Texas man on a trip to spread his dad’s ashes died of heat stroke in Utah’s Arches National Park

A Texas man whose physique was present in Utah’s Arches Nationwide Park is believed to have died of warmth stroke whereas on a visit to unfold his father’s ashes, relations mentioned Tuesday.

James Bernard Hendricks, 66, of Austin, had been mountain climbing within the park and sure grew to become disoriented from a mixture of warmth, dehydration and excessive altitude, sisters Ila Hendricks and Ruth Hendricks Brough mentioned.

The sufferer, who glided by “Jimmy,” stopped in Utah whereas touring throughout the West to the Sierra Nevada mountains, the place he deliberate to unfold his father’s ashes on a peak positioned outdoors Reno, Nevada, the sisters mentioned.

Rangers discovered his car at a trailhead car parking zone after Hendricks was reported overdue the morning of Aug. 1, in accordance with park officers. Hendricks’ physique was discovered about 2 1/2 miles from the trailhead throughout a search off the path later that day, the sisters mentioned.

He was an skilled hiker however his water bottle was empty, Brough mentioned.

His sisters mentioned he seemingly went on a protracted hike on the morning of July 29 — the final day Hendricks was seen alive — then perished throughout a second, shorter hike the identical day.

Temperatures within the space topped 100 levels Fahrenheit that day. Brough came upon later that her brother had been taking remedy that may result in dehydration.

“It was only a horrible crushing blow to everyone,” she mentioned. “He was the quintessential nature boy who went all over the place and did every little thing. He was so robust.”

One other sibling — brother Ron Hendricks — disappeared greater than twenty years in the past within the Lake Tahoe space, Brough mentioned.

The household was notified this yr that his stays had been discovered and recognized by way of DNA testing. James Hendricks had been organizing a memorial service for him, she mentioned.

The Nationwide Park Service and Grand County Sheriff’s Workplace had been investigating the loss of life.

An official explanation for loss of life has not been decided, however warmth and altitude are thought of “related components,” mentioned Lt. Al Cymbaluk with the sheriff’s division.

Arches Nationwide Park, positioned in a high-elevation desert north of Moab, is thought for its pure sandstone arches.

A lot of the US has seen record-breaking warmth this summer time. An Oregon lady died Friday throughout a hike in northern Phoenix. Authorities mentioned her loss of life seemed to be heat-related.