Hey Reader,
Last week's email was tragically well-timed. By my count, there were wildfires in or near six different National Parks, plus a car fire in Death Valley.
Speaking of Death Valley, let's talk about appropriate footwear for hiking.
A Belgian visitor's recent trip to Death Valley ended with a medical helicopter flight to the hospital due to third degree burns on his feet. He was wearing flip-flops while hiking in the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. The air temperature was 123Β°F (50.5Β°C), and the ground would have been much hotter.
According to burn charts, exposure to surfaces of 123Β°F will result in third-degree burns in about 4.2 minutes. Raise the temperature to 131Β°F, and burns will occur in 30 seconds.
Footwear matters.
Before every hike, you should evaluate conditions and ensure that your footwear is appropriate for what you are doing and in good condition.
I can't emphasize the good condition part enough. I don't care how much you love a pair of boots; when the soles start to separate from the uppers, it is time to replace them. Otherwise, you might end up hiking a mile back from Rams Head in Virgin Islands National Park and duct-taping your boots together to continue hiking for the rest of your trip.
Also, I have added a National Park News section to the end of the email so you can scroll down to see some of the latest news articles about the National Parks.
Happy Adventures,