It is hard to say without further information. I'm far from an expert in desert survival, but I would imagine the 115-118 degree heat they were mentioning to be the same kind of exposure hazard that subzero temps up here in the north bring, ie just being outside is a survival situation, and you need planning, safety, and emergency gear for just about all outdoor activities. He is described as an "experienced" outdoorsman, but if so, he seems to have pushed risk over the edge. In anycase, RIP.

Walking once a week for 10 years on a local trail with a bird guide and binnoculars makes you an experienced walker and birdwatcher. Walk # 101 and break a leg, have no whistle or warm clothing and die of shock and exposure overnight.

Local searchteams find you and in the obituary it is mentioned you were an experienced hiker.

Experience isn't everything; sometimes, it isn't anything.

Jeff

Evan Tanner was a good guy with lots of problems. He battled chronic alcoholism and depression. I don't think this can be overlooked when determining the root cause of his reckless actions that caused his eventual demise.

"The local coroner determined that Tanner died of heat exposure between late night Sept. 4 and the morning of Sept. 5"

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/09/marine_UFC_091008w/

Jeff

Standard Disclaimer: Not trying to jump on the band wagon because we just don't know enough about this particular case.

Sometimes so-called experience is a bad thing. It "teaches" us that we can get away with things. I've run into a number of people that have done ignorant things multiple times and escaped unscathed. I never fail to find at least one person doing something exceptionally ignorant every time I'm hiking the corridor trails at Grand Canyon NP. I think the term we're looking for is "non-event feedback".

Thanks for posting that link. There's some other information in there that changes this whole story. His motorcycle didn't run out of gas. He left it at his camp to go hiking. He ran out of water while hiking. The story also says he had more provisions at camp.

This opens up the possibility that he simply misjudged how far he could hike with the water he could carry. A miscalculation that could happen to anyone.

Sept 3- arrives at campsite
Sept 4- in morning strikes out for Clapp Spring, 5 miles away; he reaches it by afternoon and texts a friend that he ran out of water and will travel by night back to his campsite.

Body found 1.2 miles from campsite. He either died after 3.8 miles of hiking or he got lost at night and dehydration caught up with him.

Odd that the tune playing on his myspace page is "Into the Wild" by Eddie Vedder

Clapp Spring is also listed as a permanent watering hole, yet he texted a friend from the Spring saying he was out of water, so it sounds to me like the Spring dried up, and he was counting on refilling his water (if indeed he brought any) from the spring.

A strong focus on equipment. Gear is required, and good gear is a good thing, but it is at the bottom of the priority list:

1. mindset ( = attitude)
2. tactics ( = knowing what to do in a given situation)
3. skill ( = being able to do it)
4. equipment ( = tools to assist with #3)

Many people burn too much effort on #4 without due regard for #1-#3.