Coachella Valley chooses to hike in heat despite deaths

Around noon Monday, as the summer temperatures neared 100 degrees with few clouds in the sky, four Coachella Valley residents sauntered on and off the hiking trails in Palm Desert behind Target. The most popular route in that area, the Bump and Grind Trail, sees daily traffic, even in the scorching months of June, July and August.

One man whizzed by on his mountain bike, while two others headed for their cars, empty water bottles in hand, sweat beading on their foreheads. Another brave soul trotted up the trail, in a blue long-sleeve shirt with two water bottles strapped to his waist and a bandana covering his scalp.

Just 48 hours prior — nearly to the minute — Palm Desert resident George Basanda suffered a medical emergency on the Bump and Grind Trail. The Riverside County Fire Department responded to a call for help for the 61-year-old at 12:13 p.m. Saturday, but soon after a CalFire rescue helicopter arrived, Basanda was pronounced dead.

At that time on Saturday, it was also 100 degrees.

Basanda was the second hiker tackling the Coachella Valley's local trails to die in just six days. On June 29, Scottish visitor Ruth Ross, 56, died after falling unconscious while hiking the South Lykken Trail with her husband in 101-degree heat just after 10 a.m.

While these tales are the extreme, they aren't uncommon, and for a few people, they breed sadness but not more caution, as they choose to flirt with death on the local trails.

"There's something about this hill, or any hiking trail. ... I enjoy being on the mountain," La Quinta resident Kim Davenport said. "I know this sounds silly, but it's like a mental therapy for me to come out here.

Davenport, who is 48, has lived in the valley for 25 years and has been a frequent hiker on the Bump and Grind trail for the past 20. She said she hikes the trail at least once a week — even during the summer — starting around 10 a.m.

During her hour-long trek, she brings just one 16-ounce water bottle, her phone, headphones and a cool head wrap.

For her, it's one of few places she can enjoy a good workout.

"I would rather do this at 107 (degrees) than be in an air-conditioned gym for 40 minutes," she said. "I just get bored at the gym. I have a towel covering up the time, and I check it and realize 'Oh, it's only been five minutes!' But here, I'll do the same path over and over again."

The sightings of lizards, bighorn sheep and even rattlesnakes give her an adrenaline rush she can only find walking on the gravel and sand.

For fellow La Quinta resident Greg Regan, walking the Bump and Grind on a sweaty 90-minute journey isn't just for fun — it helps him train for his job.

The 63-year-old works for the San Manuel Fire Department in Highland two days a week. On his days off, he arrives at the trailhead around 10 a.m. to hike just over four miles.

"With wildfires, you have to do a lot of hiking and strenuous work," he said. "It doesn't matter how hot it is; you have to go out and do it."

Regan makes sure to drink a bottle of water in the morning to rehydrate himself after a night's sleep. On the trail, he brings another bottle.

Capt. Susan Trevino, the Palm Desert chief of police, said she knows the valley is full of hiking enthusiasts and attracts others from around the country and the world.

But often simple changes to one's hiking plan can make a difference between driving away dripping with sweat and being airlifted or carried off on a stretcher.

The routine of starting hikes in the late morning may work for Davenport and Regan, but it's certainly not for everyone.

"Some folks may be from out of the area and don't understand the weather. They might not think it's as bad as it could be," Trevino said. "If someone is going to start hiking at 10 in the morning when it's 100 (degrees), they may want to start at 7 or 6 a.m., when the degrees are considerably lower."

Both Davenport and Regan hadn't heard of Basanda's death and were saddened by the news. Still, they will continue to hike.

"If it's 110, that's probably too hot for me. I try to know my limits," Davenport said. "I told my husband I was going to be here. He knows I'm a little bit crazy, and he's not going to stop me."

Nathan Brown covers sports for The Desert Sun. He can be reached at Nathan.Brown@DesertSun.com and on Twitter @TDSNathanBrown