According to a National Park Service news release, the 42-year-old Belgian tourist was taking a short walk Saturday in the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in 123-degree heat when he either broke or lost his flip-flops, putting his feet into direct contact with the desert ground. The result: third-degree burns.
“The skin was melted off his foot,” said Death Valley National Park Service Ranger Gia Ponce. “The ground can be much hotter — 170, 180 [degrees]. Sometimes up into the 200 range.”
Unable to get out on his own and in extreme pain, the man and his family recruited other park visitors to help; together, the group carried him to the sand dunes parking lot, where park rangers assessed his injuries.
Though they wanted a helicopter to fly him out, helicopters can’t generate enough lift to fly in the heat-thinned air over the hottest parts of Death Valley, officials said. So park rangers summoned an ambulance that took him to higher ground, where it was a cooler 109 degrees and he could then be flown out.
I can’t feel bad for these people. Death Valley in mid-summer and you go unprepared. I suppose it’s a testament to our amazing transportation systems.
I guess you can say it was no walk in the park for that guy. I’ll see myself out.
Yeah, if you’re going to venture into dangerous areas at least learn basic survival skills. Like why the hell didn’t he wrap his feet using his clothes?
It’s really bizarre. These kinds of people shouldn’t leave the city gates without someone experienced in case something like this happens. Hope he gets well though.
Experienced in what? Reading comprehension? The place is called DEATH valley. Pair of flip flops will do?
The motal is he should have had socks too?
Death Valley, frequented in the summer by those looking to be in contention for the year’s Darwin award.
