Park at a trailhead in Joshua Tree National Park this summer, and you’ll likely meet Anna Marini or one of the 30-something volunteers she oversees as coordinator of the park’s Preventive Search and Rescue (PSAR) program. They’ll chat with you about what’s in your backpack, how much water you’re bringing, and whether you’ve correctly factored high temperatures into your hike — simple questions that just might save your life.
As of mid-July, numerous recreationists have died across the West amid soaring heat. A woman died in Utah’s Snow Canyon State Park on July 13; her parents were still hospitalized as of this reporting. A father and daughter in Canyonlands National Park, hiking in triple-digit temperatures, got lost and died the same weekend. Earlier this summer, three hikers died in the Grand Canyon within less than a month. Some national parks hope that by taking a more proactive educational approach, rangers and park volunteers can help prevent such deadly situations from occurring.
Marini came to Joshua Tree in 2020 from the Grand Canyon, the first national park to create a PSAR program in 1997. Joshua Tree was already engaged in preventive and educational work to ensure visitors’ safety, but as a Park Service employee, Marini built the PSAR program that exists today. “I’m especially good at talking to people and helping them change their minds on what they want to do,” Marini said. That might involve just carrying more water, modifying their route, or deciding not to take that hike after all.
Today, PSAR programs are gaining traction at a variety of national parks, including Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, Pinnacles in California, Big Bend in Texas and more. High Country News caught up with Marini to learn more about how PSAR works, why it’s a good idea, and how you can stay safe in high temperatures this summer.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
High Country News: How hot is it where you are right now?
Anna Marini: I’m located in Twentynine Palms; that’s where our headquarters is in California. It looks like it’s 104 degrees, but it feels like 111. We’re not quite to the hottest part of the day, but we’re right in that middle area, where we don’t suggest visitors go out and hike right now. (Temperatures that are safe to hike in vary by topography, shade, humidity, water sources, physical fitness and other factors. The National Park Service suggests avoiding hiking when excessive heat warnings have been issued, which is generally within 12 hours of a heat index of at least 105 degrees Fahrenheit that has lasted for more than three hours a day for two days in a row, or when a heat index of more than 115 degrees Fahrenheit occurs for any period of time.)
HCN: What are some of the things you carry with you on a hot day as a PSAR member? How do you prepare?
AM: That includes a backpack cooler full of ice and water bottles. I keep my spray bottle in there to cool myself down — some “desert air conditioning.” I have a cooling towel as well that I can use for myself if I get overheated, but also for visitors. Once my truck is packed up with everything I need, I load up our Search and Rescue litter. If you’re not familiar with a litter, it’s like a stretcher with four bike tires that you can use to wheel somebody out on a trail.
HCN: How do you communicate with people you meet at the trailhead who aren’t prepared? What are the dead giveaways?
AM: I try to chat with everybody I can. I find that, especially as a good human, you can’t judge somebody by what they look like, what they have with them, or any of those kinds of outside characteristics. It’s really through conversation. Of course, if somebody may be a little confused, or they’re looking at a map and they’re not really sure, I’m definitely going to offer them some support, a little bit of description of the trail. Sometimes, if people aren’t really sure what they should bring with them — when you catch somebody at the trailhead — they can easily go back to their car and fill that backpack with water or bring some salty snacks or whatever they need.
“When you just step out of your air-conditioned vehicle, and suddenly you’re out in the elements, it’s an oven.”
HCN: What do you most commonly hear from hikers you interact with in the summer? Are there any themes that come up repeatedly?
AM: This time of year, a lot of people don’t realize just how hot it is. When you just step out of your air-conditioned vehicle, and suddenly you’re out in the elements, it’s an oven. I grew up in the Midwest, so I sure remember humidity and how terrible that is. I think a lot of people think, “Oh, the desert doesn’t have humidity. It’s not going to be as hot as it is at home.” But it’s just as hot. People think they don’t sweat here, but you’re sweating — it’s just drying so quickly. A lot of people talk about our topography and how there really isn’t shade. Either you have to bring your own shade with a sun umbrella or a tarp or something, or you have to alter your plans.
HCN: What should you do if you run out of water on a hike?
AM: It’s a good thing to keep track of the water you have. I like to think that if you are halfway through your water, that’s actually the time to turn back. If you do completely run out, think of what else you have in your bag. Do you have some grapes? Or do you have anything that has moisture in it that you could snack on, maybe some fruit snacks? There’s other things that can help you hydrate. If you haven’t already, try to cool yourself off and keep yourself cool. I’m a big fan of sun-protection clothing. In the summer, you’ll see me completely covered. Sit down in the shade for a moment before you turn around. Keeping your body cool is really the key here in the desert.
10 summer hiking essentials
- Water: plain and some with electrolyte replacement.
- Food: especially salty foods. Eat twice as much as normal.
- First Aid Kit: Band-Aids, ace wrap, antiseptic, moleskin, etc.
- Map: while many trails are well-marked, maps are helpful tools.
- Pack: to carry the essentials.
- Flashlight/Spare Batteries: allows you to hike out during the cool of the evening.
- Spray Bottle: fill with water for your own personal air conditioning system.
- Sun Protection: hat and sunscreen to keep the sun off you and protect your skin.
- Whistle and/or Signal Mirror: for emergency use.
- Waterproof Clothing: poncho or jacket; especially useful during monsoon season (mid-July to early September).
Above essentials are recommended by Joshua Tree National Park staff.
HCN: What should you do if you’re lost and it’s hot out?
AM: There are a couple of steps I hope you took before you realized you got lost. A couple of those would be telling somebody where you’re going and when you expect to be back. The other piece is checking the map you brought, whether that’s on your phone or a paper map, to try to find your location or remember the last signs you saw. You can also check to see if you have some cell service. The big thing is to stay calm, especially in the heat. You need to recognize that you need all the energy possible to either wait for Search and Rescue or figure out where you are. Fear really overtakes you. It makes people uneasy, and you can make bad decisions. Take a breath and think about your next steps. Instead of looking at a map standing directly in the sun, maybe you find a little shade behind a rock or a Joshua tree, so you aren’t using your energy by standing in the sun and getting hot.
HCN: Have you ever personally not brought enough water on a hike on a hot day? What stuck out to you about the experience, and what did you learn from it?
AM: The first step is recognizing anyone can make a mistake and it’s OK, especially if we learn from it. I was in the Grand Canyon, and I went on a hike on my day off, on a trail that isn’t heavily used. I did tell somebody where I was going, and when I’d be back. I did take a good amount of food and water; I didn’t run out of anything. But I was ignoring the signs of what my body was trying to say, because I was trying to reach my destination. I ignored those heat illness signs where my body was trying to protect me, and I didn’t listen. Luckily, I was able to hike to a nearby water source to cool down. I sat in the shade for a bit, and I made my way back up out of the canyon by taking breaks every so often. For me, as somebody who knows a lot about the heat, it happened to me, too. I think it’s important to realize that it can happen to anybody. It upsets me when people say it happens only to stupid people, or people who don’t live here, or whatever. No, it happens to everybody. It’s such a stigma I want to break.
HCN: Could the PSAR model be extended to other national parks or popular recreation destinations to help save lives?
AM: Yes, we’re working on that. We’re about to hold our second National Park Service-wide PSAR training this coming November in the Great Smoky Mountains. Last year in the Grand Canyon, when we had our first National Park PSAR training, we had over 30 parks in attendance. We’re just trying to get the acronym familiarized. If you’re familiar with the Junior Ranger program, for example, you know that every park you go to, you can get your Junior Ranger book. We’re trying to do that with PSAR. Every outdoor area has their own hazards and has tips and tricks you could use when you’re visiting those locations.
