FYI for those who may travel to AZ or any desert region - pls note the summer heat spells are REALLY serious, and dangerous even for experienced hikers. A very experienced 71-yr old hiker died last week in Death Valley where temps went over 110+ degrees. Even in the off-seasons, practice safety: always let someone know where you intend to go, put your cellphone on "exact location" (reception is usually poor to non-existent in many parks, but you might get lucky!), and bring a couple of protein bars and sufficient water.
Even if you are just driving through and don't intend to get out of the car,
let someone know your route. Always
keep your gas tank full when you start off; gas stations can be very far apart in the remote areas of the West.
Another sad story, this one in the news today, in the same park I posted a photo of, above:
Two hikers found dead amid extreme heat in southern Nevada
Bodies found after two women failed to return from hike in Valley of Fire state park in temperatures up to 114F
US Guardian News 24July2023
[free link]
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jul/24/nevada-valley-fire-hikers-dead-excessive-heat
