Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire 71-year-old man dies of possible heat exposure at Death Valley...

But if it had been cold, he wouldn't have needed the helo so your theory is invalid.

Speaking only from a mechanical perspective. Never know though, old folks have a hard time thermo regulating....could've got hypothermia just as easily as heat stroke.

Or could have had a stroke or heart attack lacing up his boots, he was at the trailhead.

Wet-bulb temperature is the lowest temperature that can be reached under current ambient conditions by the evaporation of water only. It is very different than ambient temperature.

It is calculated by combining atmospheric pressure, amount of moisture in the air, and ambient air temperature. It is lower than ambient temperature under nearly every commonly-encountered circumstance in the USA during the summer months.

For example, on a typically humid day with 95 degree temps in the south, wet bulb temp is about 88 degrees. To achieve a wet bulb temperature above 95 degrees with typical midwest or southern humidity levels, you generally have to have ambient temperatures well over 100 degrees. If it's dry, like in Death Valley, temps are probably more like 110 or even higher for a wet bulb over 95.

Ain't nobody working outside for long with ambient temps like that.

Kipling wrote of an (Eastern) Indian saying, "Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun."

Old folks? He was only 71. I'd like to be a mere 71 again. But maybe I picked up some smarts since then. I thermo regulate by staying the hell home when it's 100+. There are plenty of places to vacation and hike that are a lot cooler than that. Death Valley during the winter solstice is a better choice.

No offense Jim, but it’s called density altitude. It’s a combination of actual altitude, heat, and humidity. The colder and drier the air, the better the aircraft performs. Airplanes are affected by it too. The more powerful helicopters (Chinooks, Blackhawks, Apaches) can fly in high density altitudes. The medevac helicopters used these days are loaded down with gear and personnel making it an iffy proposition. An unfortunate fellow was killed in New Mexico a couple days ago in a Cessna 310 (small twin engine plane) after losing an engine during takeoff. The density altitude was high and he couldn’t maintain or gain altitude on one engine.

Ron

Never had the heat curtail my outdoor activities until we moved to SC. In my nearly forgotten and largely wasted youth, I spent several exciting years in hot, humid SEA. I could keep going all day and all night. In my 60’s,, still living up north, I liked nothing better than distance running in summer temperatures in the 80’s (But it was a dry heat.) Now, down here and in my mid-70’s, when it gets above 90, I’m not outside for long. It just wipes me out. I’m starting to get my mind around the reality of it. Last Saturday I went out to the gun club to set up for the monthly IDPA match, but given the projected temperatures for the day, withdrew from the match, along with several other “old guys.”

Life took a long time to weed that one out.

He couldn't but the airplane could have.

I can say from experience that some old guys will defy the calendar to the bitter end. It's a no win battle. This guy could have possibly stayed in the game for lots more years if he'd planned his battle tactics better. The calendar will always win, though.

Going to Death Valley to say you experienced that kind of heat seems to be the touron fad of the moment.

High, hot, and heavy is death. So every pilot knows. Or should. Now Death Valley is the opposite of high, but the hot and heavy parts of the equation can (pun intended) outweigh that.

Lastly, I have come to realize that the older I get, the narrower my band of temperature allowance. Both heat and cold affect me more now than ever before - and it is progressive.

About 10 years ago we were hunting elk when the truck thermometer said -16 and the wind was blowing hard. It didn't bother me all that much. Now? There's no way I could do that now. The same goes for the high end of the scale. There's no way I'd go hiking at 100+, or maybe 90+ either.

71 isn't ancient anymore, but....


I worked for a logger who keeled over at 44.
Active, carrying a few extra pounds, but worked hard.
Sitting beside his brother in the pickup, he grabbed his chest and died.

Take away the heat and everyone would assume that's what happened with this guy.
Certainly the heat will be blamed. No matter what. But people go toes up suddenly,
everyday.

It was probably covid that got him, says Dr. Fauci.

If he got dehydrated or if his body temperature got elevated much above 98.6, then the heat IS to blame. Heat stroke is a killer and when it hits, it can take you out in only a few minutes. He obviously was in a situation where heat stroke or dehydration are a strong possibility but a heart attack or aneurism are also very possible. They can't call it until his body is examined by a professional.

When I was 39 I spent some time in Mexico during an El Nino summer, I remember it got up to 126 F a couple of days. I remember doing very little during the day. I am not 71 yet but I can imagine the toll it takes on a person.

Defying the calendar to the bitter end ain’t a bad option.

Passing out and dying at age 71 while challenging yourself outdoors sure beats a lot of alternatives.

Challenging yourself to the bitter end sounds great - until it greatly hastens the bitter end.

Yep. Time takes no prisoners.

L.W.

In years prior, I spent a fair amount of time in the northern section of Death Valley. I would go to that area in July or September during the major holidays. I would spend three days out in the heat. How did I do it ? I would move into my stand, early in the morning, and stay there all day in the shade. Got to see and snap pics of some really cool wildlife.
Any experienced "desert rat" will tell you " Don't fight the desert." George Patton, when he was attempting to train his men for Africa, learned that if you force march a solider for four hours or more in that kind of heat/dryness, you can kill him. The body looses water and salts fast than they can be replaced. You must know your limits and not push them. Or the desert will kill you and not even blink. E