Father and daughter die after getting lost in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park
A father and daughter from Green Bay, Wisconsin, tragically died on Friday after getting lost in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park and running out of water amid triple-digit temperatures, according to park rangers.
Lost on the Syncline trail
The National Park Service (NPS) reported that the 52-year-old man and his 23-year-old daughter were hiking on the Syncline Trail when they became disoriented and exhausted their water supply. The air temperature in Moab on Friday afternoon reached 100 degrees, exacerbating the dire situation.
Heatwave advisory
Moab, like much of the western United States, is currently under a heat advisory, with temperatures expected to soar to 105 degrees on Sunday. The extreme heat has posed significant risks to visitors in the region.
Emergency response
San Juan County Dispatchers received a 911 text on Friday afternoon from someone in the Island of the Sky district of Canyonlands. Rangers and personnel from the Bureau of Land Management Moab District Helitack responded to the emergency call and launched a search for the missing hikers. Unfortunately, by the time the father and daughter were found, it was too late.
The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office and the NPS are investigating the incident. This tragedy adds to a growing list of fatalities this summer in national parks across the western United States.
Recent park fatalities
Several hikers unprepared for extreme heat, have died in Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park. Additionally, in California, a motorcycle rider succumbed to the scorching temperatures, which reached 128 degrees in Death Valley.
Safety advisories for park visitors
National Park Service rangers are urging visitors to avoid hiking during peak afternoon heat and to carry ample water during their hikes to prevent dehydration and heat-related illnesses.
This incident serves as a grim reminder of the dangers posed by extreme temperatures in natural landscapes and the importance of being well-prepared when venturing into such environments.
