There’s nothing unusual about hot weather in the desert in the summertime. Even without the current heat wave sweeping the western US, areas like and are always going to be scorching come July and August. Despite that meteorological reliability, however, people still want to don their and see the natural wonders of the , and .
No one can blame you for wanting to see these dazzling sights, and summer is often the most convenient time to travel, but it unfortunately often brings hiker deaths and heat-related illnesses. Just last week, we reported on and another three people died over the weekend in Canyonlands. These incidents are always tragic, but are often avoidable.
I live in Scotland these days, where we don’t have any desert or see many hot days, so you might think it laughable that I’m writing this, but for many years, the deserts of Utah were my stomping grounds and I've had many great adventures from Death Valley to Joshua Tree. I’ll recommend visiting these otherworldly landscapes to anyone who will listen, but it’s important to take extra precautions to protect yourself from the intense heat in these areas during the summer months. In addition to practicing basic hiking safety, such as having a plan and , carrying a and understanding the signs of , the following are some important practices to help keep you safe in hot desert conditions this summer.
I know you don’t want to hear this (and the local tourism boards probably don’t want me to write it) but .