A 68-year-old French tourist, Pierre Michel Formosa, died in Death Valley National Park on 17 August after the vehicle he was travelling in became stuck in mud, forcing him and a companion to attempt to walk for help in temperatures of 116°F (47°C). Park authorities have highlighted the incident as a stark warning about the extreme dangers posed by the park's heat, remoteness and difficult terrain, even for experienced travellers.

Formosa and his companion got stuck on West Side Road near Queen of Sheba Mine Road; after struggling to continue on foot for just over a mile, Formosa stayed behind while his companion sought help from a passing motorist. A search-and-rescue operation involving National Park Service rangers, a sheriff's deputy and a California Highway Patrol helicopter located him about a mile and a half from Badwater Road, where he was pronounced dead; the cause of death is yet to be determined by the coroner. Park officials, including superintendent Mike Reynolds, urged visitors to carry at least a gallon of water per person per day, use high-clearance or four-wheel-drive vehicles, stay with a disabled vehicle for shelter and visibility, and carry satellite communication devices given the area's poor mobile coverage.