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Well, firstly, it's erroneous to assume they intentionally went on a rugged expedition unprepared.  Joshua is beautiful, heavily traveled riddled with little super cool things to see.  Unfortunately many of the super cool things to see that you hear about are not well marked and easily traveled paved walkways like the dozens of maintained heavily traveled sites.

JTree in heat and sun is surprisingly difficult to see in. It's not just bright, but the car above is a good example, that car will be hard to see until you're on top of it.  Look beyond the car and what you see is a large plain littered with J-Trees, rocks, actually isn't flat and basically same-ness in all directions.

It is super easy to get lost, turned around and disoriented. Even more so on any kind of poorly marked primitive trail going to a lessor known site.  I've been on them and the primitive markers basically maintained by other hikers are often only visible going in one direction.

Easy to misjudge what appears to be a easy stroll on the map or guide site. It's also easy when not on the paved pathways to sprain and ankle or otherwise get a minor injury.

I love j-Tree an our National Parks, but J-Tree is a nasty blend of tamed leisurely themeparkesqye pathways and crowds, mobs climbing the rocks along the roads and remote raw rugged wilderness in extremely hostile terrain. 
 
Hope they find them, but as days go on it's looking bleak. 

Just need to be more cautious before you venture out.. especially if it's just a couple like that.  There are devices that you can purchase to help track you.. plus emergency signals just in case. 
 
So sad about this couple. I truly hope a miracle happens, however with each passing hour it doesn't look good.

I'm old fashioned and prefer to use a topo map and compass because I know it will never break down, lose a satellite signal or run out of batteries.

For those of you who would like to explore the outdoors but don't know how, this is a great course to teach you how to stay safe and found.

https://www.wildernesstravelcourse.org/


 
From news reports, the BF fancied himself as a prepper/survivalist and may have been over-confident.  They likely did not bring a Garmin GPS for hiking and rescue operators reported that their trail indicates they were hiking in circles.
 
The trail they were hiking is called 'The Maze' and is notoriously difficult to follow without maps/compasses or GPS.  Plus nobody should be hiking in 110 degree heat, period.  It doesn't matter how much water you bring, that is just asking for trouble.  Even the Search & Rescue teams are having trouble because their people keep getting heat exhaustion.  I think the 'survivalist' angle got played up by the newspaper because he apparently carries a knife when he hikes.  Silly.
 
Are there any wildlife guzzlers in that area?  If so and they were able to find one, they might have survived.
 
It's not likely they lasted more than a couple days out in that heat without food & water.  At this point, I guess the search is just for finding the bodies and to provide closure.
 
really surprised there are no traces of them.  Praying for the family.
 
Found em....

Two bodies - locked in an embrace - are found in Joshua Tree National Park nearly three months after couple vanished hiking nearby



Two bodies were recovered in Joshua Tree National Park on Sunday by teams looking for a missing southern California couple
Rachel Nguyen and Joseph Orbeso, 20 and 21, were reported missing on July 28 when they failed to check out of their bed and breakfast near the park
Orbedo's father Gilbert took part in the search on Sunday
He said clothing, water bottles and food wrappers led them to the bodies, which were holding each other


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4984636/Bodies-Joshua-Tree-near-couple-went-missing.html#ixzz4vgb2YkeY
 
We knew they didn't make it but hearing they  were  found embracing makes it hollywood tear  jerker status.  At least now they can be put to rest properly.
 
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