DEATH VALLEY, Calif. – Two hikers were rescued by helicopter from Telescope Peak Trail in Death Valley National Park on February 1, after sliding downhill in icy conditions.
In spite of wearing crampons, the two men slipped off the trail when crossing a steep, icy drainage, less than two miles from the trailhead. Fortunately, neither hiker was injured. The hikers were not able maintain their footing or climb back up to the trail, in spite of having crampons, trekking poles, and a 200-foot rope.
One of the hikers used a cell phone to call park rangers to request assistance around 10:30 am. Due to the steep terrain and icy conditions, park rangers requested assistance from California Highway Patrol’s H-80 helicopter. The hikers were rescued around 3:50 pm.
Death Valley National Park is the homeland of the Timbisha Shoshone and preserves natural resources, cultural resources, exceptional wilderness, scenery, and learning experiences within the nation’s largest conserved desert landscape and some of the most extreme climate and topographic conditions on the planet. Learn more at www.nps.gov/deva.
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Crampons and TREKKING POLES!
Are you kidding me!
Their personalized license plates should read “REI 2 PERIL”
Sounds more like a bunch of self entitled, jealous crybabys , that have nothing better to do in their own lives. Instead you have decided that it’s your position to pass judgment, serve as jury, and executioner.
What is the ol story of living in a glass house?
Oh your right, you pay taxes.
I don’t think you own “it”
Sounds like you all should close your curtains, lock the doors, other people are living life.
Dear Maria,
I am sorry, but that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. What does living in a glass house have to do with this story? I like the outdoors, I’ve climbed a few peaks, I have not nor do I ever plan to, have a helicopter have to rescue me.
I try to stay within the limit of my ability. Are you aware of the risks to the folks that do the rescues? The cost? Rescuer’s losing their lives?
Just so some Sunday “climbers” can test their mettle (or obvious lack thereof) against what is usually an easy hike.
Maybe you haven’t lived here very long, but it seems to me the number of rescues and attempted rescues has at least doubled in the last 10 years., and probably doubled in the ten before that.
Read the stories. Ask the Sheriff’s Dept.. People who are woefully unprepared for their mountain experience time and time again, But now instead of dying or getting themselves out of trouble, they got their handy dandy emergency radio! Oh, I guess they read “into the Wild” but forgot to finish the book.
Same type of people who ski or ride real fast and run into others cause they don’t know how to turn or stop! Cool people doing what they want in your book Right?
You have to many questions in a very long useless statement.
Dear Maria, None of what I said was a question, except rhetorical, but you probably don’t know what that means , But I will repeat, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY RESCUERS DIE?
DO YOU KNOW HOW DANGEROUS IT IS TO THE RESCUERS?
Too many questions for your tiny brain, sorry, maybe you should save your comments for things you know and understand, LIKE NOTHING!
Crampons without an ice ax doesn’t make sense when you’re on steep terrain. “Trekking poles” don’t cut it.
Just one more thing…. Telescope Peak is a “walk” unless you want to turn it into something else. Deliberately scaling a harder route under harsher conditions is what REAL and I emphasize “REAL” mountaineers do, mostly to train for scaling higher peaks. People who read about doing this on the internet and then decide they are capable are a hazard to themselves and the folks who are tasked with rescue.
I don’t pretend to be a real mountaineer, just a hiker, but I haven’t had to be rescued yet!
What’s the upside to attempting to summit Telescope Peak during the most productive (snow-wise) winter we’ve had in decades ? Because “It’s THERE” ? Now they have a nice story to tell their buddies about getting a free ride in a CHP airship .
Yeah, in spite of having crampons and trecking poles. I’m surprised the phrase “very experienced hiker” didn’t come up. Just cause you have the equipment doesn’t mean you know how to use it.
People used to have to be more careful when the state of communications was different. Now these folks go up there expecting a rescue if they screw up, hence the large increase in calls for rescue.
Reply to Rick, exactly what I said, no point in doing the deed unless you are training for a REAL CLIMB.
Let’s hope that those folks have to pay the real price of their little Heli ride. $30,000 to $40,000 or more. I hope for their sake and ours (since our ambulance service is going broke) that they got the cash to pay. Plus, it shouldn’t be a health insurance issue (like getting flown to Renown when our hospital can’t help us (like always))