(NPS) – A motorcyclist died after being overcome by the heat during a ride in Death Valley on Saturday, according to the National Park Service.
Another rider was treated for severe heat illness and transported to Las Vegas, while four others were treated on site and released.All 6 motorcyclists were members of the same group.
Due to the high temperatures, emergency medical flight helicopters were unable to respond, as they cannot generally fly safely over 120 degrees.
Preliminary data recorded 128F as the high temperature on July 6. This surpassed the official daily record for Death Valley, 127F, recorded in 2007.
“High heat like this can pose real threats to your health,” said Superintendent Mike Reynolds. “While this is a very exciting time to experience potential world record setting temperatures in Death Valley, we encourage visitors to choose their activities carefully, avoiding prolonged periods of time outside of an air-conditioned …