California’s Death Valley National Park has claimed another life in its second heat-related death of the summer, park officials said Monday.
On Aug. 1, a day where temperatures reached nearly 120 degrees Fahrenheit (48.3 degrees Celsius), bystanders saw a man stumble back from the Natural Bridge Trailhead, a one-mile roundtrip trail, according to a news release.
The man, identified as 57-year-old Peter Hayes Robino of Duarte, California, declined their help. Witnesses said his responses did not make sense. He returned to his car and drove off a 20-foot embankment at the edge of the parking lot, the news release said.
I mean it’s called Death Valley. If anything I’d expect more bodies
They should rename the Grand Canyon to Death Canyon, it’s got Death Valley beat.
(Nature is breathtaking, but please be prepared people).
When I went to the Grand Canyon, I was shocked how many people stand right on the edge of a 300 foot drop. In a lot of areas, there are no guard rails (nor should there be), but so many people are just fucking stupid.
I joked you could probably kill someone by startling them with an airhorn but honestly it might work.
They’ve done studies, and have found that guard rails actually make the problem worse. Gives people a sense of security and a false sense of bravado.
Humans #1!!
And something to climb on/over
It sounds like he was suffering heat-related delirium and should have been prevented from leaving and trying to drive. Most people are unconfrontational though, and may not have even realized what they were seeing, symptomatically.
But as we keep having to remind people, it’s Death fucking Valley. Death is literally there in the name. If you don’t come prepared then ya pays yer nickel and takes yer chances.
