LA Man Dies Hiking In Scorching Death Valley Heat

LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles man died last week while hiking in extreme heat at Death Valley National Park shortly after he was interviewed by a Los Angeles Times reporter about venturing outdoors during the dangerous weather, according to authorities.

Steve Curry, 71, of Sunland, collapsed around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday outside the restroom at Golden Canyon, according to the National Park Service. Visitors called 911 and emergency personnel responded to the scene, but a medical helicopter was unable to assist due to the high temperatures, the service said.

Curry was wearing a sun hat and hiking clothes, and carrying a backpack, according to the service, which added his car was in the parking lot.

On the day he died, Curry declined help and was determined to finish his hike, the Los Angeles Times reported, adding he didn’t tell his wife he was going to Death Valley. A retired electrician, he loved spending time outdoors and had a good sense of humor, according to the newspaper.

The Times had asked him why he was doing the hike, to which he replied, "Why not?"

Rangers suspect extreme weather was a factor in his death. The official temperature at nearby Furnace Creek was 121 degrees around the time he died but the actual temperatures in the canyon were likely much higher due to its walls radiating the sun’s heat, the service said.

Death Valley had experienced 28 days of temperatures above 110 degrees in 2023 as of Wednesday, according to the park service, citing the National Weather Service. Heat stroke sets in when a person’s core temperature exceeds 104 degrees.

Earlier in July, a 65-year-old San Diego man was found dead in his vehicle in Death Valley after running off the road, according to the park service, which noted the high temperature the day before he was found had been 126 degrees and the vehicle’s air conditioner wasn’t working.