Man Lost His Shoes in Death Valley, With Disastrous Consequences

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A power glitch at the Death Valley National Park Furnace Creek Visitor Center caused an outdoor thermostat to temporarily read 667°F. While it’s not quite that hot in Death Valley, California (the hottest place on Earth), it is extremely hot. One man somehow lost his shoes while walking through some sand dunes within the park. The scalding sand burned his feet to the point that he required hospitalization.

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In a press release, Death Valley said park officials rescued a man after “suffering full-thickness burns on his feet at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park on Saturday, July 20, 2024.” The 42-year-old man from Belgium was taking a “short walk on the sand dunes” when he apparently lost his shoes.

“Due to communication challenges, park rangers were not able to determine if his flip flops broke or were lost in sand,” Death Valley’s press release says. “The ground temperature would have been much hotter [than the] air temperature, which was around 123°F.”

No short walk is short enough on Death Valley sand, it seems.

After calling for help, the man’s family, park rangers, and Good Samaritans carry the man to safety. Due to the extent of his burns, park rangers called for emergency transportation to bring the man to a Las Vegas hospital.

Death Valley National Park recommends the following for summer visitors:

• Stay within a 10-minute walk of an air-conditioned vehicle.
• Don’t hike after 10 AM.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Eat salty snacks.
• Wear a hat and sunscreen.

We might also add: Wear reliable shoes. (Also, don’t lose them.)

There is no additional update on the man’s condition, but we hope he has made a full recovery after this frightening ordeal.

Wait, It’s HOW Hot in Death Valley National Park?!