For the second time this summer, a hiker has tragically died from heat-related conditions in California’s Death Valley National Park, where high temperatures have become intolerable, according to park officials.

On August 1, Peter Hayes Robino, 57, from Los Angeles County, drove his car off a steep edge after completing a circular hike of a mile. An autopsy confirmed that his cause of death was heat exposure, reported the National Park Service on Monday.

Robino marks the second fatality this summer linked to visits to Death Valley, an area experiencing historically high temperatures nearing 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

LA County resident drove off an embankment post-hike

Witnesses reported seeing Robino struggling to walk as he made his way back from the Natural Bridge Trail, which park officials advise against hiking during extreme heat.

The temperature that day reached an alarming 119 degrees. Onlookers offered their assistance, but he declined, responding in a way that was puzzling, according to the park service.

Afterward, Robino attempted to leave the park but ended up driving off a 20-foot embankment located at the parking lot’s edge, causing his car to flip over and deploy the airbags.

Robino was found outside his vehicle and managed to walk to a shaded area as a bystander called for emergency services. When park responders arrived at 4:10 p.m., he was still breathing, but he succumbed within the hour despite attempts to resuscitate him and being placed in an air-conditioned ambulance.

An autopsy by the Inyo County Coroner revealed that Robino died of hyperthermia, which can cause symptoms like overheating, confusion, irritability, and coordination issues.

Extreme heat in Death Valley poses risks to tourists

Robino’s passing follows another tragedy less than a month earlier when a motorcyclist died from heat exposure within the park, notorious for being one of the hottest and driest places in the United States.

The motorcyclist was part of a group of six riding through the park and was taken to a Las Vegas hospital for severe heat-related illness. That same day, four others received treatment in the national park when temperatures hit 128 degrees before being released.

In early July, California faced excessive heat warnings as temperatures exceeded 100 degrees across the state. Later, another visitor to Death Valley was rescued and hospitalized due to third-degree burns on his feet.

Due to the extreme heat, park officials have consistently cautioned visitors regarding the hazards of prolonged exposure to the elements. Rangers recommend that summer guests at Death Valley National Park remain in air-conditioned areas, refrain from hiking after 10 a.m. in lower elevation zones, stay well-hydrated, and consume salty snacks.