Hiker plunges to her death from rocky terrain in Joshua Tree National Park, rangers say
UPDATE: The hiker was identified Monday, Jan. 9, as 58-year-old Anna Nuno of Lakewood in Los Angeles County, the Riverside County Coroner’s Office told local news outlets.
The original story is below.
A hiker fell to their death in a rocky, remote area of Joshua Tree National Park in California over the weekend, officials said.
Late on Saturday, Jan. 7, park rangers set out to try to rescue a hiker who had been reported injured after they fell in Rattlesnake Canyon in the Indian Cove district of the park, the National Park Service said in a Jan. 9 news release.
But the hiker, a 50-year-old woman from Orange County, had died of head trauma from the fall, officials said.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Aviation Unit, San Bernardino County Fire Department, and the Morongo Basin Ambulance assisted in the rescue attempt, the release said.
Park rangers are investigating the details and cause of the fall, but don’t currently suspect foul play, the release said.
Officials stressed the difficulty of the terrain in Rattlesnake Canyon and the Wonderland of Rocks areas of the park, where the hiker fell. The areas are “challenging to navigate due to their remoteness, difficult terrain, and lack of cell phone service,” the release said.
Rangers discouraged anyone from hiking those areas unless they’re prepared for the environment. Officials suggested “planning ahead and bringing appropriate hiking gear, personal supplies, and map, compass or other navigation devices.” They also reminded hikers that emergency responses can get delayed by “several hours” due to the lack of cell reception in the park.
This story was originally published January 9, 2023 at 4:21 PM with the headline "Hiker plunges to her death from rocky terrain in Joshua Tree National Park, rangers say."
