Death Valley National Park lives up to its name

Death Valley National Park didn’t get its name because of the lush, cool, luxurious conditions it offers. It’s hot, grueling, and sometimes treacherous. Visitors must be prepared and take extra precautions to ensure their safety.

Just this week, another woman suffered heat illness and had to be rescued. A couple began their hike around 9:30 a.m. when temperatures had already reached around 40 degrees.

The man later told park rangers that her hike had been prolonged because she had gotten lost. At some point during the hike, the woman was unable to continue, according to the National Park Service. The man left her behind to get help.

Because there is no cell reception in the area, conditions are harsh and it takes a long time to get help. Arriving at the Zabriskie Point parking lot, a passerby drove five miles to the Furnace Creek Visitor Center to get help.

From here, the problem gets worse, as visitors cannot always be reached immediately. When the parking attendants arrived a few minutes later, people had already carried the now unconscious woman to the parking lot where she was waiting for the ambulance.

Temperatures had risen to 46 degrees, which presented another challenge. Helicopter rotors generate less lift in hot air and some helicopters cannot fly in extremely high temperatures such as 46 degrees.

Rangers had to move the woman to a safer landing zone at about 3,000 feet, where it would be cool enough for the helicopter to land and take off safely.

The unidentified woman was subsequently flown to Centennial Hills Hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Her condition is currently unknown.

On NPS.gov, park rangers offer the following advice for your summer safety in Death Valley National Park:

Avoid heat:
Stay in an air-conditioned room or no more than a ten-minute walk away from it.
Do not hike at low altitudes after 10 a.m.
Only drive on paved roads. If your vehicle breaks down, stay with it so you are protected and can be found more easily.
Know your limits and get used to the heat.
Avoid the sun:
Seek shade during the hottest times of the day.
Wear a hat and, if necessary, carry an umbrella in your bag.
Drink plenty of water.
Eat salty snacks.