Washington hiker found dead in California’s Death Valley

DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) — A hiker from Washington state has been found dead in Death Valley National Park, where temperatures have been among the hottest in the world. Authorities say 68-year-old Douglas Branham of Tukwila had planned a 12-mile round trip through the salt flats of the California park but missed a flight home on Tuesday. He was discovered by helicopter on Wednesday. Authorities say Branham may have begun his hike earlier this week when temperatures in the park reached 118 degrees. The Inyo County coroner’s office will determine the cause of his death.