Never underestimate the desert heat, alway carry lots of water and stay with your car. Their car got stuck about 5 miles in on Black Mountain Road, and they tried to walk out. It’s an uphill walk and it was 106 degrees at the time. They had a limited supply of water. We have a video of what the road is like if you want to see the area. https://www.desertusa.com/video_pages/black-eagle-road.html
Details: From the Riverside Sheriff’s Report:
We are investigating the death of two people found in the Riverside County portion of Joshua Tree National Park.
About 6:48 PM on Monday, 8/22/11, a couple visiting the national park notified us they found a dead man along the Black Eagle Mine Road. Arriving emergency personnel found the dead man on the edge of the Mine Road over a mile and one-half east of Pinto Basin Road, a major thoroughfare for the park.
A few hours later, deputies found the body of a female along the same road, about a mile east of the man. Deputies next found a car stranded on the same road about five miles east of the woman. Investigation shows the man and woman may have been travelling together and may have been using the car we found stranded.
Riverside County firefighter/paramedics assisted us as did a US National Park Service Ranger, Sheriff’s Coroner’s Bureau personnel, and evidence technicians. The investigation is continuing.
The man and woman found dead in Joshua Tree National Park on Monday, August 22, 2011, have been positively identified as Augustinus Van Hove, age 44 years, of the Netherlands, and Helena Nuellett, age 38 years, of Germany.
Investigators have determined the pair were tourists who stayed in the Coachella Valley the previous night and were en route in a rental car to Arizona. Evidence indicates they entered the park shortly before noon on the day they were found. The rental car was found abandoned in an area generally deemed impassable to passenger vehicles. Although the investigation continues and toxicology results are not yet in, at this point there is no sign of obvious injury to either person and the evidence indicates the pair both succumbed due to exposure to the elements.
The investigation is ongoing and no other details are available for release. We ask that anyone with information about this matter contact Investigator Prezell Burgie at (760) 863-8945, or the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Indio Station at (760) 863-8990, or by emailing us at IndioStation@riversidesheriff.org
10 ply off road tires are a must and not typically provided on rental 4×4’s.
Thank you for this information. May help many who are planning to venture forth into the Desert to follow your advice and survive.
Some of these all-wheel drive vehicles have very little ground clearance look under the vehicle The part that is closest to the ground is your ground clearance sometimes it’s the bottom of the differential sometimes it’s the bottom of the shock absorbers sometimes it is only 6 inches…not a lot
Rental 4×4 vehicles often have agressive looking tires that are just knoby highway tires that willnot do the job. The suspension is also soft OEM not suitable for off-road. I know a couple that rented an Escalade and double flatted in the north end of Death Valley. Result was a long hike to luckily find cell service and a 250 mile tow charge. Well over $1,000 but cheaper than a coffin.