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Last week, I learned the sad news that a Tucson, Arizona couple had found themselves stranded with two flat tires in the middle of Death Valley. According to friends, they were "experienced campers", but regardless of their experience, the sad story is that one of them passed away and the other is still recovering from a serious injury. It turns out they tried to hike their way to a nearby road for help, but didn't realize they were hiking through an impassable canyon with steep cliffs at one end. The rescue team found them high up on a ledge, where the boyfriend had passed away from injuries I'm assuming he suffered while trying to climb, and the girlfriend had a serious foot injury requiring surgery. My heart goes out to the survivor and to the grieving friends and families of the one who did not make it. A GoFundMe page has been set up by the brother of the survivor in case you're interested: https://gofund.me/dc8ad3f7
Don't let this be you. There are basic emergency items that we should all consider having with us when venturing out, whether it is a remote destination or a national park.
The following list highlights at a minimum, six things you can do to prepare yourself prior to any trip:
- Check your spare tire and make sure you have the necessary hardware to change that tire and to remove the lug nuts.
- Carry a tire repair kit for fixing punctures and plugging flats.
- Carry an air pump for inflating tires (a hand-powered bike pump also works).
- Have an emergency satellite-based messenger device with you at all times (i.e., Garmin inReach or SPOT). Cell service isn't always available even when you may only be a few miles from a town. The small monthly fee far outweighs the value of your life or that of another in an emergency situation. In addition to assisting in an emergency, should you have vehicle-related troubles, you can easily text someone for help.
- Carry emergency supplies such as jumper cables, an emergency blanket, a "call for help" sign, a container for water (which should be full upon leaving on your trip especially in arid areas), and some food that keeps well.
- Consider adding long-distance towing coverage if you have an emergency assistance plan such as AAA.
I know this topic contains content that is a bit sobering, but bad things do happen despite our best intent and being as prepared as possible can make all the difference in being able to venture out another day.
Thanks for sharing about this Debra, and your recommendations for preparation. This was a sad story. I spent last night at the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes for the sunset & dark sky photos and will be taking a friend into the park in a couple of weeks. Preparation, and the lack of, were on my mind. Things can go sideways in an instant. Not good.
Thanks for sharing about this Debra, and your recommendations for preparation. This was a sad story. I spent last night at the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes for the sunset & dark sky photos and will be taking a friend into the park in a couple of weeks. Preparation, and the lack of, were on my mind. Things can go sideways in an instant. Not good.
@howard-fox You are absolutely right! Things can and do go sideways in an instant. One second you can be walking along a trail and the next, you might be flat on your back from tripping on a rock! Until I purchased my Garmin inReach Mini satellite communicator, I made sure anywhere I went had good cell coverage. I really could have used one of these new-fangled devices when I was in my 20s. Using a mirror was how we communicated if we were in trouble. Now that's dating myself! LOL!
Anyway, not to make light of a tragic situation, but my hope is that anyone who reads my original post will make sure they are prepared and safe when venturing out. Glad you found it useful and I would love to see your photos from your recent trip.