Porsche and its attempted rescuer stuck south of Badwater Basin/NPS, S. Solomon
Three motorists who decided to head off-road at Death Valley National Park recently were cited by rangers and faced bills for having their vehicles towed back onto firm ground.
“Vehicles driving off roads can damage fragile ecosystems and damage archeological sites,” said Superintendent Mike Reynolds. “They also impact the experience of other park visitors. People want to take photographs of the park’s beautiful landscapes without car tracks in the picture, which can last for many years.”
On December 22, two men drove a rented Porsche SUV off a road toward the salt flat about two miles south of Badwater Basin, according to a park release. The vehicle got stuck in mud about 200 yards away from the road.
Retrieving stuck vehicles can cause significant additional damage, said park staff. While rangers told the motorists that National Park Service staff would need to monitor the extraction of the vehicles, the men hired a man with a pickup truck to attempt to remove the Porsche when the NPS was not present. The pickup truck also got stuck in mud.
A tow truck winched the pickup truck out of the mud a couple days later, while the Porsche drove out of the mud after digging holes and laying down traction.
Hole created while extracting the pickup truck stuck in the mud south of Badwater Basin/NPS, Spencer Solomon
On December 27, a man drove a BMW SUV over a parking lot curb and for about a half-mile through Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes before getting stuck in sand. The vehicle was towed out the following night.
Park rangers are concerned that copycat behavior can be inspired when people see vehicle tracks leading out into the desert. While rangers were at the sand dunes parking lot waiting for the tow truck to arrive, more than one visitor came up to them and asked how they can drive out into the sand dunes as well.
After two vehicles and a tow truck drove in the same location, the National Park Service installed signs to deter others from thinking that this is a road/NPS, Spencer Solomon
Comments
All you did was "cite" them? I know of an experienced YouTube backpacker and an outdoor TV host who set up camp 200 yards from his permit site during a wild snowstorm while legally filming, and you took him to court , threatened 5 years jail time and wouldn't let him leave the country (required for his job)!
I'm nervous to go to the Grand Canyon. I might do something unintentional and come home from VC with a criminal record. And then I read THIS? A CITATION? WTH!
All vehicles involved should be impounded permanently and sold to off-set the expenses of restoration.
The activity involving the YouTube backpacker you mention are misdemeanors which could not possibly result in "5 years jail time" or a criminal record. Your account lacks crediability.
Why do you think someone who knowingly and intentionally camped outside of the permitted area (and if he's a YouTuber, he probably told everyone about it, encouraging bad behavior) deserves any sympathy?
Please, do not visit any public parks if you cannot stay on the trails, pick up and pack out your waste, and obey the small number of rules which protect the place for everyone and protect everyone in the place.
People have considerations for nature. They want to drive in areas that say no motorized vehicle, road closed just to tear it up and have self enjoyment. They are self centered .... They should have to spend 500 hours fixing trails to improve areas. That's after a 15,000 dollar fine and 6 months jail. This should not just be a minor citation slap on the wrist offense. People need to learn respect for out Land, nature and water. -- This comment was edited to remove gratuitous words.
Should be a mandatory jail time and a huge fine.This is damaging a national treasure and these entitled idiots don't care but would start caring if they were put in jail .No mercy for these fools!
100 % agree. A lame citation is only going to increase copycat behaviour.
Don't think they are getting off with just a minor ticket. Evidently the citation entails a mandatory court appearance and a potential fine of tens of thousands of dollars; another illegal-off-roading case a few years ago apparently resulted in a $50,000 (yes fifty thousand) dollar fine: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/3-road-drivers-cited-getting-stuck-...