of my neck. Took me an hour just to be able to walk a few hundred yards to the car, I know it sounds stupid but out of the sun, no breeze at all soon knocked me sideways. Heat kills!

Being a EMT I’ve seen a bunch of this type of heat related stress issues keep cool with a wet towel on your neck and head area get in a shade thinks like that the best way to prevent these issues is don’t put yourself in the situation heed the warning signs of your body

Twelve years ago I was at Arches NP. It was July but morning time and started on a hike, about 4-5 miles. I had at least three liters of water, but the trail was a little more challenging than I had anticipated, the day got hotter, and the sun was more intense. I finished the hike without no water and a realization I needed to be more mindful of my surroundings before I did another hike.

New subscriber and have been hiking/ backpacking the desert southwest and the High Serria's for decades with some legendary hikers, most who are no longer with us. Many great adventure stories posted here with many valuable lessons to be learned from them, from their failures as well as their successes.

Excellent video. While many focus on the possibility of dehydration, too many survival videos fail to take into account heat stroke. Thank you for adding more content along this line.

Great video. Living in NM and Az you grow up with these instincts. Same with Alaska. Very unfortunate. The Grand Canyon is the place that amazes me. They outright tell you that you will die if you attempt to go down unprepared. But people still die.

We were working in the Sierra Madre near Yecora. The helicopter dropped us off with our surveying equipment further than we thought from our destination. We each only had a liter of water, had a 3 km hike up hill in 100 F heat. The walk out was tough but downhill. I usually do not skimp on water but due to our equipment weight we did skimp. We thought we could land closer to our point.

This seems so pedestrian in terms of common sense but in reality a lot of people throw caution to the wind or haven’t even thought things through in terms of “what ifs”. Every day I leave the house I am prepared to spend the night in the elements, winter or summer because I have made mistakes in my youth that could have cost me my life

What an awful tragedy. I think that sadly people underestimate the effect heat can have on your physiology. When I hike in California, I start super early 6am and am done by 10am, that way I stay in the shade while the sun is lower. I always carry twice as much water as I think I’ll need and I drink lots before I start hiking to ensure I’m fully hydrated

Don't do anything in 100°f! Even surfing is hard work at that temperature. I live in Australia & at 40°c children are not allowed outside at school & many jobs stop!

Was portaging four days in the Algonquin National Forest via canoe and was awakened the final night at 1 a.m. by bears fighting and snarling right outside of the two-man tent. Although the packs / food were hanging from tree limbs at least 40 yards away, they were on us and not in cages. No bueno.

The saddest thing about a lot od these types of deaths is that they could have been avoided by better planning or preparation. I refuse to be outdoors in 90 + plus weather foe more than 30 minutes. I nearly got a heat stroke in Arizona, was young, healthy and fit, drinking water but the elements still got me.

I hiked into the snow in Australia for a 2 night stay. I am diabetic and was sick from using Ozempic. That was a big mistake. Temperature was around -5 Celsius. I couldn’t eat and sat in my tent for 2 days. I had a Garmin inreach but decided to hike back out to safety. Vomiting for about 5 hours after which I reach home. I was rushed to hospital by ambulance 90 minutes away and was in ICU for 2 days and then a ward for another week. I had suffered DKA Diabetic Ketoacidotis with a keytone level of 6 and should have died. I was very lucky. I was just an idiot for going when I was already sick. I was 56 years old at the time.

Live to die another day, I have used it in Mountaineering the summit is not worth it, plus most bad stuff happens on the descents. I live in a hot climate, you have to acclimate to the heat and be active in it and have a plan which includes not today(Live to Die another day)! Hope is not a strategy, I know what I can and cannot do. Lastly remember it can happen to anyone including you! RIP to this father and daughter .

Down here in the south , it's common for us to break a fast sweat. Water just pours out to stay cool. Better know where you are an what's going to happen . Water is everything. I heard a story , it's so hot an dry you can't drink enough to replace the water fast enough .

That`s when you need a GPS tracker that will send an emergency signal.

I was hiking to the top of upper Yosemite Falls in my late twenties on a hot July day. I threw up about 2/3 of the way up. I rested for quite awhile then continued up slowly . I had plenty of water and snacks but was going too fast. Lesson learned. #1 it was too hot of a day to do that hike.

I got lost near "Spooky Canyon" due to the lack of signs and reliance on piles of rocks to navigate. There were 4 other people that got lost independently at the same time. When we got together, we felt better at first, but then the amount of sandals, sun-glasses, and watches in the desert made us even more nervous. Then we turned on each other. Two people ran off, and two other people tried to club me with a wooden branch they found. I had a fire@rm to help me give orders and we all walked out of there by backtracking about a mile. I had 8 bottles of water with me and drank 7 of them over the course of 4 hours. It was supposed to be a 45 minutes hike.

I live in the desert southwest and people from other areas of the country come here and think they are going to hike places we only hike in winter. Every time. Kinda sad.

No shade. No shade?? Take, take, take an umbrella ☂️ and use it while walking the hike. Bring your own shade simply with an umbrella! A golf umbrella is large! Make 👏 your 👏own 👏 shade. Drink water. Every slight advantage could mean your life. Be smart! Mom’s put this on the list!

I have hiked all over. I was working in phoenix and had a lot of great hikes. So when summer came I kept hiking. One day I was hiking a new trial with very little brush and no trees, and I didn’t notice I was several bottles of water in and had no sweat or urine. I hike steadily and fast and can get preoccupied with listening to music or podcasts. All of a sudden I realized I was feeling bad. My app still had me a few miles out. That was a rough hike. When I could find a tiny bit of shade I would try to sit in it then press on. Made sure I started hiking about two hours before dawn after that

Good advice about prevention of heat/health problems by avoiding hot, windy, shadeless terrain. Even being prepared does not negate the threat of traveling when it is very hot. Best to wait for more favorable conditions. You are not going to defeat the wrath of Mother Nature. She does not give a rip that you are a lifetime member of REI and that you are "experienced in the outdoors."

Yep, I don’t hike during hot weather , even if it starts at 80 degrees ,the sun beating down on you catches up with you real quick.

In April we stopped at a visitor center in Palm Springs that was at start of a relatively short hike. You were not allowed on the trail unless each person had 32oz of water with them.

I once climbed mt Washington in NH. I was prescribed powerful medication for blood poisoning. Never knew how much it depleted my strength. I can speak from experience that it is critical to be honest with yourself about your physical ability to complete such a rigorous task as this. It was only a 4500’ elevation increase but portions were so steep logs were cut into the mountain to create steep steps. I was lucky to survive. Skill didn’t matter.

The first thing to consider is the weather. Experienced hikers avoid those areas that time of year when the temps soar well over 100 degrees every day and there's no shade or water. This was totally avoidable. At least learn something about the area you're going to visit.

Hi Dan, recently, despite what I thought was appropriate planning to take plenty of water, wet bandannas to stay cool, hats, breathable clothing, etc., I found where Mother Nature always has the upper hand. I started feeling the effects of heat exhaustion on a walk. I am thankful there were no serious consequences, however, slowing my pace, rationing what water I had, trying to stay in shaded areas (when available) and perseverance got me back to the trailhead safely. Hindsight is always 20/20 and yes, there are things I would do differently, however, I am grateful there were no serious ramifications. Thank you for the videos you share as they are quite helpful!

Outstanding advice. Take nothing for granted especially when it comes to our loved ones.

I'm local to the Utah Desert. I talk to so many people who are visiting in the summer, they want to hike. I never recommend hiking unless you start in the early morning and back before noon. It gets to hot. Its unfortunate we loose so many people in the summer here. I hope that people learn from others mistakes. I hope they RIP❤

I always say "The mountain will always win." Extreme adventures are often romanticized and the people that execute them have a lot of experience. The first step is knowing you know nothing and take the time to learn. As an ultrarunner, i know these adventures are all about problem solving.

Really sorry for this dad & daughter. I suppose there's a grieving wife & mother in this story, as well as other siblings maybe ?.... my heart & prayers go out to her. Haven't had any issues with hiking & heat, but as I get older I can definitely feel my capacities and resistance/endurance diminish... so I keep telling myself I ain't 20 or 30 anymore LOL. Be safe out there you all.

Good advice. I haven’t read through all of the comments and someone may have already said this ,but different people have different tolerance levels, and what some might be able to endure physically others who are just as fit just can’t. I’m younger than my husband and can actually tolerate heat really well but he ran circles around me inside Yosemite, the thin air really got to me.

Years ago went to Grand Canyon in June intending to hike from South rim to bottom of canyon. Got half way down it was 105 degrees. I had enough sense to turn around. I had enough water but I was really tired when I got back to the top. Since then I wont hike when it's above 90 degrees.

In my 20s a friend passed out in 92 temps....scary as heck....same trail a mountain lion killed someone and injured another lady on her face....Had to nearly quit hiking

Its disturbing that, recently, there's been a few deaths of young people with a parent who took them into the wilderness...and their child never made it back. This is both! How tragic for those left behind. 😞

I live in Southern Utah and this has been a brutal summer! The long-term locals are struggling, we just hide in our homes/work place about 11:00 AM, if possible. Please be safe and realize that we are in the dessert and act accordingly. So sad! Thanks for the info!

Not a near death experience but when I first started hiking I went on a trail in a WV state park. The trails were horribly marked, actually UNmarked is a better description, and I got lost. Four hours later (from what should have been a 1.5 hour hike) I made it bake to my camper. I’ve hiked many WV state parks since and they are all marked extremely well.