DEATH VALLEY, CA – On Saturday, August 21, 2021, Mr. Blake Chaplin, 52, of Leawood, Kansas, was found deceased near the Manly Beacon formation along the Golden Canyon Trail in Death Valley National Park. This was the second fatality along this trail within a week.
National park staff received a report from an early morning hiker who discovered Mr. Chaplin next to the trail. Park rangers responded and confirmed the report. No helicopters were available to assist, so national park staff search and rescue team members hiked in to recover the body. The Inyo County Sheriff’s Office and Inyo County Coroner are investigating the cause of death; foul play is not suspected.
Temperatures on August 21st and 22nd reached 109 degrees, which is below the daily normal of 115 degrees. Although these temperatures may be cooler compared to a typical Death Valley summer day, precautions should still be taken while visiting in the heat.
Park rangers urge summer travelers to visit Death Valley safely by limiting strenuous activity (such as hiking) to the relatively cooler morning hours (ending hikes before 10 a.m.), drinking plenty of water, eating salty snacks, and staying close to air conditioning. Incredible scenery can be viewed from vistas and overlooks within a few minutes’ walk from a vehicle
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Rick O’Brien
Gotta agree with you there,in Summertime Death Valley I wouldn’t even want to hike the trails with or without a companion.
Back about 18 years ago I had a Dish-Net install scheduled in Furnace Creek in the summertime…at a mobilehome with an aluminum roof…122 out that day…..never again.
I can not for the life of me figure out why anyone would want to hike a deserted trail in DV, ALONE , during triple digits weather . The first time I DROVE through Death Valley was at night in August (with the AC blowing) and when we stopped to stretch our legs, I opened the truck door and the heat almost knocked me over (from the shock) , and that was at 10 pm !