Roost posted a message last year about a guy and gal dying from the heat under a rail (I think).
Seems like she would have had water with her daughter along and all....but probably asumed nothing will happen. My condolences too the family.

 

Thanks for posting this roost. I hadn't ever given this a single thought. I have never rode in the desert, I have never even been to a desert but this is a great way to inform people who do ride there about the hazzards. I love to see a guy who is personally looking out for fellow people. God bless this womans family and hopefully the little girl will fully recover.

 

I see stuff like this all the time up here in Alaska. This place will kill you in a hurry and not think twice. Keeping yourself alive isn't hard..... usually all it takes is a little common sense. Never take the wilderness for granted. Because lets face it..... when you walk out your front door you enter the food chain in one way or another. A camalback and a signal mirror probably would have saved this ladies life.

I'm not trying to be rude or callous... I'm in an Air Force Combat Search and Rescue squadron and we do A LOT of civilian rescues that sound just like this. I'm just trying to remind you guys that no matter how much your friends might razz you for taking along a camelback full of water or some survival gear on a half hour ride it just might save you life.

LT84

 

Well, I am truly saddened by that story.

I leave tomorrow for the dunes (1st time).

I will pack lots of water, and the GPS will have a fresh set of batteries. It clips really nicely on the back of Julies camelback, so I can see it when we stop.

Thanks for the post,,,,and the awareness.


Everyone have a safe holiday!!!!

 

Sad story, happens all to often.

Anybody from outside of the desert southwest should keep this in mind. Going to Glamis or Dumont over summer break is a horrible idea. There is often times no BLM presence at the dunes in the hot months. You can die any number of ways out there in the heat. Get lost, vehicle failure, accident or scariest of all, if you are not used to 110+ degree heat, you can get heat stroke real quick and pass out suddenly. Out here that's a death sentence.

Don't believe the "it's a dry heat" business either. You may think 95 and 90% humidity is worse than 110-120 at 10% humidity but it's not. It's just more uncomfortable. Out here you die-dry. I did a photo shot outside today and except for my forehead, I didn't even get wet from sweat. It evaporates immediately. [your forehead stays wet becauz of the oils that come out during the persperation process] Today the temp in Phoenix was around 110 but the thermometer [that was in the sun admittedly] read the full 130. I drank gallon of water in 4 hours of work and was STILL 4 lbs lighter when I got home today and I wasn't physically active in any way, I was just standing around looking for shade. BTW, remember a gallon of water weighs @8lbs. That's how bad you dehydrate out here.

I guess I just want everyone back east to know how dangerous dune riding is out here. Here is a safe rule of thumb: MAY 1 - NOVEMBER 1 STAY AWAY. I know some of the locals will disagree with that and it is true that we rode last year from the first weekend of October thru Memorial day but we had a cool fall and spring. We can say use common sense but this kinda heat is beyond most of the countries comprehension.

If you are planning a trip during the hot season, post questions on boards like this for info. Hopefully someone will talk you out of it and get you to come out over X-mas - New Years when the rest of the nation is in a deep freeze and we are in the 70's. Stay cool and stay alive.

 

I am truly sad to here this![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] But only people who are not quite right in there minds would even think of being at Glamis this time of year!! You may as well book Opera seats in Hell as to go to Glamis in the Summer. I notice that Europeans love to go to these hot places. I have seen German's and French at death Valley in the middle of July when the Temperature was 127 degree's and that was no joke! They were laing out on top of there cars for Hours![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img] I just don't understand people!?

 

If it is predictable....it is preventable.

 

I hate to hear crap like this. Especially a mom and daughter. When I was in glamis, I went WAYYYY out in the dunes at night. The only thing I could really see was the line of lights on Gecko road. Luckily I had a full tank o gas in the shee I was on. I was really too excited to get scared, being it my first time there. But now that I look back at it, things could have been bad. But it was MLK weekend, so it topped out at about 75 degrees in the day, and 60 at night.

But never the less, that really sucks what happened. My regaurds go out to the family and friends.

 

That really makes me think twice about going to LS in a few weeks. If I do decide to go, the camel bak, tow strap, cell phone, and riding buddy are coming along with me. My thoughts and prayers to the family.

Street

 

GPS would have saved her life no doubt but so would have the leader of the group if he kept tabs on everyone, put 1 experianced leader in front 2nd most at very end to catch the straglers and stop every peak or so just to make sure. Our rule is wait and dont wonder off trying to find the lead group, at most we'll be a ridge ahead and have everyone wait while someone goes back via our tracks and finds the lost sheep.