The wild does not suffer fools...

[Wambli Ska]

Speaking of stupid stuff or out of shear ignorance and possibly really bad luck, I'm reminded of this story from 2021.

In October, authorities said 45-year-old Jonathan Gerrish, 30-year-old Ellen Chung and their 1-year-old baby died from hyperthermia and probable dehydration while hiking in Devil's Gulch Valley.

https://abc7.com/mariposa-county-family ... /11306062/

I'm very familiar with the desert and remember well hearing about bodies turning up often, usually found by hikers and people on dirt bikes enjoying the desert.

Where I'm at now, bodies keep turning up in irritation canals but that's a whole different cause.

Just few winters ago I posted a story about a teen whose mother called an “experienced hiker” that died of exposure after her mother dropped her off at a trailhead in nothing but leggings, a light fleece and basically sneakers to go try to summit some mountain in NH IIRC. Got caught in a storm and died. A freaking Mylar blanket and a lighter would have kept her alive, but she didn’t even have that with her. “Experienced”, I don’t think so…

[Bigslug]

When I was 21, some friends and I went on a little death march on the Grand Canyon's Hermit's Trail. We WERE prepared with plenty of gear - probably TOO prepared from a weight perspective - and managed to run out of water halfway down to the river anyway. Made it down in one day and rehydrated and camped the night. Took a day and a half getting back out, camping at a spring halfway up and was able to refill everything there. Had some scary moments supporting one of our party who was in way worse shape for the ordeal than the rest of us, but we got it done and it makes for a nice memory.

But what I remember most: On the way back out, we crossed paths with 4 younger kids who were convinced they could hike down to the river and back up in one day - each of them wearing shorts, T-shirts, sneakers, and carrying a single gallon milk jug of water apiece. Two of them made their goal, but two of them ended up camping with us at the spring, trying to keep warm in the night wearing our spare clothing and wrapped in our Mylar emergency blankets.

About the time I was lying awake, attempting to sleep while listening to the crinkling of Mylar blanket, I was musing about how much quieter it would be, and what service to mankind we'd provide if we had pushed them over the edge.

"Arrakis is Arrakis, and the desert takes the weak" - Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Dune (2019)

[Wambli Ska]

Rather cruel…. But funny

You interrupted Darwinism and your lack of sleep was the price you paid.

[Bigslug]

It WAS a rather major eye opener in how nature can kill you. The 7,000 foot descent from the South Rim (where there was snow) to the Colorado River (where it was basically summer) is an interesting problem to crack. One tends to over-pack, which enables one to survive the elements, but it incurs a weight/time penalty, and you go through your water at a less efficient rate. Complicating matters further was the fact that the Canyon at that point drops to a flat plain about halfway down, and when you look at that from the rim, it hides the fact that there is A GREAT DEAL more hiking to do from that point on. Because of that little deception, we chose NOT to top off our water at the same spring we later utilized on the return trip.

The unprepared kids in the other group no doubt considered only the distance listed on the hike descriptions as the main difficulty factory, and did not account for the verticality. A gallon of water to hike a 14-mile round trip on level ground is one thing - in that environment. . .nuh-uh.

In retrospect, everybody involved had a brush with death for different reasons.

I have a favor to ask of anyone passing through Needles, California: after the above death march, which was three days of living on trail mix and jerky, we stopped there for dinner at a local pizza joint slightly north of I-40. While my perception may have been altered because we were exhausted and starved, they may have actually had THE BEST PIZZA IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE. If so, they are probably still in business 32 years on. I'd appreciate it if you could confirm the quality.

[Castle]

Been through Needles numerous times but only ever stopped for gas

I remember they filmed an episode of the Incredible Hulk near there. I recognized the roadside eatery they filmed next to when Banner is walking away from the town. I don't remember the name of the episode off the top of my head. Been awhile

[Wambli Ska]

Going to CA in October for a few days (I'm being forced to by family obligations) but unfortunately not in that direction. But, I've been thinking about venturing towards that area later in the winter and I took a look and there seems to be a few pizza places in Needles. Do you remember the name?

[Japhy]

“When I was 21, some friends and I went on a little death march on the Grand Canyon's Hermit's Trail.”

Hermit trail is rated animal. That and the Hance (aka rock slide to the river) is no place for wimps. Went down years back when the corps of engineers was letting a lot of water flow to rebuild the sand bars for a glimpse of Hance rapids running full tilt. I would call that run perilous!

[Castle]

...
People who know the desert can thrive in it. And it IS a lot of fun environment where you can experience some amazing freedom!

I’m surrounded by millions of acres of the stuff and it’s a new environment for me so I’m being overly cautious and reading/learning everything I can about it. Don’t want to become some headline in the local newspaper because of carelessness or outright stupidity. The post was only put here to hopefully make my friends think about their own plan when leaving the road behind if they do so.

Just carry where you can, keep water and supplies handy and don't step on the rattlers, they won't appreciate it much, also the weather/temps can change on a dime. Other than that, it's great living out there. I know I loved it. Freedom, very few people, until you drive closer to towns

I kept a pet tarantula for a while before I released him back into the desert. I miss that fuzzball.

From what I've seen, a lot of people in California try to live a lifestyle that only exists in commercials and travel brochures. The reality seems quite different.