DV Willow Canyon Lost Campers Found

Once came across an apparently abandoned Jeep down between the Briggs mine and Goler wash with a flat. The spare was good so we changed it for them. Never saw a person there.

The only time I've used my tire plugs have been for others. At this point, I've probably gone through 40 plugs in 15 years. I've been lucky, but also have run a minimum of Load Range C tires.

A few times, we've plugged tires on cars that have been abandoned, with no notes on them as to where the owners were. I've always wondered what folks have thought to return to tires that are no longer flat.

David Bricker / SYR

I live on the outskirts of Black Rock desert. Have helped many people with vehicle problems over the years. Either they have a flat or low on gas. Best to let some one know your plans and stay with ur vehicle. DV gets patrolled quite often by park service. Most of us on this forum have quite a bit of off road experience and have the vehicles made to travel it. GBA!!SVJ

Here is a newspaper opinion piece about this tragedy by the editor of a Central Valley newspaper:

www.mantecabulletin.com/opinion/local-co...s-died-death-valley/

sad ending. I still have a cb radio . you have to be prepared have seen many people with flat tires in 50 years of DV traveling. 4 or 5 years ago couple had flat tire on Saline road the had reg p rated tires and driving too fast tires had quite a bit of milage on them(almost no tread left). My friend from LP lent them his spare as theirs was flat also. We led them to Millers and they replaced 3 almost bald tires.AAA map is great carry 2 in my pu.

I'm new to this board but I used to post on the old one, and I used to help people out on Usenet who were looking for information on Death Valley. I've made eight trips to the park since 1994. At one time I had a Death Valley page on a website.

This incident has made the national news. As a repeat visitor to Death Valley, and as someone who always stocks up with the best information, it's mind-numbing how easily this tragedy could have been prevented.

I always carry the Death Valley map issued by the Automobile Club of Southern California. It contains a wealth of information, including precise mileages between points. Before my first trip to death valley in which I went seriously off the main roads, I bought the Explorer's Guide to Death Valley by the Bryans. That book gives you very detailed information about what you can expect going down any of the roads in Death Valley.

So you can imagine my shock on Sunday when I heard that they had broken down with two flat tires in Gold Valley and were heading on foot to Mormon point. That is an impenetrable route. They must have had some sense of that before they got stranded. If they had had at least the two navigation aids I always carry, the automobile club map and the Bryan book, they would have known to take the longer but much safer walk back to the Greenwater Valley Road and there either wait for a passing car or walk either to Shoshone or to the Dante's View turn off. Doing any of that would have surely led them to safety.

I can't imagine going off of the main roads in the park without a satellite phone.