No, this isn't about the NBA playoffs, but this incident is instructive. As an old desert rat, I do what the other creatures do, and seek shelter and coolness when the temps get to this state (110 F). 106 is my personal danger line - suspend normal activities and chill out - unless of course you have to go out and rescue someone who didn't.

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Monday, June 10, 2013


INCIDENTS

Lake Mead National Recreation Area (AZ,NV)
One Dead, Five Treated For Heat-Related Ailments

Rangers and other emergency services personnel conducted a search and rescue operation for two men and four Boy Scouts in the White Rock Canyon area on Saturday, June 8th. One of the men, a 69-year-old Las Vegas resident, was found dead; the other man and four boys were found to be suffering from heat-related ailments. The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office notified the park that the Boy Scouts were lost near Arizona Hot Springs early that afternoon. While rangers and fire personnel were searching for them, park dispatch received another call reporting that two men were suffering from heat stroke in the same area. The first man was found dead about a mile from an area trailhead; the second man was found about 20 minutes later and received advanced life support care at the scene before being flown out to a hospital. The four Boy Scouts were found late in the afternoon and were treated by paramedics at the trailhead. The park was under an excessive heat warning at the time of the incident. Temperatures throughout the park were near or above 110 degrees.

I hate stories like this. It's so sad, especially when there are such simple solutions, as you say, hikermor.

Did I read it right when I assume that this all happened on the same day? They found them the same day they were reported lost, so I wonder how long were they lost? I'd like to expect more from my fellow Scout leaders than deathly dehydration in a day. I've never been to Arizona so might be way off base, but even here in Ontario, we know better than to get caught out in heat like that, never mind without being prepared with water and shelter.

Such a shame.

The area they were in is very rugged and the dark colored rocks seem to increase the heat. Not a very good place to make a mistake.

If it's 110F and you have a choice to be someplace else then you've made a mistake!

The weather report says the western half of my state will be around 110 and not below 100 all week. Luckily I live in the other half, but I expect a scorcher here, too.

I did an archaeological project in the Grand Canyon some years ago, down in the Inner gorge, not far from the suspension bridge (the small pueblo ruin we worked on is immediately adjacent to the trail as you proceed to Phantom Ranch).

Our daily schedule was to be on site at 4 AM (as soon as it was light) - worked till noon. We then retreated to PR, got in the shade or in our rooms until after dinner, when we returned to the dig for a couple of hours. That is dark granite country, which insures that you will be warm all night long, as the rocks re-radiate heat. When I joined the project, I hiked down from the South Rim, departing at 2:30 AM.

"Only mad dogs and Englishmen are out in the noonday sun."

An umbrella such as a Swing lite flex Silver reflective type can be invaluable along with a small solar powered fan and off course lots of fluids.

http://www.antigravitygear.com/swing-lite-flex-umbrella-metallic.html

I loved that "dry heat." - sarcasm intended. Summer in Afghanistan was regularly 115-120 (in pants and a jacket, no less). Just sitting around I drank probably close to 1 gallon of water daily. Talking to some of the more active troops, they went through 2-3 gallons of water a day.

Anyway, that's hot, and pretty dumb to go out in it. Unless you go out regularly to that heat, you're not acclimated ("I've lived here all my life" usually means ".. .with air conditioning."). Even if you have enough water, it's possible to overheat faster than you can cool.