Heat-related hiking rescues started early this year—and have continued at a steady pace, despite the warnings.
A couple was recently rescued via helicopter in Painted Canyon on the Ladder Canyon Trail in Mecca. It was a day with triple-digit temperatures, and apparently the couple had run out of water. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office reported that a 911 call came in from a man stating that his girlfriend was weak and dehydrated. The department dispatched its Rescue 9 helicopter, and the crew found the couple flat on the ground in a dry creek bed, trying to seek shade from a nearby ocotillo. The man was trying to shield his girlfriend from the heat. The rescue crew airlifted them out of the area separately and flew them to a nearby landing zone, where an aeromedical helicopter rushed the woman to a hospital “due to her severe condition.” The man was transported to a local hospital by ambulance, the department said.
I love the desert trails and hiking as much as anyone—but this is not the time to be hiking on desert trails where there is little to no shade.
When exposed to extreme heat, your body may experience heat exhaustion or heat stroke, with symptoms such as cool, pale skin; headaches; dizziness; weakness; and nausea. If you start to feel any of these symptoms, seek shade, if possible, and call 911 immediately.
Try to avoid direct sun exposure as much as possible by starting your hike early in the morning or later in the day, before or after high-heat hours: You should not be on trails between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Plan to hike where there’s shade, water or both. If you insist on hiking in extreme heat, wear appropriate clothing—light-colored, loose-fitting and made from cotton or sweat-wicking fabrics. Don’t forget to wear a brimmed hat, sunglasses and sunscreen; add a wet bandana or neck gaiter to keep your body temperature cooler. Drink more water than usual—two 8-ounce glasses an hour or two before starting your hike—and always take more water than you should need, at least one liter per hour. Finally, always be prepared for the unexpected. Have a plan, and always tell someone where you’re going. In addition, don’t forget the “10 Desert Hiking Essentials” suggested by Friends of the Desert Mountains (www.desertmountains.org/10-essentials).
I usually get out of the desert heat to do my hiking this time of year. A great escape from the extreme temperatures that is not too far away is the quaint little town of Oak Glen, and The Wildlands Conservancy’s 909-acre Oak Glen Preserve. Nestled in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains at an elevation around 5,000 feet, the preserve’s majestic forests keep things cooler in the mornings and evenings even during the summer months. Temps there can be around 25 degrees (or more) cooler than temps on the Coachella Valley desert floor. It’s less than an hour drive away on Interstate 10 from the Coachella Valley’s western end.
After exiting Interstate 10, you’ll take a 15-minute scenic drive to Oak Glen, where you can visit Riley’s at Los Rios Rancho, the largest and oldest apple farm in Southern California. Los Rios Rancho has been in operation since 1906, and it’s a great place to picnic, hike and pick strawberries (or apples in the fall). There’s a Farm Kitchen (with the best tri-tip around) and a store offering homemade preserves, pies, cider, gifts and more.
The preserve is also the home of the Southern California Montane Botanic Garden and Children’s Outdoor Discovery Center. The Botanic Garden has excellent representations of montane habitats including ponds, streams, wetlands, and oak and pine forests. The trails are nicely groomed and accessible, and it’s only about a six-minute leisurely walk. The signage is great, and there are seats near the entrance.
You can walk more than five miles of trails enjoying the pristine gardens, ponds, redwood trees and more. The Main Loop Trail is a very easy 2-mile loop that starts at the garden entrance, trailhead and information kiosk. It’s located at the top-left corner of the parking lot, facing the main road, to the left of Riley’s at Los Rios Rancho. This trail offers a nice leisurely walk for all ages; it has many unique sections and is very well-marked, with scenic views and plenty of shade. As you browse through the “Conifers of California” section (one of my favorites), you’ll see some of the largest trees such as giant sequoias, coast redwoods, Jeffrey pines and sugar pines. From there, you can continue left to the ponds; stay left from there to continue downhill through the deciduous forest and along the stream trail. Stay on this trail (and stay left at all the forks), and it will loop around and take you back up to the parking lot where you started. The end can be a bit steep, but there are places to rest along the way.
If you’re up for more of a challenge, you can try the Preservation Point Trail. It’s a 3.1-mile out-and-back with stunning views from a dramatic overlook. This trail is steep and strenuous and takes about two hours to complete. I haven’t done this hike yet, but I’ve heard it can be more of a solitary experience during quieter times. To get to Preservation Point, take a right at the bottom of the Main Loop Trail before starting uphill back to the parking area.
Be extra-cautious of bees near the deciduous forest, and watch out for snakes; there have been several rattlesnake sightings lately. I have seen bear scat along the stream trail near the chaparral loop, too.
The Oak Glen Preserve’s summer hours are 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, and admission is free. Visit wildlandsconservancy.org/preserves/oakglen for details.
