Death Valley National Park

Heat leads to tragedies in state and national parks

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Belyruth Ordóñez was an avid hiker. In recent summers, the 30-year-old and her parents traveled to parks in Utah, where they lived, to hit the trails together. But on Saturday, the heat proved too much and tragedy struck. Temperatures in Utah’s Snow Canyon State Park soared above 100 degrees F and Ordóñez was found dead, … Read more

Death Valley has become an example of climate whiplash

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In California’s booming climate, Death Valley has produced some of the strangest scenes in recent years. Some of the area’s remaining creosote bushes died back during a severe drought that hampered the region until 2022. Then heavy rains – from the remnants of Hurricane Hilary and subsequent storms – revived the annual wildflowers from seed … Read more