Joshua Tree National Park Sees Second Death in a Week After 58-Year-Old Woman Dies in Fall
A California woman died over the weekend after she fell while hiking at Joshua Tree National Park, prompting authorities to issue a warning about hiking preparedness.
According to the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department, the woman fell in Rattlesnake Canyon, an area inside the Indian Cove district of the park. Multiple units responded to the scene but found the woman had succumbed to head trauma.
"The details and cause of the fall are currently unknown," the sheriff said in a news release. "No signs of foul play were present, and no further information is available at this time."
The woman was later identified as 58-year-old Anna Nuno of Lakewood, per the Desert Sun.
Nuno's social media reveals she was an avid hiker, carrying out a number of desert hikes.
A friend paid tribute to Nuno, describing her as a "wonderful mother."
"The world lost a beautiful person today," her friend wrote. "This is a sad day for so many people in Anna Nuno's life. She touched so many. Good bye my friend. God needed an angel!!"
In its statement, the sheriff's department noted that Rattlesnake Canyon, along with the Wonderland of Rocks area, is "challenging to navigate due to their remoteness, difficult terrain, and lack of cell phone service."
The department suggested hikers bring "appropriate hiking gear, personal supplies, and map, compass or other navigation devices."
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"Do not attempt to hike in these areas unless you are prepared for this environment," they added.
Joshua Tree National Park Superintendent David Smith said Nuno's death is the second at the park in just a week's time.
"I believe we had two fatalities in the park all of last year, so for us to have two fatalities in one week is significant," Smith told the Desert Sun.
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"It has been raining, and this is a very rough route that goes over a pass, so yes, rocks can be slippery," he told the outlet while adding that he didn't know what led to Nuno's death.
The first death at Joshua Tree this year occurred on Jan. 2, when a family noticed a relative's heart had stopped beating during a hike, Smith said.
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The sheriff's department said a lack of cell reception at Joshua Tree can delay emergency responses by several hours.
In 2020, hiker Robert Ringo was stranded in the park for two days after when he fell and broke his femur as he explored Quail Mountain. He survived off of juniper berries and two liters of water he packed with him.
Ringo later said he was unable to call for help because there was no cell service, which he knew would be the case ahead of time, according to BBC. For that reason, he'd tagged his location and shared it with his son Ryan before he left. He was later found by a helicopter.
