National Park Service, 57-year-old woman dies while hiking in extreme heat at Grand Canyon said in a statement.
Park rangers “received a report of a day hiker stranded in the Tweep area of Grand Canyon National Park” around 6:30 p.m. on July 2, the agency said.
Rangers arrived at the scene around 1 a.m. on July 3 and confirmed the hiker’s death. The victim was knocked unconscious as he attempted to complete a 13-mile hike in the park’s secluded Tweep neighborhood.
The agency said the temperature was over 100 degrees Celsius that day in Tweep and peaked at about 114 degrees Celsius at Phantom Ranch near the Colorado River along the North Kaibab Trail.
The National Park Service did not immediately respond to TODAY.com’s request for comment on the matter, and the Mohave County Coroner’s Office did not respond to TODAY.com’s request for comment on the cause of death.
While urging visitors to prepare for the heat, Rangers notes that parts of the canyon interior are in heat warnings through July 5.
Rangers are urging hikers to avoid the inner canyons between 10am and 4pm, as temperatures can soar above 120 degrees Celsius in the shade on exposed parts of the trail.
The death follows a similar incident in May in which a 36-year-old woman died while hiking to the Colorado River and trying to return in a day. After her death, park rangers at Grand Canyon National Park cautioned visitors to beware of “excessively hot days” during the summer season.
Hiking in extreme heat can lead to heat exhaustion, heat stroke, hyponatremia, a dangerous drop in sodium in the blood, and even death.
Whether you go hiking or not, experts recommend staying indoors and taking precautions to stay safe in the heat, including staying hydrated.
Experts also recommend planning for power outages, being aware that some medications can make you more susceptible to heat, and checking on your neighbors. Recommended.
