Just an example of how quickly things can go wrong, even with experienced hikers: My dad and I were hiking in a remote part of Death Valley, in the summer. We were well-prepared with a car full of water, ice, snacks etc.
We were driving a rental car that we had picked up at the airport. Unbeknownst to us, the rental car had a “safety” feature where the doors locked automatically if the keys were left in the ignition.
We had parked in a spot off a gravel road, and were going to get our backpacks, water, hats, sunblock, etc. out of the back seat. We got out of the car and both shut our doors at the same time, and heard a loud “click” as all four doors locked.
We were locked out of our car, in 115 degree heat, somewhere deep into Death Valley. We hadn’t seen another human being for hours. Our ample supply of water, food, and ice was inside the car, along with cellphones, maps, etc. We weren’t even in an actual parking lot. We hadn’t let anyone know where we were going to be that day, as we were on a ten day trip hiking trails in three states with no set itinerary.
Fortunately I had been able to force something in beside the rear window, making enough of a gap that I could trigger the lock. We would have broken a window to get in if we needed to.
But it did make us think about all the things that could go wrong. We only had one key to the vehicle, what if we had lost it while hiking? And why didn’t we let anyone know our itinerary?
When you are hiking in extreme conditions truly one lapse in judgement can be fatal.