Rangers track footprints to find 27-year-old hiker’s body in Death Valley, officials say

A line of footprints led rangers to a 27-year-old hiker’s body in Death Valley National Park, officials said.

A 27-year-old woman was hiking Saturday, Nov. 6, in the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes when she separated from her aunt and went off on her own, park officials said.

“The aunt returned to the parking lot and the woman said she would return in one or two hours,” park rangers said in a Nov. 9 news release. “The woman was an experienced hiker.”

After the niece didn’t return for hours, the aunt hiked back into the dunes and searched for the missing hiker, officials said. She then contacted park rangers for help.

Rangers unsuccessfully searched the dunes through the evening and resumed their search the next morning.

At about 9 a.m., they found a line of tracks that matched the hiker’s boots, rangers said. They followed the footprints 1 1/2 miles from the parking lot where they found the woman’s body.

Park rangers did not identify the woman. Foul play is not suspected, but the Inyo County Coroner’s Office is investigating.

The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes is a large dune field and there is no official trail. Hikers often walk to the tallest dune or explore the open area.

Many hikers have died in Death Valley from scorching heat in the park. In August, two hikers died in the same week.

The park, which sits on the California-Nevada border, is constantly smashing heat records. It’s considered to be the hottest place on Earth.

This story was originally published November 10, 2021 at 9:05 AM with the headline "Rangers track footprints to find 27-year-old hiker’s body in Death Valley, officials say."