Tag: California

California, located on the west coast of the United States, is renowned for its diverse landscapes, vibrant culture, and significant economic influence. From the sun-kissed beaches of Southern California to the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains, the state offers a range of natural beauty. The state is home to iconic cities like Los Angeles, known for Hollywood and the entertainment industry, and San Francisco, famous for its tech innovation and the Golden Gate Bridge. The state’s economy is one of the largest in the world, driven by sectors such as technology, agriculture, entertainment, and tourism. With its rich cultural diversity and pioneering spirit, California continues to be a land of opportunity and innovation.

Cochan – Colorado River Steamship

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The Cochan was the last stern-wheel steamboat operated by the Colorado Steam Navigation Company (CSNC) on the Colorado River, running from late 1899/1900 until about 1909–1910. Named for the Quechan (Yuma) people, it marked the end of commercial steam navigation on the lower Colorado after nearly six decades of steamboat activity that began in 1852.

View showing steamboat Cochan on the Colorado River near Yuma, Arizona in 1900 - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
View showing steamboat Cochan on the Colorado River near Yuma, Arizona in 1900 – U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

Origins and Construction

By 1899, CSNC owners Isaac Polhamus and Jack Mellon faced aging vessels and renewed competition from newer boats (including the St. Vallier). Their remaining steamers, the Mohave II (about 23 years old) and the Gila (launched 1873 and already more than 25 years in service), had worn hulls requiring heavy maintenance. The Gila was selected because it retained better engines.

In late 1899, the Gila’s machinery was refurbished and installed in a rebuilt (or heavily reconstructed) hull at the shipyard in Yuma, Arizona, at a cost of roughly $25,000 (some accounts cite about $27,000). The vessel was launched on November 8, 1899, and renamed Cochan. It was two tons lighter and 14 feet shorter than the Gila.

Key specifications:

  • Displacement: 234 tons
  • Length: 135 feet
  • Beam: 31 feet
  • Draft: 11 inches unloaded; less than 2 feet (about 22 inches) when loaded with cargo
  • Cargo capacity: up to 125 tons of freight
  • Propulsion: stern paddlewheel driven by the refurbished steam engines from the Gila

The Cochan was a classic Western-river sternwheeler optimized for the Colorado’s difficult conditions—shifting sandbars, snags, swift currents, seasonal low water, and abrasive sand. Design priorities emphasized extreme shallow draft, a relatively flat or lightly built wooden hull reinforced against grounding and impacts, and reliable (rather than high-speed) power for towing barges. Sternwheel configuration aided maneuverability in confined or shallow channels and allowed techniques such as using the wheel to help dig through bars. These principles continued the adaptations that Colorado River boats had developed since the 1850s, prioritizing flotation and cargo-carrying ability in minimal water over ocean-style seaworthiness or deep-draft efficiency.

In 1900 the company also built a new barge, the Silas J. Lewis (about 150 feet long and 32 feet in beam), for the Cochan to tow, while scrapping older barges.

Operations and Role in Trade

The Cochan entered service in January 1900, carrying freight to mining districts such as the Quartette and Searchlight mines in Nevada and competing directly with the St. Vallier (and later the Searchlight). It operated primarily on the lower Colorado between Yuma, Arizona, and points upstream toward Needles, California, and mining areas, supporting the final phase of the region’s mining boom with supplies, equipment, ore, and passengers.

Steamboats like the Cochan remained important for expanding and sustaining trade along the Colorado long after the Southern Pacific Railroad reached Yuma in 1877. They provided the most economical means of moving bulk goods across the desert Southwest until rail lines fully displaced them. The Cochan and its contemporaries hauled freight for mines, helped supply irrigation and reclamation projects (including work related to the Imperial Valley and the temporary diversion that formed the Salton Sea), and maintained local commerce on stretches of the river still poorly served by rail. By the early 1900s, however, additional rail bridges (including the Arizona and California Railroad at Parker in 1905) and the completion of Laguna Dam in 1909 (about 14 miles above Yuma) progressively eliminated upstream navigation. By the end of 1905 most boats, including the Cochan, had been withdrawn to the Yuma area.

Steamer "Cochan" on Colorado River at Needles. The Otis Marston Colorado River Collection. The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Steamer “Cochan” on Colorado River at Needles. The Otis Marston Colorado River Collection The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

End of Service

Just before Laguna Dam closed the river to steam navigation, the CSNC sold its remaining boats, including the Cochan, to the U.S. Reclamation Service in 1909. The Service had no need for the vessel, and it was dismantled in the spring of 1910 at Yuma. This marked the practical end of the steamboat era on the lower Colorado, which had facilitated thousands of tons of annual commerce since the 1850s.

Historical Significance

The Cochan embodied the final refinement of shallow-draft sternwheeler design for one of North America’s most challenging rivers. By recycling proven engines into a lighter, shorter hull with exceptional draft performance, its builders extended the economic life of river transport during a period of intensifying competition from railroads and dams. It supported late mining activity, early 20th-century reclamation efforts, and residual trade until infrastructure changes rendered steamboats obsolete. As the last major sternwheeler of the Colorado Steam Navigation Company, the Cochan closes a chapter in the transportation history of the American Southwest that had opened the desert interior to sustained commercial development.

Gila – Colorado River Steamships

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The Gila was a wooden-hulled stern-wheel steamboat (sternwheeler) of the Colorado Steam Navigation Company that operated on the lower Colorado River from 1873 to 1899. It was one of the most durable and successful vessels in the river’s steamboat era, known for its shallow draft that allowed it to navigate the river’s shifting sandbars, low water, and difficult stretches while carrying freight, passengers, mining equipment, and supplies.

Gila Steamboat at the Yuma Crossing Arizona, 1873.
Gila Steamboat at the Yuma Crossing Arizona, 1873.

Description and Specifications

The Gila measured approximately 149 feet in length with a 31-foot beam and a hull depth of about 3.5–3.8 feet. It displaced 236 tons and drew only about 16.5 inches of water when light (unloaded), making it exceptionally well-suited to the Colorado’s shallow, variable conditions. Cargo capacity was typically around 125 tons, and it frequently towed barges that significantly increased overall payload.

It was a classic Western river sternwheeler: a flat-bottomed or lightly built wooden hull powered by a stern paddlewheel, optimized for maneuvering in confined channels and over bars rather than for open-water speed or deep draft. Passenger accommodations included staterooms (limited in number) and a dining area, though conditions were often harsh due to extreme desert heat. Contemporary accounts, such as Martha Summerhayes’s description of an 1874 voyage under Captain Jack Mellon, note the intense heat that made staterooms nearly unusable during the day, forced passengers to sleep on deck at night with straw bedding, and left even metal utensils uncomfortably warm. Meals were basic (biscuits, salted beef, canned vegetables), and drinking water was cooled only marginally by hanging flannel-covered canteens in the shade.

The boat was built in San Francisco by shipbuilder Patrick Henry Tiernan, shipped “knocked down” (disassembled) to Port Isabel, Sonora (near the Colorado River’s mouth on the Gulf of California), and reassembled and launched there in January 1873 under the supervision of veteran Captain David C. Robinson. It was constructed specifically as a replacement for the aging Nina Tilden, an earlier vessel acquired by George Alonzo Johnson’s interests after the failure of a rival company.

Historical Context of Colorado River Steamboating

Steamboat navigation on the Colorado began in the early 1850s primarily to supply the isolated U.S. Army post at Fort Yuma (near the Gila River confluence). Overland freight from California was extremely expensive (often hundreds of dollars per ton). Early side-wheelers such as the Uncle Sam (1852) and General Jesup demonstrated the feasibility of river transport; later sternwheelers with shallower drafts proved far more practical. The Colorado Steam Navigation Company (and its predecessors under George A. Johnson) dominated the trade, establishing woodyards along the river (often worked by Cocopah laborers) so boats could refuel overnight rather than gather wood en route. Boats did not run at night because of the constant hazards of shifting sandbars and snags.

By the 1860s–1870s the route extended from the delta (Port Isabel and earlier landings) past Yuma/Arizona City upriver to points such as Ehrenberg, Hardyville, Fort Mohave, and eventually farther north during high water or special voyages. Freight included mining machinery, coal, supplies, and merchandise inbound, and ore, wool, hides, and other products outbound. Passenger fares varied by distance.

Service History of the Gila

Launched in early 1873, the Gila quickly became a workhorse of the fleet. It hauled freight and passengers on the main lower-river routes for more than 25 years and was frequently commanded by skilled pilots, notably Captain John “Jack” Alexander Mellon (sometimes spelled Melon or Mellon). Mellon had extensive experience on the river and was known for innovative techniques such as using the sternwheel to dig through sandbars when necessary.

A notable chapter began in 1879 after the Southern Pacific Railroad interests acquired control of the steamboat company. The Gila was chartered to Joseph Wharton, who had consolidated mining operations in Eldorado Canyon (Nevada). Under Mellon’s command it delivered machinery to the canyon and then, in a pioneering voyage in July 1879, successfully navigated the previously uncharted Boulder Canyon to reach the mouth of the Virgin River at Rioville (Utah/Nevada border area). This proved that the Virgin River confluence was the practical head of steam navigation on the Colorado—something earlier explorers and operators (including Johnson, Ives, and Trueworthy) had believed possible but had not fully achieved. Over the next eight years the Gila made about 22 trips up to Rioville to obtain salt needed for processing silver ore at the Eldorado Canyon mills.

Throughout its career the boat supported the region’s mining booms, military posts, and settlements. It operated in an era when steamboats were the most economical way to move heavy goods into the arid Southwest until railroads progressively undercut the trade (Southern Pacific reached Yuma in 1877, and later lines further reduced river traffic).

Ports of Call and Route

Operations typically began at the Colorado River Delta/Gulf of California area (transferring cargo from ocean vessels to avoid Mexican duties or navigate shallow tidal waters) and ran upstream through Sonora, Baja California Territory, California, Arizona Territory, and into Nevada. Key landings and ports associated with the Gila and the broader fleet included:

  • Port Isabel / estuary area (Sonora, Mexico): Assembly/launch site and southern terminal; early ocean-to-river transfer point.
  • Yuma (Arizona City / Fort Yuma area): Primary hub, shipyard/repair site after the 1870s, and major transfer point. The Gila is documented there frequently (including with barges).
  • Castle Dome Landing: About 35 miles above Yuma; served the Castle Dome mining district (lead ore, smelting).
  • Ehrenberg (earlier Mineral City) and nearby La Paz / Olive City: Major mid-river ports roughly 125–130 miles above Yuma; key for central Arizona freight and passengers connecting to stage/wagon roads inland. Regular stops for the Gila and sister boats.
  • Aubrey, Parker’s Landing, and intermediate woodyards/ranches: Wood fuel stops and minor landings.
  • Fort Mohave / Hardyville (later near Bullhead City area): Important northern low-water head of navigation (~310 miles above Yuma); ferry and freight transfer for northern Arizona and mines. The Gila made regular runs here.
  • Polhamus Landing (near Hardyville, established ~1881): Busy freight point in the early 1880s for mines and agencies.
  • Eldorado Canyon area (Nevada): Mining support, machinery delivery, and ore/bullion transport.
  • Callville: Mormon-founded landing; intermediate stop on upper runs.
  • Rioville (also associated with Bonelli’s Ferry; at the Virgin River confluence, now under Lake Mead): High-water head of navigation (~440 miles from Yuma/Fort Yuma area). The Gila reached it repeatedly 1879–1887 for salt cargoes.

Other occasional or fleet-associated stops included various woodyards, Drift Desert, California Camp, and points serving Indian agencies or temporary mining camps. Upstream travel was slower and more hazardous (days to a week or more depending on water levels and destination); downstream was faster with the current. High water (spring snowmelt) enabled farther upstream travel; low water restricted boats to shallower-draft operations and lower landings.

The Gila exemplified the ingenuity required to make commercial steamboating viable on one of the West’s most challenging rivers. Its long service life and role in extending navigation to the Virgin River marked it as a standout vessel in the Colorado River steamboat era.

Fate and Legacy

After roughly 25–35 years of continuous hard service (sources vary slightly on the exact phrasing of longevity), the worn Gila was rebuilt in 1899 at Yuma. Its machinery was refurbished and installed in a new or heavily reconstructed hull launched as the Cochan (sometimes given as 135 feet long with similar beam and a still-shallow draft). The Cochan continued working the river into the early 1900s, including support for Imperial Valley projects, until commercial steam navigation effectively ended with the completion of Laguna Dam (about 14 miles above Yuma) in 1909, which blocked the channel. Residual river traffic continued on a limited basis for a few more years.

The Gila is remembered as one of the most durable and capable boats on the Colorado—outlasting many contemporaries and playing a key role in extending reliable navigation northward and supporting the mining and settlement economy of the lower Colorado River corridor during its peak steamboat decades. Photographs from the period show it tied up at Yuma and other landings, often alongside barges that served as floating docks or additional cargo capacity.

Arthur Powell Davis

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Arthur Powell Davis (February 9, 1861 – August 7, 1933)
Arthur Powell Davis (February 9, 1861 – August 7, 1933)

Arthur Powell Davis (February 9, 1861 – August 7, 1933) was an American civil engineer, hydrographer, topographer, and geographer who played a pivotal role in the early 20th-century development of water resources in the American West. As Director of the U.S. Reclamation Service (predecessor to the Bureau of Reclamation) from 1914 to 1923, he was a leading architect of comprehensive federal plans to control and develop the Colorado River. He is widely regarded as a key conceptual founder of the Boulder Canyon Project (which produced Hoover Dam) and broader multipurpose river-basin development.

Early Life and Education

Davis was born on a farm near Decatur, Illinois, the nephew of the famed explorer and geologist John Wesley Powell (leader of the 1869 Colorado River expedition through the Grand Canyon). His family connections and early exposure to the West shaped his career. He attended local schools and Kansas State Normal School before earning a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Columbian University (now George Washington University) in Washington, D.C., in 1888.

He married Elizabeth (Preston/Brown) Davis in 1888; they had several daughters. He co-founded the National Geographic Society in 1888 and later held leadership roles in engineering societies. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1921) and the American Philosophical Society (1927).

Early Career with the U.S. Geological Survey

Through his uncle’s influence, Davis joined the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) as an assistant topographer around 1882–1884. He worked extensively in the Rocky Mountain region and the Southwest (New Mexico, Arizona, and California), gaining firsthand knowledge of arid lands and the Colorado River Basin. He advanced to topographer and, by 1895, to hydrographer in charge of government stream measurements.

His early international work included hydrographic examinations of potential Nicaragua and Panama Canal routes (late 1890s–early 1900s). He later consulted on irrigation and flood control in Puerto Rico, China, Turkestan (under both Tsarist and Soviet governments), and other regions, and contributed to Panama Canal studies.

Leadership in the Reclamation Service

Davis joined the newly created Reclamation Service (established under the 1902 Reclamation Act) early in its history. He rose to Chief Engineer around 1906–1908 and was appointed Director on December 10, 1914, succeeding Frederick Haynes Newell. He held the post until the agency’s name changed to the Bureau of Reclamation on June 18, 1923; he retired the next day.

Under his leadership the Service built major irrigation and storage works, including the Roosevelt Dam (Salt River), Shoshone and Arrowrock dams (each the world’s tallest at the time of completion), Elephant Butte Dam (Rio Grande), the Gunnison Tunnel, and the Strawberry Tunnel. He was among the first to strongly advocate multipurpose dams in which hydroelectric power generation would help amortize overall project costs—a principle that became central to later federal water development.

Role in Controlling and Developing the Colorado River

Davis’s most enduring contribution was his long-term vision for the Colorado River. Influenced by his uncle’s explorations and his own surveys, he recognized the river’s interstate and international character (flowing through seven U.S. states and into Mexico) and argued that only the federal government could coordinate its development at the necessary scale.

As early as 1902 he publicly called for the “gradual comprehensive development of the Colorado River by a series of large storage reservoirs,” with a high dam on the lower river as the keystone. He promoted basin-wide planning for flood control, irrigation storage, domestic water supply, and power generation rather than fragmented local projects.

In 1922, during his directorship, the Reclamation Service produced the influential report Problems of Imperial Valley and Vicinity (Senate Document 142, 67th Congress), commonly known as the Fall-Davis Report (after Interior Secretary Albert B. Fall and Davis). It examined reservoir sites, justified a high dam in the Boulder Canyon area, analyzed water supply and needs, and provided foundational data used by the Colorado River Compact Commission. The report and Davis’s advocacy helped frame the river’s problems as national in scope and laid groundwork for the Boulder Canyon Project Act and construction of Hoover (originally Boulder) Dam. Contemporaries, including engineers involved in the project, later called him the “father of the Boulder Canyon Project.”

Davis opposed purely local or piecemeal schemes (such as an early standalone All-American Canal proposal) when they conflicted with a coordinated multipurpose federal plan. His emphasis on power revenues to support large storage dams helped make ambitious Colorado River projects financially and politically viable. Shortly before his death he was appointed consulting engineer on the Boulder Dam project. Davis Dam (completed later on the lower Colorado, downstream from Hoover Dam) was named in his honor.

Later Years and Legacy

After leaving the Reclamation Service, Davis served as chief engineer and general manager of the East Bay Municipal Utility District in the Oakland, California, area (roughly 1923–1930). He also worked as a consulting engineer on irrigation projects in the Soviet Union (Turkestan and Transcaucasia) in the early 1930s.

He died in Oakland on August 7, 1933, at age 72 and was buried in Rock Creek Cemetery in Washington, D.C., alongside his wife.

Davis combined technical expertise, bureaucratic skill, and a progressive-era faith in expert-led federal action and efficiency. While he did not live to see Hoover Dam completed, his early vision, surveys, advocacy for multipurpose development, and the Fall-Davis Report were instrumental in transforming the Colorado River from an uncontrolled, flood-prone waterway into a managed system of storage, power, and irrigation infrastructure that shaped the modern American Southwest.

Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

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Raccoon (Procyon lotor)
Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

The raccoon (also spelled racoon), scientifically known as Procyon lotor, is a medium-sized nocturnal mammal native to North America and commonly called the common raccoon, North American raccoon, or northern raccoon. It is easily recognized by its distinctive black facial “mask,” pointed muzzle, grayish-brown dense fur, and bushy tail marked with several dark rings. Highly adaptable and intelligent, raccoons have extremely dexterous front paws that allow them to manipulate objects and forage effectively; their species name lotor (Latin for “washer”) refers to their habit of dipping food in water. Other names include the colloquial “coon,” the popular nickname “trash panda” (for their urban scavenging), Spanish mapache, French raton laveur (“washing rat”), and German Waschbär (“wash-bear”). Raccoons are omnivores found in forests, wetlands, and cities across much of the continent, where their clever, opportunistic nature has made them both familiar and sometimes notorious neighbors to humans.

Description (Physical Characteristics)

The raccoon is a medium-sized, stocky mammal with a bear-like body, short legs, and a plantigrade (flat-footed) gait. Adults typically measure 40–70 cm (16–28 in) in head-body length, with a bushy tail of 20–40 cm (usually around 25 cm / 10 in). Shoulder height is 23–30 cm (9–12 in). Weight varies widely by region, sex, season, and food availability—generally 5–12 kg (11–26 lb), though extremes range from about 2 kg to over 26 kg (4–57 lb). Northern populations and males tend to be larger; some northern animals can store up to 50% body fat for winter.

Fur is dense and grayish to reddish-brown or buff, with a lighter underside; the dense underfur provides insulation. The most distinctive features are the black “bandit” facial mask (framed by white fur around the eyes and snout), rounded ears often edged in white, and a ringed tail with 4–10 black bands (tip usually dark). Front paws are highly dexterous, resembling slender human hands with five fingers and sensitive vibrissae (whiskers) on the digits; hind feet also have five toes. Raccoons are excellent climbers and capable swimmers.

Sexual dimorphism is moderate: males are typically 10–30% heavier than females.

Scientific Classification

KingdomAnimalia
Phylum Chordata
ClassMammalia
OrderCarnivora
FamilyProcyonidae
GenusProcyon
SpeciesProcyon lotor

Common names include northern raccoon, common raccoon, and coon. It is the largest and most widespread member of the procyonid family (which also includes coatis, kinkajous, and ringtails).

Behavior

Raccoons are primarily nocturnal, with peak activity often before midnight, though they may forage diurnally when food is abundant or conditions favor it (e.g., low tide). They are intelligent and have excellent problem-solving abilities and long-term memory (solving tasks and retaining solutions for at least three years in studies). Their sensitive forepaws allow precise manipulation of objects, unlocking containers, and foraging by touch.

They are largely solitary outside the breeding season and mother-young groups. Females raise litters alone; several individuals may share dens in cold weather or congregate at rich food sources. Home ranges vary widely (often 1–3 km in diameter, larger for males or in resource-poor areas). They den in tree cavities, hollow logs, burrows of other animals, rock crevices, brush piles, abandoned buildings, attics, culverts, or storm drains. In northern regions they enter periods of winter dormancy (not true hibernation), living off fat reserves and potentially losing significant body weight, while remaining metabolically active.

They are agile climbers that escape danger by ascending trees and are known for adaptability, including urban “nuisance” behaviors such as raiding trash. When threatened they can be aggressive.

Habitat

Preferred habitats are deciduous and mixed forests, especially near water (streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, marshes, swamps, and bottomland hardwoods). They thrive in areas offering den sites (tree cavities preferred for rearing young), food diversity, and water for drinking and foraging.

Due to high adaptability they occupy a wide range of environments: coastal marshes, mangroves, farmlands, prairies (favoring woodlots and wetlands), mountainous areas (generally below ~2,000 m), and especially urban/suburban settings where they use human structures and garbage. They avoid extensive open fields or pure pine forests when better options exist but can persist in diverse landscapes as long as water and shelter are available.

Range (Geographic Distribution)

Native range spans much of North and Central America: from southern Canada (Nova Scotia to British Columbia) across nearly the entire contiguous United States (absent or sparse in parts of the northern Rocky Mountains and Great Basin), through Mexico, and south to Panama.

They have been introduced outside this range, notably to parts of Europe (Germany, France, and others), the Caucasus, Japan, and some Caribbean islands (some of which host populations sometimes treated historically as distinct taxa). Multiple subspecies exist (around 20–22 recognized), varying mainly in size and coat details; the eastern raccoon (P. l. lotor) and Upper Mississippi Valley raccoon (P. l. hirtus) are among the most widespread.

Food Sources (Diet)

Raccoons are opportunistic omnivores—among the most flexible mammalian diets. Rough averages: ~40% invertebrates, ~33% plant material, ~27% vertebrates, with strong seasonal and local variation.

  • Plant foods: Fruits (berries, grapes, cherries, apples, persimmons, etc.), nuts and acorns (especially important in fall/winter for fat storage), seeds, grains (notably corn), and other vegetation.
  • Animal foods: Crayfish and other aquatic invertebrates, insects, worms, mollusks, frogs, fish, bird eggs, small mammals, birds, carrion, and occasionally reptiles.
  • Human-associated: Garbage, pet food, crops, and garden produce are heavily exploited in urban and rural areas.

They forage by touch, often near water, and may dunk food (the species name lotor means “washer”), though this is more tactile exploration than true washing. Diet shifts with season: more animal matter in spring, soft mast (fruits) in summer, hard mast and high-calorie items in fall.

Additional Notes
Lifespan in the wild is typically short (often 2–3 years on average) due to predation, vehicles, hunting/trapping, and disease; captive individuals can live 20+ years. Primary predators include coyotes, bobcats, large owls, and alligators (in the south). Raccoons play ecological roles as seed dispersers and mesopredators and are highly successful due to intelligence and behavioral flexibility.

This report synthesizes established biological data on Procyon lotor. Populations are generally secure (IUCN Least Concern) across most of the native range owing to adaptability.

French Visitor Dies in Death Valley National Park

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The hottest place on earth, Death Valley National Park is on the order with California and Nevada
The hottest place on earth, Death Valley National Park is on the order with California and Nevada

DEATH VALLEY, Calif. — A 68-year-old French visitor died Monday, Aug. 17, after he and a traveling companion became stranded on a remote road in Death Valley National Park.

Pierre Michel Formosa, 68, and his travel companion, both from France, were traveling on West Side Road when their vehicle became stuck in mud near Queen of Sheba Mine Road. With no other vehicles in the area, the men began walking across the salt flats toward Badwater Road to seek assistance. Temperatures reached 116°F that day. After about 1.3 miles, the man was unable to continue. His companion continued toward Badwater Road, where he eventually received assistance from a passing motorist and reported the incident at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center shortly after 2 p.m.

National Park Service rangers and an Inyo County deputy began a search and rescue operation about 2:13 p.m. A California Highway Patrol helicopter joined the search and located the man later that afternoon, approximately 1.5 miles from Badwater Road. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Inyo County coroner will determine the cause and manner of death.

“Our deepest condolences are with the family and friends of the visitor who died,” said Death Valley National Park Superintendent Mike Reynolds. “This is a heartbreaking reminder of how quickly conditions here can turn dangerous. Death Valley is an extraordinary place, but its heat, distances, and remoteness can be dangerous, regardless of experience. We’re grateful to everyone who took part in the search, and our thoughts are with his loved ones.”

Planning Ahead in Death Valley

Death Valley National Park covers vast, remote terrain where cell service is limited or nonexistent, and emergency help can be hours away. The park encourages all visitors to prepare for that reality before they set out:

  • Plan your route in advance and check current road and weather conditions.
  • Tell someone your plans — where you’re going and when you expect to return.
  • Carry ample water and supplies. The park recommends at least one gallon of water per person, per day, plus extra for vehicle emergencies.
  • Match your vehicle to the road. Many backcountry roads require high-clearance or four-wheel-drive vehicles, and conditions can change without warning.
  • Bring a way to call for help where cell service may not reach, such as a satellite communicator or emergency beacon.
  • If your vehicle becomes disabled, staying with it is often the safest choice. It provides shade and shelter, and it’s far easier for search teams to spot than a person on foot in open terrain.
  • During periods of extreme heat, visitors are encouraged to stay on paved roads and avoid hiking at lower elevations.

The National Park Service urges all visitors to arrive prepared with the knowledge, equipment, and supplies to keep themselves safe until help arrives.

-nps.gov-

https://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/news/2026-08-21.htm