Uncategorized – Page 9 – Santa Monica Mountains Task Force

Mountain lions: fragmentation and the future

On the morning of September 23rd, 2020, California Highway Patrol discovered a mountain lion sprawled out on the 101 highway in Calabasas. Young and uncollared, the animal had been fatally struck by a car while attempting passage to the other side.

This is just the latest example of the dangers faced by our native big cats in the Santa Monica Mountains — the largest urban national park in the nation — where the arteries of growing human habitation have divided and strangled the natural habitat of the mountain lion.

A 2016 study published by the National Park Service and UCLA biologists found that, if current trends of genetic stagnation continue, the Santa Monica mountain lion population has a real chance of going extinct within 50 years. It came as a troubling surprise when, earlier this year, NPS researchers uncovered the first signs of this lack of genetic diversity.

Images courtesy of National Park Service

P-81: a tell-tail sign

In March, Jeff Sikich, the NPS fieldwork lead tracking our mountain lions, came across subject P-81. The cat had some unfortunate quirks believed to be a manifestation of inbreeding: the tip of his tail kinked at a 90 degree angle, and having only one descended teste (a condition called cryptorchidism). Based on footage from wildlife cameras, it seems there may be at least another mountain lion with a crooked tail in the Santa Monica Mountains, though this cosmetic deformity seems inconsequential to them. The undescended teste, on the other hand, is worrisome as it has been linked to reproductive difficulties.

“This is something we hoped to never see,” Sikich said in a statement. “We knew that genetic diversity was low here, but this is the first time we have actually seen physical evidence of it.”

Los Angeles already has one of the least genetically-diverse mountain lion populations in California and across the West. A cautionary tale lies in what happened to the Florida panther population, where similar birth deformities foreshadowed a breeding depression that almost entirely wiped out the animal from the state.

The Florida panthers were revived when fresh blood was introduced into their decimated population, in the form of eight female panthers translocated from Texas. While our own fragmented mountain lion community is similarly in need of new genetic material, biologists have stressed that relocating cats from outside of the Santa Monica Mountains would provide only a temporary solution — without addressing the issues that brought about the current level of inbreeding, they would be importing new mountain lions indefinitely, and at great cost.

Progress on the Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing

A more permanent solution comes in the form of the Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing, a first-of-its-kind bridge project to reconnect the divided habitat.

On August 26th at its quarterly meeting, the California Wildlife Conservation Board voted to approve a $5 million grant for the crossing.

During a virtual presentation on September 23rd, Beth Pratt, Regional Executive Director of the National Wildlife Federation revealed some never-before-seen mockups of the project, which has been taken up by landscape architecture firm Living Habitats.

That the project is advancing, if slowly, is a big deal for the activists who have been fighting for it for decades. Once completed, the crossing could provide the model for addressing fragmentation issues all over the West.

A summer of kittens

Between May and August, thirteen kittens were found across 5 different den sites in the Santa Monicas. Three of these litters are suspected to have been fathered by P-63, an out-of-towner from the Simi Hills. He represents an important injection of new genetic material into the population.

Unfortunately, one of the litters was orphaned at a young age when their mother, P-67, succumbed to the effects of rodent poison. This prompted researchers to attempt a “fostering” of the two orphaned kittens, P-91 and P-92, by another female mountain lion who had also recently given birth.

The fostering didn’t stick, but the kittens now serve as ambassadors for the Santa Monica population at the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center in Arizona, and researchers continue their attempts to better understand and nurture these apex predators in our collective backyard.

Turning the tide on rodenticide

The mountain lions and their human advocates gained a major victory in September when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law the assembly bill AB 1788.

Put forward by Westside Assemblymember Richard Bloom, it restricts the use of certain anticoagulant rodenticides. These increasingly potent poisons which operate by thinning the blood of their targets, resulting in uncontrollable and fatal bleeding, have been found in 85% of our tested mountain lions, and directly implicated in several of their deaths. They have also been wreaking havoc on state wildlife at large, particularly where larger predators are concerned.

The bill drew widespread support, garnering 10,000 signatories after it was reported that a bobcat and a mountain lion from a nearby population in the Santa Susanas had died from rodenticide poisoning in August.

In a statement, the governor wrote: “My father was a naturalist and a strong advocate for the preservation of mountain lions, and I grew up loving these cats and caring about their well-being. He would be proud to know that California is taking action to protect mountain lion populations and other wildlife from the toxic effects of rodenticides.”

And, of course, you — the public — can also take action to protect our neighbors in nature. Start by checking out P-22’s Wildlife Wonderland on October 23rd, an online festival celebrating Griffith Park’s most eligible bachelor.

Los Angeles is lucky to be home to one of the most incredible species on the planet (we share with Mumbai the distinction of being one of two major cities to harbor big cats), and we can only be enriched in our efforts to learn about and protect them.

Protected Tree Ordinance under threat as court decision favors property developer

This report was written for the Santa Monica Mountains Task Force by Sara R. Nichols, a Sullivan Canyon resident and environmental activist involved in the lawsuit against real estate developers who violated state laws in pursuit of erecting mansions on top of the old-growth forest and natural wildlife habitat of a Santa Monica Mountains hillside.

An update on the status of the properties at 1834 and 1838 Old Ranch Road was inevitable. Sadly, the update is not in our favor. As you may have heard, Sullivan Equity Partners (SEP) wants to build an approximately 15,000 square-foot house with horse barn, swimming pool and guest house on each of these lots. They intend to build a 1,000-foot-long retaining wall on the east side of the lots just under Bayliss Road, Eric Drive, Westridge Terrace and Westridge Road. The lots are two thirds of the way up Old Ranch Road in a steep, wooded canyon. The proposed construction would destroy the natural state of these lots, which can be seen from many homes in the area and enjoyed from paths and trails nearby. Our ultimate aim — endorsed by the Santa Monica Mountains Task Force — is to preserve them as a small park to benefit the public. The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy has expressed interest in assuming ownership should we ever have the good fortune to get the far!

In 2014 SEP removed 56 trees from the property, including three trees (one, a huge legacy sycamore on City property) they had no permit to remove under the Los Angeles Protected Tree Ordinance. As a result, the City, after hearings in 2016 in front of the Bureau of Street Services and the Board of Public Works, asked the Department of Building and Safety to revoke SEP’s building and grading permits for five years, a penalty provided by the Protected Tree Ordinance. SEP sued the City in both state and federal court for damages and to try to force the City to reinstate their permits.

SEP won the state-court case and in late January 2020 a judgment was entered ordering the City to rescind its permit revocations and its decisions that SEP violated the Protected Tree Ordinance. After settlement talks between the City and SEP that were held behind closed doors, the City decided to appeal the Superior Court’s decision favoring SEP. The outcome of that appeal has not been determined. We are hoping that the Bureau of Street Services and the Board of Public Works will decide in the upcoming months to hold new hearings on SEP’s violations.

We are grateful to all of you who spoke up for the environment by taking our poll and contacting City officials to let them know of your opposition to this wildly inappropriate and dangerous development and asking them to hold new hearings.

We are concerned that the Protected Tree Ordinance could become a legal fiction if it can’t be enforced. The court’s overturning of the City’s enforcement makes a mockery of the City’s duty to protect the environment all over the City, never mind just in places like Sullivan Canyon. That said, as Sullivan Canyon is in a high-risk fire zone, this development deserves special scrutiny. Eighteen-feet-wide Old Ranch Road has been on evacuation orders twice in the last two years.

Climate change is making the risk of catastrophic fires all the more likely with each passing year. Imagine a fire truck trying to access a fire in the canyon with even one cement mixer or hauling vehicle on the road, never mind the hundreds this development would necessitate. Moreover, nationwide, there are almost 4,000 construction site fires every year. Who can guarantee that this site will be fire-free? Those homes on the top of the ridge, up-wind from the construction site, would be the most vulnerable.

In the meantime, there are ways to fight to protect 1834 and 1838 Old Ranch Road from this improper, dangerous and hideously disruptive development. We are asking for donations to pay our attorneys to represent us against this potentially terrible environmental assault.

We have managed to hold the line against this development since September 2014 and we still have a good chance to stop any inappropriate development if we muster our resources and voices at this critical point.

Please give as generously as you can to our law-firm partner in this saga, Advocates for the Environment. (see link for P.O. Box address and option to donate online). Good attorneys are not cheap! It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, so your donations will be tax-deductible. I still hold out hope that we will be able to raise enough money to be able to purchase the land and turn it over to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to forever protect the land from development and our community from the nightmare that an inappropriate development of this magnitude guarantees.

Fall 2020 update from the Task Force Chair

As we know, all too well and bitterly, Fire Season is upon us. Although it’s barely begun, catastrophic wildfires have consumed not just California, but huge swaths of the coastal and inter-mountain West. Oregon and Washington just burned, losing many homes. Colorado is on fire, and they say won’t be out of danger until the first snows in October.

Two hundred hikers and campers in the Sierras barely escaped the Creek Fire with their lives, and then only because Chinook helicopters dangerously flew into thick smoke and airlifted them out. As I began writing this on 9/10, the morning’s Los Angeles Times showed the San Francisco skyline as an orange, smoky apocalypse. Although the Santa Monica Mountains have mostly not been stricken (yet), the Bobcat Fire in the San Gabriels, including Mount Wilson and Big Santa Anita Canyon — a hiker’s paradise — has scorched more than 115,000 acres and is still not fully contained. For a time, the thick smoke and poisonous air it dumped into the Los Angeles basin rendered any hiking, trail-running or outdoor exercise hazardous to your health.

For most of my 45 years living in L.A., fire season meant three months or so of the year centered around October. Now it’s 12 months a year. The Thomas Fire, which devastated the Santa Monicas and Los Padres National Forest, started in December of 2017 and took three months to put out, and then only because of the arrival of rains. I’d never heard of fire tornadoes before now, creating their own weather with flames 100 to 200 feet high, exhausting fire-fighters volunteering from all over the world, but welcome to the New Normal. The destruction caused by drought, and beetles, has killed thousands of square miles of California forests, making them tinder for the ravenous fires, especially around Yosemite and Lake Tahoe.

The Santa Monicas are America’s largest and only intra-urban mountain range. As we sit here today, the truly scary Santa Ana “devil winds” are still ahead. Remember the quaint old times when building a fire-break protected against the spread of a wildfire? Already all MRCA trails in the Santa Monicas, and the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, have been closed twice: the first, in April, because of COVID-19 overcrowding and people’s non-compliance with masks and social-distancing protocols; and the second, over Labor Day, because of the lethal heat wave that killed a 41-year-old female hiker in Tapia Park, near Calabasas. That day, Los Angeles County set an all-time record of 121 degrees. Many others had to be rescued and medevacked out. That’s also when the Bobcat Fire started in the San Gabriels.

So what, if anything, is the Sierra Club doing about all this? Your Chair has been busy. In August I spent a full day with a team of City of L.A. engineers, fire department officials and engineers including the Fire Chief, the head Ranger and the Deputy Director of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, as well as community and homeowner-association leaders, to scout out locations for a new series of fire cameras throughout the Santa Monica Mountains.

This exciting project — stretching across all of California, not just here — is being funded by public and private charitable money based out of U.C. San Diego. We surveyed a dozen or more locations, such as San Vicente Mountain Peak (Nike missile tracking station), Mountaingate, and the Green Mountain radar navigation station on the Temescal Ridge Fire Road, looking for the most panoramic, unobstructed and long-range views of the mountains. These cameras will be rolling 24/7, in real time, and accessible not just to the fire department but to everyone via the Internet. We know that early detection and extinguishment of these fires, which seem to start in the middle of the night or early morning, is critical. The fire department is enthusiastic, and says these cameras will allow them to detect fires and deploy resources earlier and with greater precision, when the fire can still be knocked down.

We’re also active on the legislative front. Recent legislation in Sacramento aggressively sought to “densify” housing across the state, effectively abolishing single-family zoning (among other companion legislation, SB 1120). Whatever you might think about this on the merits, as regards homelessness and the housing crisis, this legislation — which failed to pass in the closing minutes of the Assembly session — could be disastrous for the mountains. Most of these locations are known as Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Attracting developers to buy land here, clear wilderness open-space and build dense and expensive (not affordable) housing, will be a grave and deadly mistake. Many of these new residences could be difficult or impossible to evacuate in a firestorm, as we tragically saw in Northern California.

That is why, on August 22nd, Sierra Club California passed a resolution opposing new building in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, except for existing in-fill development, “to respond to increasing intensity and frequency of devastating wildfires on lives, habitat, property, infrastructure, and the environment.”

Stay tuned. This is all “breaking news.”

Eric Edmunds, Chair
Santa Monica Mountains Task Force

R.I.P. Jerome Daniel

We’re sad to announce the recent passing of Jerome Daniel, originally a Chicago native who moved to Los Angeles and, like so many of us, fell under the enchantment of our local Santa Monica Mountains and its many treasures large and small.

Daniel was a key figure in planning the Mulholland Scenic Parkway (where an overlook above the Hollywood Bowl is named in his honor), and went on to chair the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, where he oversaw the preservation of some 50,000 acres of parkland.

Development paused on Woodland Hills “Savannah Oaks” project

Over a decade in the making, the somewhat garish, land-gobbling “Savannah Oaks” project off Mulholland in Woodland Hills has been stalled, or perhaps stopped altogether. The development of 19 three- and four-bedroom homes was submitted in 2005 and has been met with several fierce obstacles and appeals from the surrounding community as well as the MRCA and the SMMC. Among the environmental casualties — besides the potential fire risks — would be fifteen protected coast live oaks.

Heat and wildfires: the eternal, infernal duo

Suddenly, COVID masks became handy for another reason: the smoke-tinged air, through which ashes spun like grisly snowfall. While no significant fires have broken out yet this season in the Santa Monicas, those like the Bobcat and El Dorado fires, as well as all the others peppering the state, are but one facet of a general reminder of the dangers of excessive dry heat, and of climate change overall.

Mary Ann Webster’s article in the Summer 2020 newsletter addressed the considerations one should undergo when hiking, or deciding to hike, in such weather. Unfortunately, the recent death of a hiker in Calabasas made her words all the timelier. Trails closed through 5 pm after this incident, and during the heatwave.

The Wildland Urban Wildfire Committee was formed by Sierra Club California in July 2020, in order to address the flammable pitfalls and risks associated with “urban-interface development” — the fancy, bureaucratic name for places such as Malibu: outer crusts of suburbia. Ideally, these efforts will help substantially with our response time, and capacity, to combat any future fires, a problem that today is far less an “if” than a “when”.

On the general nature of California’s ash-laden, red-tinted New Normal, here is a sobering editorial from the Washington Post.

Featured image by Khushboo Jain licensed under Creative Commons BY 2.0

Break out the (figurative) cigars! A new litter of mountain lions is born in the Santa Monica Mountains

The adult male mountain lion known as P-63, who’s found a way to cross the 101 freeway, has brought hopeful genetic diversity from the Simi Hills region into the Santa Monica Mountains.

The local mountain lion population is under increasing pressure from urbanization and development, but with plans such as the wildlife corridor in Agoura Hills, and the ongoing California Fish and Game’s review of whether to offer official state protection to the state’s six genetically distinct cougar sub-populations, we could soon see less inbreeding and vehicular deaths, and a slow but stable rebound for our lions.

Featured image courtesy of National Park Service

Summer 2020 update from the Task Force Chair

It has been two months since the trails reopened in the Santa Monica Mountains, in areas managed by State Parks and the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority. We can now begin to see how that is working out.

I’ve laced up my running shoes and hit the most popular trails, from Escondido Falls in Malibu to Elysian and Griffith Parks downtown. I’ve also run and walked on beaches and popular gathering-places like Palisades Park in Santa Monica.

There’s a LOT of people out on the trails. In part that may be because of folks going stir-crazy in their small apartments, perhaps surrounded by numerous family members. It’s also the onset of summer and warm weather, with the magnetic effect the beaches and outdoors have on Southern Californians at this time of year.

For those of us on foot in the mountains, what are we seeing? For one thing, not many face-masks and little social-distancing, although the more considerate folks cover their mouth and nose as they approach you. I’d say one-third to one-half of people on the trails carry a mask or bandana. With runners breathing hard (I myself carry a bandana), and especially with the younger cohort, unfortunately there is much less compliance. And with mountain bikers, almost no compliance.

It’s certainly a buzz-kill for a hiker on a single-track trail, minding his/her own business, to be suddenly confronted with a shredder bombing straight at you at high speed, with barely time (if you’re lucky) to jump off the trail to save your life as the unmasked rider passes with zero separation distance.

The trails reopened on May 10th. Since then, times have changed at warp speed. Amazingly, face masks and social-distancing are suddenly political issues, red versus blue. Public health officials advocating for caution and conservatism are being harassed, intimidated (in L.A. County), and driven from office (Orange County). Pressure to “reopen” and revert to normalcy is irresistible. Bars and restaurants are tentatively open again.

Sadly, we are now starting to see the results. New cases, hospitalizations and new deaths are surging, especially in aggressive reopening places like Florida, Texas and Arizona. The virus never takes a holiday.

It is true that trails and the outdoors are safer than enclosed bars and restaurants. Fresh air, sunlight, and warm temps inhibit the spread, especially if you are hiking on a wide fire road where you can take evasive action, as opposed to single-track.

The months ahead will tell how all this works out. For me, despite the obstacles and disruptions, it’s a blessing and a privilege to get outdoors and hit the trails.

One final observation: If you see a black stick on the trail, don’t step on it. There’re a lot of rattlesnakes this season.

Eric Edmunds, Chair
Santa Monica Mountains Task Force

Summer safety on the trails

Planning your hike

Know the weather. During summer, temperatures in the Santa Monica Mountains can easily exceed 80°F during peak sun hours. Check the weather forecast before you go, and try to hike during the early morning or early evening when it’s cooler.

Dress appropriately. Dress in light, moisture-wicking clothing, and avoid cotton and denim. (This article explains nicely why it’s best to avoid cotton when out on the trail). Sunglasses and a hat or bandana are highly recommended, and be sure to slather any exposed areas with a high SPF, broad-spectrum sunscreen. A spare pair of dry socks to change into at your mid-point can help keep your feet happy and blister-free.

Hydration and nutrition. Potable water is available at spigots in various locations around the parks, but we caution against relying on these sources exclusively. Fill up your own thermos, bottle or hydration pack ahead of time, and it’s never a bad idea to bring more water than you think you will need. Pre-hydrate in preparation for your hike by drinking at least 16 fl oz before you leave home. It’s also smart to pack snacks, for energy boost and electrolytes; a mix of salty, fatty and sweet should do the trick.

Pack the right stuff. In case nature calls (more than it already has, mind you), bring your own toilet paper along with a baggie to pack out your used TP. Remember to bring bandages or wraps in case of minor scrapes and scratches or blistered feet. And, especially in these times of COVID-19, don’t forget the hand sanitizer and some kind of mouth and nose covering. Depending on the terrain and time of day, it may also be prudent to bring hiking poles, a tarp or umbrella for shade, and a headlamp (make sure the headlamp is charged). The Ten Essentials is an adaptable gear checklist that is worthy of consideration ahead of any hike, regardless of the difficultly or duration.

During your hike

Know where you’re going. Stick to established trails, and know your alternate exit routes ahead of time in case an emergency arises. Here is a reliable resource for local hiking maps.

Whether you’re bagging a peak or looking for a “bathroom”, exercise extreme caution when travelling off-trail. Turn around frequently to look at the route you came by, to ensure you can retrace your route from memory — it may look completely different from the other side. Going off-trail increases the risk of stumbles, injuries, snake encounters and more. Avoid putting a strain on search and rescue.

Take respites. On a hot day, rest breaks (ideally in the shade) are indispensable to help regulate your body temperature, allow you to grab a snack, and evaluate how you are feeling physically. They are also a good opportunity to soak up the many incredible views the Santa Monica Mountains have to offer, observe the wildlife, and enjoy (and maybe try to identify) the vast array of wildflowers.

Hydrate. Experts recommend drinking between a half and full liter for every hour of hiking. It’s not an exact science, as the amount of water your body will lose during your hike depends on the individual in question, as well as the air temperature and exertion level. Note that you can also over-hydrate: drinking vast quantities of water without also replenishing electrolytes (salts) may lead to hyponatremia. Keep your water somewhere easily accessible so you can sip regularly as you go. Make sure you have enough water for the return trek, as well — if you are running out of water, it’s time to head home.

Be aware of your body and others. Look out for other people in your group who are showing signs of problems, as they may not recognize these signs for themselves. Check in frequently to ensure everyone is faring well. Be aware of the signs and symptoms of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke, which can include fatigue, dizziness, nausea, fainting, fever, behavioral changes and more.

While milder cases of dehydration and heat exhaustion can often be resolved on the trail, heatstroke is a medical emergency and should be treated as such. According to the Mayo Clinic, untreated heatstroke can quickly damage your brain, heart, kidneys and muscles. And the damage worsens the longer treatment is delayed, increasing your risk of serious complications or death. Heat illnesses usually develop over time, so learn how to recognize the early signs, and deal with them before they have a chance to develop into something much more serious.

In the case of heatstroke: Stop hiking immediately. Find some shade, or create your own with a tarp, umbrella or spare item of clothing. Focus on cooling the patient’s body. Soak a bandana with cold water and place it against their neck. Make a plan for getting the patient off the trail as soon as possible. Don’t hesitate to call 911 and get medical attention, as the consequences of heatstroke can be dire.

COVID-19 special safety

Share the trail. Maintain a distance of 6 feet from other hikers. Look for turnouts where you can safely step off the trail to let others pass.

Pick trails less traveled. Have a couple of alternative trails in mind, in case your first choice is crowded when you arrive. Or, research beforehand the varying popularity of certain trails.

Avoid congregating. Take care to not linger in parking lots, or at popular peaks and vista points.

If the trail or park is closed, don’t go!

Featured image: Topanga State Park, June 2020 | Photo by John Nilsson

Hiking awareness: a matter of life and death

For thirty-five years, I have led hikes for the Sierra Club. Our mandate is to ensure that every participating hiker is documented and provided adequate water, food, attire, and sunscreen. Hike leaders often bring an extra supply of such items, in case any given hiker runs out. Even before gathering at the trailhead, though, before even packing the car, one must assess: is this a safe day for a hike?

Everyone understands that storms, sleet and fires would naturally preempt any outing. Under the blue skies of our parched corner of Southern California, though, another element poses significant risk: the sun.

Heatstroke is a condition caused by exposure to extreme heat for a protracted period of time. Untreated, it leads to dehydration, causing a life-threatening rise in internal temperature which can result in brain damage, organ failure, and death.

It was on the sweltering day of September 2nd, 2019 that multiple hikers in the Santa Monica Mountains — as part of an eight-mile hike arranged on MeetUp.com — succumbed to the harsh, unimpeded glare of the sun. A rescue operation ensued. Tragically, one man could not be saved.

More than fifty hikers met that morning at the trailhead off Kanan Dume Road, in Malibu. The organizer, a man named Dean, promotes himself on MeetUp.com as a seasoned and popular hike leader, claiming that he helms the second largest hiking group in the world (the first being out of Japan). Comments on MeetUp describe Dean as “wonderful” and “caring” in his outdoor leadership.

The forecast that day was blistering, in the mid-nineties. The hike itself stretched into some of the more remote regions of the mountains, even as these areas had been recently closed by the National Park Service due to damage from the Woolsey Fire a few months prior. Whether Dean was ignorant or dismissive of this information is unknown — although closure signs were on display.

The hikers set out. As they progressed, the weather grew more ominous: midday heat descended on them, and shade proved virtually non-existent. Water consumption accelerated, to the point that, after only a few miles, some participants ran out. It’s unclear, as well, if everyone had at least some water to begin with. There is no indication that, at the outset, any kind of equipment survey was conducted, or warning given.

To compound matters, Dean himself began running out of water, and ceased hiking. Other hikers, all of varying experience, continued on. Some lost contact with one another. Some became lost, confused.

One man, sixty-four, began weakening considerably. He had no water, and no one around him had the authority or know-how to diagnose and treat heatstroke. One person called 911, and was connected with Malibu police. Another had an umbrella, which they held over the man who by now was lying on the ground in terrible distress.

A helicopter was dispatched, but it was too late. Despite efforts to revive the man, he perished at the scene. Also in serious condition was a female hiker who was given immediate medical attention and, along with several others unable to walk back, airlifted to safety.

When we lead hikes for the Sierra Club, all participants sign in. There is a leader and a trail-sweep, so that no one strays from the group without signing off. Safety is the prime consideration. If Dean’s hike had been part of the Sierra Club, or at least employed the same level of awareness and preparedness, this man’s needless death might easily have been prevented. He would have been sufficiently hydrated, and treated by other hikers before the helicopter arrived.

On his web page, Dean states that he is absolved of all responsibility for the safety of the hikes he leads. Participants are supposed to sign a waiver, in case of injury or fatality. Yet it seems clear to me that several degrees of irresponsibility and outright negligence contributed directly to this man’s death.

Was it an accident? Involuntary manslaughter? Something more egregious?

Dean continues leading hikes. One can find on his website a catalog of excursions he took in 2019. Curiously, though, and conspicuously, there is no mention of one that took place on September 2nd.