Hiker wanders off alone in Death Valley and gets trapped in steep ravine, officials say
A hiker got stranded in a steep and rocky ravine in California’s Death Valley National Park after going off trail alone, park officials said.
The man set out on a short hike Jan. 15 in Mosaic Canyon with another person, the National Park Service said in a Jan. 19 news release.
The two men from Belgium split up at a junction, park officials said.
One man “ventured into a side canyon, planning to loop back to the trail further up,” officials said.
But then he got trapped when the canyon became steep and unstable, park officials said.
The trapped hiker used his satellite phone to call for help. He didn’t have extra food, water or clothing, and it was getting dark, officials said.
Rescuers found him a half-mile from the trail.
“Park rangers scaled the steep, loose slope and reached the man 40 minutes after sunset,” officials said.
The trapped hiker was put in a harness and lowered down the slope, officials said.
Everyone returned to the trailhead at about 7 p.m.
Mosaic Canyon is about a 4-mile out-and-back trail that takes approximately three hours to complete, park officials said.
It’s ranked moderate to difficult and includes an elevation gain of 1,200 feet.
The trail takes hikers through the canyon with smooth marble walls.
In 2023, about 1.1 million people visited Death Valley National Park.
This story was originally published January 20, 2025 at 12:59 PM with the headline "Hiker wanders off alone in Death Valley and gets trapped in steep ravine, officials say."
